The road to lightweight supremacy continues Friday at Pechanga Resort Casino when IBF world lightweight champion Richard Commey (28-2, 25 KOs) makes the first defense of his title against former lightweight world champion Ray Beltran (36-8-1, 22 KOs). Weights:
ESPN (10 p.m. ET)
• Richard Commey 134.4 lbs vs. * Ray Beltran 136.8 lbs
(Commey’s IBF Lightweight world title – 12 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Robert Hoyle, Lou Moret and Alejandro Rochin/Eddie Hernandez Sr.
* Beltran 1.8 pounds over the lightweight limit and not eligible to win the title
• Carlos Adames 154 lbs vs. Patrick Day 153.8 lbs
(Adames’ NABF and NABO Super Welterweight titles – 10 Rounds)
Judges/Referee: Max De Luca, Zachary Young and Jerry Cantu/Ray Corona
ESPN+ (7 p.m. ET)
• Raymond Muratalla 135.2 lbs Agustine Mauras 137.4 lbs
(Lightweight – 6 Rounds)
• Elvis Rodriguez 139.6 lbs Joaquin Chavez 141 lbs
(Super Lightweight – 6/4 Rounds)
• Saul Rodriguez 130.6 lbs vs. Miguel Angel Gonzalez 130.4 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 10 Rounds)
• Chris Zavala 129.4 lbs Prisco Marquez 129.8 lbs
(Super Featherweight – 6 Rounds)
• Dmitry Yun 135.6 lbs Jose Antonio Meza 135.2 lbs
Lightweight – 4 Rounds)
• David Kaminsky 162 lbs Osbaldo Gonzalez 162.8 lbs
Middleweight – 4 Rounds)
OFF TV (After Main Event)
• Junior Fa 259.6 lbs vs. Dominick Guinn 234.2 lbs
(Heavyweight – 10 Rounds)
• Ruben Rodriguez 145.6 lbs vs. Vicente Morales 147.4 lbs
(Welterweight – 6 Rounds)
Commey vs. Betran winner expected to face Lomachenko
The winner of Commey-Beltran is expected to fight the winner of the July 19 IBF title eliminator featuring unbeaten sensation Teofimo Lopez and Japanese veteran Masayoshi Nakatani. The winner of this de facto tournament could conceivably face unified champion Vasiliy Lomachenko for all four lightweight belts in early 2020.
Beltran lost his WBO lightweight title to Jose Pedraza last August, but rebounded to stop unbeaten super lightweight contender Hiroki Okada in February.
Commey knocked out Isa Chaniev in two rounds Feb. 2 in Frisco, Texas, to pick up the vacant title.
In the co-feature, 154-pound slugger Carlos Adames (17-0, 14 KOs) will defend his NABO and NABF belts in a 10-rounder versus upstart Patrick Day (17-2-1, 6 KOs).
At Wednesday’s final press conference, this is what the fighters had to say.
Richard Commey
“Being a world champion is great. I went back home, and everyone welcomed me at the airport. It was like a hero’s welcome. It was unbelievable. I just thank God for that.”
“Every time I prepare for a fight, I don’t try to knock my opponent out. I just work hard, and it always comes as a bonus. My head trainer, Andre Rozier, always pushes me. I never try and knock out my opponent. It comes when it comes. I believe he’s a strong guy, a tough guy, and so am I. It’s going to be a good fight, but I’m the champion, and I’m going to keep my belt.”
Ray Beltran
On fighting at the top of the sport after nearly 20 years as a pro
“I feel like I made it the hard way. Even when the sport or the boxing world didn’t believe in me, that’s when I had to believe in myself. I think that’s why I am here. I’ve been counted out. People doubted me. I think 10 years ago, boxing experts and matchmakers didn’t even think I was a top-10 fighter. Nobody gave me an opportunity. I had to go and take it. Here we are. I became a world champion, and I am fighting for another world title. It’s not about if people believe in you. You must believe in yourself.”
“I don’t want to prove nobody nothing. I want to prove to myself that it’s about what I can do. I’ve been doubted most of my career, and it doesn’t matter how much I do or what I accomplish. It’s never enough, so I’m not worried about it.”
“I came from a really rough childhood. There was no hope. I was never satisfied with what life put in front of me. The saying, ‘If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.’ I say, ‘F**K that!’ I don’t want to get lemons. I want to get what I want from life. That’s my mentality.”
Carlos Adames
“I had a very good amateur record. I’m a very talented fighter, and so is Patrick Day, but there is no fighter alive that can defeat me in the ring.”
On training with Robert Garcia and adding a nutritionist to his camp
“They are a great team. I’ve been training hard with Robert and Perfecting Athletes on the nutritional part, but I also have a lot of confidence in my talent.”
“The Dominican Republic is known for having good baseball players, but I’m trying to make it known that the country has good boxers as well.”
Patrick Day
“My most recent success comes from within, my hunger, my desire. I just want to be great at something, not only in boxing but in life. And in life, I just happen to choose to box. That’s the avenue that I want to do. I’m not going to be mediocre. I suffered two defeats early in my career, so I had to {look within} and really evaluate myself.”
“This is a great opportunity. It’s an opportunity I’ve dreamed of – my opponent as well – and we’re both deserving of this opportunity. In my estimation, we are the two best 154-pounders in the world. These guys that have the belts, they’re good. It seems like Al Haymon really has his hands on the 154-pound division with all these prospects and champions, but these guys haven’t been tested yet. And they’re not the real deal. They talk big, they have the big ego and they’re really cocky, but what have they done? They’re not fighters like me and Carlos are. We’re going to set the tone, and we’re going to set an example for the 154-pound division.”
ESPN and ESPN Deportes, 10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT
Richard Commey (champion) vs. Ray Beltran (challenger), 12 rounds, Commey’s IBF lightweight world title
Carlos Adames vs. Patrick Day, 10 rounds, Adames’ NABO and NABF super welterweight titles
ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT
Saul Rodriguez vs. Miguel Angel Gonzalez, 10 rounds, super featherweight
Junior Fa vs. Dominick Guinn, 10 rounds, heavyweight
Tyler Howard vs. Luis Hernandez, 8 rounds, middleweight
Ruben Rodriguez vs. Vicente Morales , 6 rounds, super lightweight
Raymond Muratalla vs. Agustine Mauras, 6 rounds, lightweight
Elvis Rodriguez vs. Joaquin Chavez, 4 rounds, lightweight
Dmitry Yun vs. Jose Antonio Meza, 4 rounds, lightweight
Chris Zavala vs. Prisco Marquez, 6 rounds, super featherweight
David Kaminsky vs. Osbaldo Gonzlalez, 4 rounds, middleweight
Promoted by Top Rank, in association with DiBella Entertainment, tickets for this world championship event priced at $149, $129, $79, $59, and $29 are on sale now and can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, charge by phone at 800-745-3000 or in person at the Pechanga Resort Casino box office
