( CNN ) -- Most people do n't go through life without hitting a few bumps along the way . For Lamont Peterson , that 's putting it mildly . Peterson , 28 , is sitting on top of the boxing world right now . In December , he won the light welterweight championship of the world , an achievement that was 18 years in the making . `` I feel blessed just to be here in this spot , '' he said . `` It could have been many other places I could 've been . '' Indeed . Peterson is one of 12 siblings . Growing up in Washington , things were going well until their father went to prison on a drug offense . They lost their home , and shortly thereafter their mother abandoned them , leaving the kids to fend for themselves . Lamont was 10 years old at the time . Some of the siblings latched on with friends . But Lamont and his younger brother , Anthony , were on their own . At times they had no place to stay and were forced to sleep on park benches , in abandoned cars and at a local Greyhound bus station . Sometimes they just walked the streets , waiting for the sun to come up . `` You 'd play with your friends and you 'd have fun all day , and then you knew at the end of the day , once it got to a certain time , your friends were going to go home . They 'd be in their beds , warm , and you knew that you was n't , '' said Peterson . And Lamont had to look after Anthony , who was two years his junior . That situation became even more stressful when other city kids challenged them . `` He 'd have to fight for me because I was so small , '' said the younger Peterson . `` I guess that 's how he got his fighting skills going and protecting me . '' A few months later , the Peterson boys met boxing trainer Barry Hunter , and it changed their lives . `` They were just coming out of the shelter , '' said Hunter . `` I met Lamont and brought him to the gym , and I brought Anthony the next time . We 've been together ever since . '' That was 18 years ago . Hunter took them in and gave the boys more than just boxing lessons ; he gave them life lessons . `` Those are my boys , man , I ca n't say nothing bad about them . I 'm totally proud of 'em , '' said Hunter . Last December , the discipline and work ethic Hunter instilled in the boys resulted in Lamont winning the light welterweight world championship . `` It 's something I 've been working for a long time , '' said Peterson . `` Eighteen years now ... all the hard work paying off is just a great feeling . '' It was a hard-fought bout with then-champion Amir Khan of the United Kingdom , a close match that some think could have gone either way . A rematch is in the works . But for now Peterson holds the title -- which also means a seven-figure payday . That kind of money is especially meaningful for a person who once slept on the streets , and is now the father of a 3-year-old girl . `` It 's a great feeling to know that ... my daughter ... she 'll be OK , said Peterson . `` As long as I do right by , you know , the money that I earn , that she 'll be OK. She 'll never have to see those days . '' Despite his success , Peterson said , he 'll never forget what happened when he was a child . He 's proof that it 's never over unless you give up . `` Just because you 're dealt a bad hand do n't mean you 're going to lose . You can always change it around , '' he said .
Top boxer Lamont Peterson is the light welterweight champion . The fight will be televised on Showtime and HBO in the United States at 8 p.m. ET Saturday night. He and his younger brother met boxing trainer Barry Hunter , who began mentoring them . ` ` Just because you dealt a bad hand do n't mean you 're going lose , '' Peterson says .