AMIR Khan’s camp have revealed Lamont Peterson turned down a big pay day to fight the Bolton boxer in the UK next month.

Khan returns to British shores for the first time in two years when he faces former two-time world champion Julio Diaz in Sheffield on April 27 in a 143-pound catch-weight contest.

But his business manager Asif Vali says the 26-year-old fighter had hoped to avenge his controversial 2011 Washington loss to Peterson on home turf before the American backed out.

There were also talks with Ricky Hatton’s recent conquerer Vyacheslav Senchenko, but they did not come to fruition either.

Vali said: “Peterson was offered a lot of money to come to the UK but he turned it down.

“We also looked at Senchenko but that didn’t happen at the last minute.”

Khan says it has been difficult to get an opponent at light welterweight with his two main targets, Peterson and Danny Garcia – who was the last man to beat him in July – both unavailable.

It has meant meeting welterweight Diaz halfway at a catch-weight of 143 pounds for next month’s fight.

Khan has made no secret of his ambition to step up to welterweight and open up the opportunity of big fights against the likes of Kell Brook and even Floyd Mayweather Jnr.

But he revealed he has no plans to make that jump for another six to nine months.

Speaking from his training camp in San Francisco, Khan said: “I still want to fight at 140 pounds and win titles before I look at stepping up.

“I am still happy at this weight but not many fighters want to take me on.

“The main two I want are Peterson and Garcia but they couldn’t happen this time.

“I think people still see me as a dangerous opponent.

“If I move up to 147 pounds, it would be difficult to come back down.

“I think it will be six or nine months before I do that.”

* Tickets for Amir Khan vs Julio Diaz can purchased from www.motorpointarenasheffield.co.uk or by calling 0114 256 5656.