By John F. McKenna (McJack): Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer announced on Thursday that former IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan (26-2, 18 KO’s) is looking to Southern California for his next fight. Schaefer put a hold on the Honda Center in Anaheim with the intent of staging a fight there on July 7 against a yet to be announce opponent.

Things took a sudden and unexpected turn of events last week when it was announced that current IBF/WBA light welterweight champion Lamont Peterson (30-1-1-15 KO’s) failed two successive drug tests. New details emerged on an almost hourly basis as the boxing media began digging into the mess. As new details were reveled it was learned that Peterson had taken testosterone pellets prior to the first fight with Khan last December. Amir lost the first fight by a highly controversial decision. The Khan – Peterson rematch was to have taken place May 19 at the Mandaly Bay Resort Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The Golden Boy CEO chief was reported to be livid because he was kept in the dark until it was learned that Lamont had also failed the 2nd test. Schaefer, who is Khan’s promoter, was left holding the bag so to speak. By the time he was informed of the failed tests it was too late to line up another match and the whole fight card had to be cancelled. Given the set of circumstances Schaefer faced, it is understandable that he was more than a little bit perturbed at his not being appraised of the situation. Both Golden Boy and HBO had expended a considerable amount of time, money and effort in putting together the cancelled deal.

Schaefer has been scrambling since last week to put together another card. He feels that it is of the utmost importance to keep Khan busy and was looking at the possibility of matching him against new WBC light welterweight champion Danny Garcia (23-0, 14 KO’s). Talks on Wednesday with the Garcia camp failed to yield any results.

An opponent for Khan will have to found relatively quickly. The promotional aspects leave little time for error in that it takes a considerable amount of effort to promote a fighter like Garcia, who is a relative unknown to mainstream boxing fans.