Former two-time world champion Lamont Peterson will look to make a statement in a new division when he takes on David Avanesyan on Saturday night at the Cintas Center in Cincinnati.
After winning titles in the super lightweight ranks, Peterson is moving up to welterweight for the first time. Avanesyan has spent years at welterweight and is currently the WBA secondary world titleholder, with Keith Thurman ranking as the WBA "super" world champion.
Peterson has had a long layoff from the ring, with his last fight coming in October 2015. Avanesyan, by comparison, has fought and won twice in that time and should prove a stiff challenge for the aging Peterson.
The bout will be featured on Showtime, along with the main event, a welterweight bout between Adrien Broner and Adrian Granados.
Here's the viewing info for the event.
David Avanesyan vs. Lamont Peterson Fight Info
Where: Cintas Center in Cincinnati
When: Saturday, Feb. 18
Time (ET): 9 p.m. ET
TV: Showtime
Live Stream: ShowtimeAnytime
Peterson's age (33) and 16-month absence from the ring will have most looking for signs of ring rust as soon as he throws his first punch on Saturday. He's fought the likes of Danny Garcia, Timothy Bradley Jr., Amir Khan and Dierry Jean, but his skills haven't been put to the test in quite a while, and speed and sharpness tend to erode over time.
Like any good boxer, Peterson insists he won't show any rust when he takes on Avanesyan, a fighter five years his junior.
"People are going to talk a lot about my layoff, but honestly that only affects people who aren't always in the gym," said Peterson, per ESPN.com's Dan Rafael. "I have been in the gym working hard this entire time. I've been working on my craft. I got better and you'll see on [Saturday]."
WJLA's Robert Burton shared footage of Peterson, sporting a James Harden-esque beard, training for the upcoming bout:
Beyond age and time off taking away his skills, a move up to a new weight class will be yet another challenge for the quick-moving Peterson. In his controversial loss to Garcia in April 2015, Peterson danced out of his opponent's way and slipped punches with aplomb, especially early on in the fight. He didn't do enough punching to sway the judges, apparently, and it cost him.
With a couple of extra years and a few extra pounds on his body, it will be interesting to see if Peterson can get the split-second timing he needs to doge blows and counter against Avanesyan. Peterson has lost two of his last five fights, and his last bout—a win over Felix Diaz—was a majority decision.
He'll have to hope his vigilance in the gym will be enough to beat Avanesyan.
The 28-year-old Russian lacks the name recognition or pedigree of Peterson but hasn't lost since dropping his second professional fight in 2009. Avanesyan was last seen in the ring in May 2016, earning a decision win over a long-past-his-prime Shane Mosley.
The fight against Mosley was Avanesyan's first against a big-name opponent and his first in the United States, so it's good that he's cleared those hurdles before facing Peterson.
Still, his track record isn't enough to convince Saturday Night Boxing's Adam Abramowitz that he can win:
There's a chance this fight will lack tension early on, as neither fighter boasts great power, and there could be tentativeness from both: Peterson due to time out of the ring, Avanesyan due to his unfamiliarity with the spotlight.
If Avanesyan gets the win, Peterson's pedigree will surely springboard the Russian to greater fights stateside. Should Peterson win, his track record might allow him to demand some of the bigger names in the welterweight ranks earlier than other newcomers to this talented division might expect.