Major and Latest Boxing news in Ghana
Commey demands rematch
Ghanaian boxer Richard Commey, still coming to terms with his loss to Robert Easter Jnr by split decision last Friday night, is crying foul and demanding a rematch with the American.
Advertisement
In a clash for the vacant IBF lightweight title, Commey lost by a split decision — the judges scored the fight 114-113 for Commey, and 115-112 and 114-113 for Easter — and immediately his camp cried injustice and claimed the Bukom warrior should have been declared winner.
Commey says he deserves another shot at the title and is even ready to look beyond the American if he does not want to risk a rematch.
“I feel like I won this fight. I did everything that I could. I landed the more accurate shots. I come from very far and it’s hard to win here versus an American. I deserve a rematch.
“I was very devastated when I heard the scores. I knew it was a close fight. He went down and I didn’t,” he said in a post-fight interview.
“I want to be a world champion. Even if he doesn’t want to fight me, I want another opportunity. I can fight at the highest level in the world. We worked so hard to get to this stage. I want to stay at this level. I'll keep improving.”
In front of a raucous and supportive crowd, Commey and Easter put up a thrilling contest that saw both men grab momentum at different points throughout the 12-round bout.
The fight vacillated between a tactical battle and a toe-to-toe war by the round and even by the minute.
The Ghanaian was aggressive throughout the fight and had success pushing Easter to the ropes and catching him with big right hands. In round eight, Commey scored a knockdown on one of those right hands, as referee Benjy Esteves ruled that Easter’s glove hit the canvas as a result of the punch.
Easter and Commey both came out firing in round nine, engaging in one of the many exchanges that put the lively crowd on its feet.
Easter had great success throughout the night with his right uppercut that consistently caught Commey coming in, but never deterred him completely.
Both men reached the 12-round limit for the first time in their careers but it was Easter who took advantage of the final stanza by rocking and wobbling Commey with a big overhand right just seconds into the round.
Commey was able to survive on the ropes and by consistently wrapping up his opponent. Both men were lifted to the air in triumph by their trainers after the final bell rang as the crowd cheered the two combatants.
“It’s been a long training camp. We had an amazing training camp. This fight wasn’t easy at all.
“We knew it wasn’t going to be easy. Richard Commey is a tough, tough competitor. He made me fight each and every round, but we did it,” said Easter.
