Fight vs. Garcia comes at right time for Khan

Amir Khan didn't mind waiting a couple of months to fight. But Khan didn't want to wait too much longer to return to the ring.

The former world junior welterweight champion was originally scheduled to fight Lamont Peterson on May 19 at Mandalay Bay Events Center. But when Peterson tested positive for synthetic testosterone in April, the fight was canceled. Khan (26-2, 18 knockouts) was then paired against WBC champion Danny Garcia (23-0, 14 KOs), and they will meet Saturday at Mandalay Bay.

For Khan, the timing is just right. A devout Muslim, Khan did not want to train during Ramadan, the monthlong holiday that requires fasting from sunrise to sunset. This year, Ramadan is scheduled to begin July 20.

"When I had the chance to fight (July 14), I jumped on it," Khan said. "With Ramadan coming up, I didn't want to have to train (during Ramadan). So this comes up perfect for me."

Khan said after the Peterson fight was canceled, he took a couple of weeks off, returned to his hometown of Bolton, England, then got back in the gym.

"I think the extra time will help me prepare better," he said. "It has given me a chance to work on some new things."

Khan insists he won't leave his fight in the gym.

"This camp has been 16 weeks," he said. "Normally, we go eight to 10 weeks. But I feel fresh. I'm putting everything into this fight."

■ ANOTHER DELAY - Peterson was expected to be on Monday's Nevada Athletic Commission agenda to explain the flunked drug test. But his attorneys have asked for more time to prepare their case.

Peterson is not licensed to fight in Nevada and has not fought since beating Khan in a controversial decision Dec. 11 in Washington, D.C.

■ BACK-TO-BACK AT TEXAS - Top Rank has so many fighters it wants to showcase that it decided to spread its talent out over two nights instead of having one big card.

Texas Station will be the site for consecutive cards Aug. 3 and 4, with the Magdaleno brothers, Mike Lee, Jose Benavidez and Mercito Gesta among those scheduled to fight.

Gesta (25-0-1, 13 KOs) headlines the Aug. 3 card, which will be televised by ESPN, facing Ty Barnett (19-2-1, 12 KOs) in the 10-round lightweight main event. On the undercard will be undefeated local super bantamweight Jesse Magdaleno (10-0, seven KOs), who will fight an eight-round bout against an opponent to be determined.

On Aug. 4, Diego Magdaleno (22-0, seven KOs), the NABF super featherweight champ, defends his belt against Antonio Davis (29-7, 13 KOs) in the 10-round main event, which will be televised on Telefutura (Cable 64).

Benavidez (15-0, 12 KOs), a super lightweight from Phoenix, will fight in a six-round bout, and Lee (9-0, five KOs), a former Notre Dame light heavyweight, will also fight a six-round bout, both against opponents to be announced.

■ HEAD-TO-HEAD - While Khan and Garcia are meeting at Mandalay Bay on Saturday, there will be another fight card at the same time at the Palms, as Millennium Events presents 37-year-old Anthony Mundine (43-4, 25 KOs) against 41-year-old Bronco McKart (54-9-1, 32 KOs) in a 10-round middleweight bout.

Also, Dmitry Sukhotsky (18-1, 13 KOs) meets Cornelius White (19-1, 16 KOs) for the vacant IBF International light heavyweight title, scheduled for 12 rounds.

Contact reporter Steve Carp at scarp@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2913. Follow him on Twitter: @stevecarprj.