By Ian S Palmer
IBF Lightweight Champion Richard Commey of Accra, Ghana takes on former WBO Lightweight Champion Raymundo Beltran of Mexico at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California this Friday, June 28th. The 12-round bout can be seen live in the USA on ESPN and ESPN Deportes and on TSN 3 in Canada. Commey won the vacant title the last time out with a second-round stoppage over Isa Chaniev in February. Beltran also fought in February when he stopped Hiroki Okada in the ninth round for the vacant WBC Continental Americas, and vacant WBO Inter-Continental Super Lightweight Titles.
Commey is now 32 years old and enters the fight with a mark of 28-2 with 25 Kos. He won the IBF crown in his second shot at it as he fought Robert Easter for the vacant belt in 2016 and dropped him in the eighth round but lost a split decision. His other career loss came three months later when he dropped another split decision to Denis Shafikov. However, he had no problem against Chaniev four months ago and captured the belt with an early KO.
Commey turned pro in 2011 and has boxed 163 rounds since then. He’ obviously got some power as 25 of his 28 wins came by stoppage and his current knockout ratio is an impressive 83 per cent. He’s just 5-feet-9-inches tall with a reach of 71 inches and his biggest wins have been against the likes of Bilal Mohammad, Gary Buckland and Yardley Cruz. Since turning pro, Commey has won the Ghanaian, IBF Continental Africa, African Boxing Union, Commonwealth, IBF Inter-Continental, and WBC International Silver Lightweight Titles.
The 38-year-old Beltran won the vacant belt over Paulus Moses via a unanimous decision in February of 2018 in his fourth shot at the WBO Title, but lost it in his first defence against Jose Pedraza by unanimous decision six months later. Beltran came close to winning the title in 2013 when he travelled to Scotland to face Ricky Burns but was handed a controversial split-decision draw. He then fought Terence Crawford a year later and dropped a unanimous decision. Beltran fought Takahiro Ao for the vacant title in 2015 but failed to make the weight.
Beltran managed to stop Ao halfway through the second round but the fight was ruled a no-decision as he also failed a drug test. Beltran was anxious to win a world title to prove he’s an elite boxer and remain in the USA with a green card but missing weight and failing drug tests were an odd way to go about it. He’ll enter the ring with a record of 36-8-1 with 22 Kos to his name. He stands 5-feet-8-inches tall, has a 67-inch reach and has fought 268 rounds since turning pro in 1999. Beltran likes to press the action as he’s aggressive but has average power with a current knockout ratio of 48 per cent.
Beltran isn’t the quickest boxer around and has been beaten by Crawford, Luis Ramos Jr, Sharif Bogere, Ammeth Diaz, Agnaldo Nunes, Steve Trumble, and Victor Manuel Mendoza with Diaz and Trumble both stopping him in the fourth round. His biggest wins have been against the likes of Okada, Moses, Bryan Vasquez, Jonathan Maicelo, Mason Menard, Arash Usmanee, Ji-Hoon Kim and Henry Lundy with his draw coming against Burns. Beltran has also won several regional pro belts including the USBA, NABF, WBO NABO and WBA International Lightweight Titles.
Prediction…
Although Commey has been pretty successful against Grade B opponents, he struggled somewhat when stepping up in class against Easter and Shafikov and fell just short. He’s got power and skills for a small lightweight though and will need a solid chin against Beltran. He’s also an inch taller than Beltran with a three-inch reach advantage. Beltran’s not getting any younger or quicker at the age of 38 but has plenty of experience. He’s a solid pro but not really an elite boxer. I think if Commey can withstand the pressure and utilize his power and boxing skills he should be able to retain his title, but let’s not forget Beltran has tremendous heart so it’s not going to be easy.
