The manager and trainer of IBF junior welterweight titleholder Lamont Peterson told RingTV.com that he is pursuing an organization-mandated clash with Zab Judah that could land in Peterson’s native Washington, D.C., in November.

Peterson (30-1-1, 15 knockouts) was allowed by the IBF to retain the belt he won from Amir Khan last December after a review of his medical records by IBF-appointed doctors ruled that the testosterone discovered in Peterson’s failed drug test in March was not at a level that would enhance his performance.

Peterson admitted to having a testosterone pellet surgically implanted into his hip by Las Vegas-based Dr. John Thompson on Nov. 12 of last year after he was diagnosed with an abnormally testosterone level.

The IBF deduced that Peterson should not be stripped of the title and has ordered him to meet Judah (42-7, 29 KOs), an ex-welterweight champ and junior welterweight titleholder.

Judah is coming off a ninth-round knockout of previously unbeaten Vernon Paris in March that helped him to rebound from a fifth-round knockout loss to Khan in July of last year.

“I spoke to Zab myself I believe about two weeks ago, and he was all on board. It was good talking to him. So far, Zab is the one on the card, and Lamont is just preparing to fight,” manager and trainer Barry Hunter said of Peterson, who is 3-0-1 with two knockouts since falling to Tim Bradley by decision in December of 2009.

Although Judah has been promoted by Main Events, an agreement has been settled upon that permits Hunter to negotiate directly with the fighter.

“Zab is next on the list. He’s the next man in line, he deserves the chance, and we’re going to give him the chance. Zab and Lamont are friends, and all of us have a family-type of relationship, but at the end of the day, it’s business.”

Peterson has been stripped of the WBA’s belt, which he also took from Khan, in the wake of the positive test that forced the cancelation of a scheduled May 19 rematch. Khan was then re-instated as the WBA’s beltholder while Peterson was named its “champion in recess.”

In July, Khan was knocked out in the fourth round by WBC titleholder Danny Garcia, who added THE RING and WBA belts to his repertoire.

A Peterson-Judah bout could happen “potentially, in November,” said Hunter, adding, “thus far, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that it could be in D.C.”

Photo by Delane Rouse, Hogan Photos/Golden Boy Promotions

Lem Satterfield can be reached at [email protected]