Ukrainian boxing virtuoso – Vasyl Anatoliyovych Lomachenko has vowed not to underestimate Richard “RC” Commey as the two boxers clash at the “Big Room” at Madison Square Garden for a 12-round lightweight showdown on Saturday, December 11.
Lomachenko [15-2, 11 KOs] has authored many of his most memorable moments at the Madison Square Garden and will be hoping to add the tough punching Ghanaian – Commey to his roster come December 11.
For instance, Loma fought three times at the adjoining Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden, knocking out Roman Martinez in 2016 to become a two-weight world champion, forcing fellow two-time Olympic gold medalist Guillermo Rigondeaux to quit in 2017, and unifying lightweight world titles in December 2018 with a unanimous decision over Jose Pedraza.
Lomachenko had a memorable bout against Jorge Linares at Madison Square Garden in May 2018, becoming a three-weight world champion when he knocked out the Venezuelan star the 10th round with a body shot. He bounced back from his 2020 undisputed lightweight title defeat to Teofimo Lopez with June’s ninth-round stoppage over Japanese stalwart Masayoshi Nakatani.
Speaking ahead of the epic clash against Commey, the three-weight kingpin [Loma] said fighting at MSG always brings nostalgic feeling and that he’ll not underrate Richard Commey as he is expecting to see the best version of the Ghanaian boxer on fight night:
“It is always special when I fight at Madison Square Garden, where so many great moments in my career have taken place,” he said.
“Richard Commey is a former world champion, an opponent I will not underestimate.
“I expect the best version of Commey, and I will be prepared for whatever he brings on December 11.”
Commey [30-3, 27 KOs] will go into the ring with superior height advantage over Vasyl Lomachenko. The Ghanaian has a nearly two-inch height advantage and 5.5 inches in reach, but Loma has proven on countless occasion that he’s got that magic wand to neutralize whatever disadvantage that comes at him in the ring.
Banterifically, both Lomachenko and Commey have all lost to the current unified lightweight world champion – Teófimo Andrés López Rivera Jr.
Commey lost to Teófimo López via a round 2 TKO on December 14, 2019 at the Madison Square Garden [New York City] while Lomachenko’s lost to The Takeover [López] happened at MGM Grand Conference Center [Paradise], Nevada on October 17, 2020, losing through a unanimous decision after going the 12-round distance.
By James K. Attaglo Wilson
www.sports24ghana.com
