After more than a year since their last competitive bouts, brothers
Lamont Peterson (35-4-1, 17 KOs)
and younger brother Anthony Peterson (37-1,
24 KOs) will be taking their rightful place in the ring in a March 24th
match up that could see both men improving their records while proving they still
have what it takes to be title-worthy contenders.
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| The Peterson brothers: Anthony (left) and Lamont work out for the media at Bald Eagle Rec Center. Photo/CD Brown |
“He got to the top very fast”, said Lamont
Peterson of his upcoming opponent.
“He gained valuable experience. I know he’ll want that World Title back. If he gets that title back he’ll be in title contention.”
“He gained valuable experience. I know he’ll want that World Title back. If he gets that title back he’ll be in title contention.”
Lamont has enjoyed two decades of boxing and said
that this fight will serve as motivation for fighters coming up behind him.
“I just want to set a good example for them”, he
said.
He is still quick with his hands, as demonstrated
during the workout where he sparred with one of his trainers. He quipped about
him and his brother running five to 13 miles during training camp and conquering a particular
hill in Forest Heights, MD that seems to be giving the pair a run for their money.
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| Lamont Peterson (foreground) and Anthony Peterson during Tuesday's workout. Photo/CD Brown for DC Urban Sports |
All in the family.
“Sometimes I ask myself what am I doing this for, and the answer goes back to them”, he said of his children, the youngest four-months old.
“I sacrifice time with them now for the future. They understand; they know I have to do my job”, he said.
Anthony Peterson, who turns 34 on March 16th, will face Argenis Mendez (25-5-1, 12 KOs) the IBF super featherweight
who defeated Juan Carlos Salgado in 2013 by knockout. The Dominican Republic-born
fighter has had two straight victories since losing back-to-back fights to Luke
Campbell and Robert Easter Jr. at lightweight in 2016. (See highlights).
“I respect him”, said Anthony about Mendez.
“He’s got good speed, [good] hand-foot coordination. He’s a good fighter; a real good fighter.”
And although he claims Mendez is a better fighter than
those he has previously fought, he says he plans on beating him on March 24th.
“I like his style, he’s a good match up. He’s a good dancing partner for me. He’s
not going to shy away; he’s going to be right there for me.”
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| Lamont Peterson stretches before workout. Photo/CD Brown. |
While Lamont Peterson knows the taste of a world
title, having won both the unified WBA and IBF light welterweight
titles respectively, his little brother who “loves the artistry", “contact”, and “the competition”
of boxing has yet to know what
winning a world title feels like.
Those who have followed the dynamic brothers
along their path to becoming professional boxers on a world stage, know the
story of their humble beginnings. They had been homeless, living in homeless shelters and had gone through the foster care system before their current mentor and trainer, Barry Hunter, took them under his wings as young boys and introduced
them to the sport of boxing.
The Petersons on patience.
When asked if either had thought about retiring, especially Anthony in light of not having yet won a title, the brothers gave a reflectively unified response.
The Petersons on patience.
When asked if either had thought about retiring, especially Anthony in light of not having yet won a title, the brothers gave a reflectively unified response.
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| Anthony and Lamont with trainer and mentor, Barry Hunter. |
“It’s gonna come in its own time, and it’s
gonna come when it’s supposed to come; if it ever comes”, said Lamont. “It’s
not up to him or me, but a higher power. If the higher power says no, he has to
accept no.”
“People don’t understand”, said Anthony. “We
had to wait to get on a list to go to the shelter. We had to wait to get on the
list for foster care. Those are bad things. Why can’t I wait for something this
good that I love. [Even] if it takes another year, or another year after that?”
“All our
life we’ve had to learn patience”, added Lamont. “Everything
isn’t going to happen when we want it to happen.”
“What I want is to go in there and put on an
outstanding performance and make a statement that I deserve’ that world
championship”, Anthony said. “Even if it
doesn’t happen in another year, or another year.”
When we asked Anthony if he thinks Mendez is his equal, he confidently shot back, “No.”
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| Anthony (left) and Lamont (right) Peterson speak to the media after Tuesdays media workout session at Bald Eagle Recreation Center in southwest D.C. Photo/CD Brown |
When we asked Anthony if he thinks Mendez is his equal, he confidently shot back, “No.”
“I don’t think anyone is equal to me. I think I’m
the best in my weight class”, he said. “Just a little bit better than all the
rest.”
See also: Peterson brothers fun facts.
Anthony Peterson fun fact:
DCUS: What would you be doing if you weren’t in
the boxing arena?
AP: I would be an actor. I would be into role
playing. My IG is full of me acting different scenes from different movies.
Literally, people know me say you should go to drama school, read some scripts.
They say, I’m a natural.”
Before Anthony became a boxer he told us he would
win talent shows in 1992 every week in a foster care camp called Brown’s Camp.
Lamont Peterson fun fact.
Older brother Lamont said he thinks he’d go to
school for sports medicine.
“I’ve been studying a lot about the body,
nutrition, anatomy”, said Peterson. “That’s where it seems it’s headed.”
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