Former IBF lightweight champion, Richard Commey [30-3, 27 KOs], is looking to go big for his next bout calling out WBC lightweight champion Devin “The Dream” Haney [26-0, 15 KOs] on social media.
A move that feels far away from the 34-year-old’s usual humble persona which he has given off during his entire career till now.
“It started when Ryan Garcia [21-0, 18 KOs] had his sabbatical and my manager Michael Amoo-Bediako contacted the WBC to see if I could replace him against Javier Fortuna [36-3, 25 KOs] for the interim world title, as I was next in line in the ratings,” Commey revealed in an interview with Bad Left Hook’s Michael Woods.
“I was overlooked in favour of Joseph Diaz [32-1, 15 KOs], who wasn’t even in the lightweight ratings and had never campaigned at lightweight. That was very difficult for me to take, seeing as I had campaigned at lightweight for over 10 years and won a world title. I thought I deserved this opportunity.”
So why Haney? “I was sick and tired of seeing Devin Haney saying nobody wants to fight him and he’s the most avoided fighter in the division or in boxing. So I called him out. At first, I thought he was ignoring me but it turns out now that he would be willing to face me, which I’m pleased about, so let’s see if the fight can be made.” Commey explained
“The WBC contacted my promoter, Lou DiBella, and told him that they would make a decision in regard to me fighting the winner of the Diaz-Fortuna fight three weeks ago but we are still awaiting an answer. In the meantime, it has been widely reported that Ryan Garcia and JoJo Diaz are in negotiations to face each other, and if that’s the case I am next in line in the ratings to face Haney. So I hope that the fight can be made as I’m desperate to be a world champion again!” He further stated
However, according to reports from ESPN, Commey is in advanced talks to face former unified WBA (Super), WBC, WBO lightweight champion Vasiliy Lomachenko [15-2, 11 KOs] on 11th December 2021 at New York’s Madison Square Garden.
The Ghanaian has however come out to deny the reports revealing on Twitter that he has not received a contract for the fight “This is news to me, I’ve seen no contract and had no offer so make me one.”
Should this fight cross the finish line it will be Commey’s first fight since February when he knocked out Jackson Marinez [19-2, 7 KOs]. Both Lomachenko and Commey have common defeats to unified titleholder Teofimo Lopez [16-0, 12 KOs] and it’s well known that Lomachenko, in particular, has designs on rematching Lopez, but with Lopez currently tied into a fight with George Kambosos Jr [19-0, 10 KOs], this might just be the next best thing for Loma in the interim.
