By Jim Dower: Lamont Peterson (25-1-1, 15 KO’s) stopped Victor Cayo (20-2, 18 KO’s) in the 12th round after hurting him tonight in an IBF light welterweight title eliminator bout at the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Las Vegas, Nevada. Referee Kenny Bayless halted the fight at 2:46 of the 12th.

Peterson lacked power on his shots and spent most of the fight making a terrible grunting sound every time he would throw a punch. The grunting made it all but impossible to use feints, and it telegraphed everything that Peterson threw. In the 12th, Cayo came out trying to score a knockout and was hurt by a shot from Peterson. He then flurried to get a stoppage.

Peterson showed good defense and body punching but spent too much time covering up. He needs to be more active, stop shrieking every time he throws punches and try to develop some power somewhere. Had this been a better light welterweight like Marcos Maidana, Robert Guerrero or Amir Khan in there with him tonight instead of Cayo, Peterson would have lost. He’s got too many amateurish flaws in his game to go far in the sport.

Peterson is now in the position to fight Khan, as he is now his mandatory challenger for his International Boxing Federation title. Peterson better not hold his breath waiting for that title shot because it will never come. Khan will be vacating soon, meaning that Peterson will have to fight for the vacant IBF title against someone like Tim Coleman, Joseito Lopez or Lucas Matthyse. Peterson can beat Coleman or Lopez, but not Matthysse. He’d lose to Matthysee.