Lightweight contender Richard Commey is coming to America — for business, not pleasure.
Commey (24-0, 22 KOs) plans to be ringside to watch with great interest as world titleholder Rances Barthelemy defends his 135-pound belt against former titleholder Mickey Bey on Friday night (Spike, 9 ET/PT) at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida.
Commey will be the mandatory challenger for the winner.
“I’m going because the belt they are fighting for will be the one around my waist in the near future,” said the 29-year-old Commey, a native of Ghana now based in London. “I’m next in line and can’t wait to prove to the world that I’m the best lightweight in the world.”
Michael Amoo-Bediako, Commey’s manager, said he has high hopes that Commey can follow in the great tradition of world champions from Ghana, including Hall of Famer Azumah Nelson, who won titles at featherweight and junior lightweight, and former welterweight titleholder Ike Quartey, both of whom were in several major fights in the United States.
“Ghana has produced many great champions such as Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey,” Amoo-Bediako said. “Richard is prepared to be the next one.”
As for a shot at the winner between Barthelemy and Bey, Amoo-Bediako said, “Richard is ready. He’s been ready, and when he’s given the chance he will be victorious. Richard has been an underdog in many of the fights he’s had but he’s always preserved and always won.”
Commey has fought most of his career in Ghana and England but fought once in the United States and turned in a strong performance in Las Vegas in May 2015, when he knocked out Bahodir Mamadjonov in the eighth round of his only American television exposure, on CBS Sports Net.
Commey has won his last five fights by knockout.
Credit: ESPN
