Teofimo Lopez vs. Richard Commey - December 14, 2019

[Ruthless-RKO]

The fight between lightweight world titlist Richard Commey and mandatory challenger Teofimo Lopez is being planned for the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York, multiple sources with knowledge of the plans told ESPN. The fight, which has not yet been finalized, would take place on the card that likely will be headlined by welterweight world titlist Terence Crawford’s mandatory defense against Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Prospect Michael Conlan, who is planning to move down to junior featherweight, is also ticketed for the card and could face either former titlist Isaac Dogboe or Genesis Servania, both of whom would be a big step up in opposition. It would air on ESPN immediately following the network’s Heisman Trophy presentation show taking place a few blocks away in Manhattan.


Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer

[RichieKnightmare]

The fight between lightweight world titlist Richard Commey and mandatory challenger Teofimo Lopez is being planned for the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York, multiple sources with knowledge of the plans told ESPN. The fight, which has not yet been finalized, would take place on the card that likely will be headlined by welterweight world titlist Terence Crawford’s mandatory defense against Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Prospect Michael Conlan, who is planning to move down to junior featherweight, is also ticketed for the card and could face either former titlist Isaac Dogboe or Genesis Servania, both of whom would be a big step up in opposition. It would air on ESPN immediately following the network’s Heisman Trophy presentation show taking place a few blocks away in Manhattan.


Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer

Conlon v Dogboe would be intriguing and exciting for British fans.

[Ruthless-RKO]

The fight between lightweight world titlist Richard Commey and mandatory challenger Teofimo Lopez is being planned for the Top Rank Boxing on ESPN card on Dec. 14 at Madison Square Garden in New York, multiple sources with knowledge of the plans told ESPN. The fight, which has not yet been finalized, would take place on the card that likely will be headlined by welterweight world titlist Terence Crawford’s mandatory defense against Egidijus Kavaliauskas. Prospect Michael Conlan, who is planning to move down to junior featherweight, is also ticketed for the card and could face either former titlist Isaac Dogboe or Genesis Servania, both of whom would be a big step up in opposition. It would air on ESPN immediately following the network’s Heisman Trophy presentation show taking place a few blocks away in Manhattan.


Dan Rafael, ESPN Senior Writer

Conlon v Dogboe would be intriguing and exciting for British fans.

I think they’ll go Servania in the end.

[dagilechia]

intriguing fight, Teofimo is stepping up really fast

[Best Coast]

I'll go with Lopez by close decision. I probably would have picked him to KO IBF champ Commey if he hadnt struggled so much with Nakatani, who confirmed that Teo still has lots of work to do!!

[DrDuke]

Intriguing fight indeed. Probably it will be better, if Lopez wins, cause he looks eager to fight Loma and they'll make it a big event with much pre-fight hype, with all that bad blood trash talking stuff.

[Cent0089]

Well, if this fight will take place in december i am wondering who is going to fight with Lomachenko in December/ November (If he pass Campbell test of course)

IMO Miguel Berchelt is only serious fight Top Rank can make before 2019 end besides Commey and Lopez.

[ValMar]

May the best man...............................

[JxhDel.]

Commey is a kind of beast Teofimo has never faced before. And he will face hardships on every front

[Ruthless-RKO]

The triple-header on ESPN and ESPN Deportes will also feature IBF lightweight world champion Richard Commey defending his title against human highlight film and Brooklyn native Teofimo Lopez. Additionally, in the 10-round featherweight special attraction, Irish sensation and New York fan favorite Michael “Mick” Conlan will battle unbeaten Russian Vladimir Nikitin in a rematch of their highly controversial 2016 Olympic quarterfinal bout.

The undercard, with fights to be announced in the coming weeks, will stream exclusively on ESPN+, the leading multi-sport streaming service, starting at 6 p.m. ET/3 p.m. PT.

“This is the best fight card of the year, and Madison Square Garden is a fitting venue for what will be a special night,” said Top Rank chairman Bob Arum. “Terence Crawford is a generational talent, but he’ll have his hands full against the ‘Mean Machine.’ Teofimo Lopez is taking a giant step up against Commey, and it will be a tremendous fight. Mick Conlan has been asking for Nikitin since the day he signed with Top Rank. He finally gets his wish, and I know he wants to correct the tremendous injustice of the Rio Olympics.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

Commey (29-2, 26 KOs), 32, a Ghana native fighting out of New York, will be making his second title defense after winning a vacant belt by second-round knockout of Isa Chaniev in February and dropping former world titlist Ray Beltran four times en route to an eighth-round knockout victory on June 28.

Commey has won four fights in a row by knockout.

"I'm very excited to fight at the Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden, in my second world title defense against Teofimo Lopez," Commey said. "My lifelong dream of becoming a world champion became a reality through many years of hard work in my homeland of Ghana through the U.K., Europe and finally in the United States. I want to thank everyone on my team for making this possible. On Dec. 14, I will put on another spectacular performance in defending my world title for my fans in the arena and those watching on ESPN and around the world."

Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs), 22, of New York, however, figures to be a far more difficult opponent than Commey's recent foes. The 2018 ESPN prospect of the year is one of boxing's fastest rising young fighters and coming off a unanimous decision over Masayoshi Nakatani on July 19 in an elimination bout to earn the title shot, although he received some criticism for a pedestrian performance.

"I'm finally back at Madison Square Garden, the place where I always wanted to win my first world title," said Lopez, who has brought on former world titleholder and noted trainer Joey Gamache to serve as an assistant to his father, Teofimo Lopez Sr. "I believe this fight will shut up all of the critics and prove to everyone that I back up my talking in the ring. I respect Commey as a champion, but when we're in that ring, it's going to be lights out for him. Come Dec. 14, I am officially taking over the lightweight division."

The winner is likely headed for a fight for the undisputed 135-pound world title against three-belt champion and pound-for-pound king Vasiliy Lomachenko.

"Richard has fought all over the world for many years to achieve his lifelong dream of not only becoming a true world champion, but also becoming a boxing star, and on Dec. 14 against Teofimo Lopez, I believe that he will successfully defend his title for the second time in spectacular fashion," said Lou DiBella, Commey's promoter.

[margaret thatcher]

Good good fight, I'll go Teo

[Ruthless-RKO]

Poll showing Commey via dec is favourite.

We need more votes on this poll..

[Ron C]

Very stacked card. Nice.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Fight week!!

[Best Coast]

Looks like this poll has evened out at 8 votes apiece!! I'm sticking with Lopez by close decision but his unimpressive outing vs Nakatani almost has me ready to call it an "even money" matchup.

[Cent0089]

Well, will Lopez fight Lomachenko if he win this ? I have doubts.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Looks like this poll has evened out at 8 votes apiece!! I'm sticking with Lopez by close decision but his unimpressive outing vs Nakatani almost has me ready to call it an "even money" matchup.

He struggled with the tall Jap. Similar to how Haney struggled with his last opponent. Hype dies down a little.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Richard Commey: Teofimo Lopez a talented fighter, won’t be taking him lightly

From RingTV:

“To be honest, I have not seen a lot of him. I leave all that to my trainer. I trust him to come up with a game plan, which I train hard for, and as long as I execute it properly, I will come away victorious. It has worked so far.”

Commey did, however, catch a Lopez outing earlier this year against Edis Tatli, a fight Lopez would win by fifth round knockout.

“My co-manager Michael Amoo-Bediako took me to MSG to see him fight Edis Tatli,” said the 32-year-old Ghanaian. “Tatli did not put up much of a challenge, so (Lopez) was hard to assess on that. But from what everyone is saying, he is a very talented boxer, so I will not be taking him lightly.”

[Ruthless-RKO]

[Ruthless-RKO]

[margaret thatcher]

Arum says Teo-Loma happening March/April next year if Teo wins, Teo will win this then beat Loma, mark my words

[Cent0089]

Arum says Teo-Loma happening March/April next year if Teo wins, Teo will win this then beat Loma, mark my words

Well, Commey is tailor made for Lomachenko, Lopez is bigger threat. Still i will root for Lomachenko against both Wondering if Commey can handle Lopez, who is better boxer and probably stronger man

[Ruthless-RKO]

The 32-year-old Commey (29-2, 26 KOs), a native of Ghana who resides in the Bronx, came in at 134¼ pounds for his IBF lightweight title defense against Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs). Brooklyn’s Lopez, 22, also got on the NYSAC’s scale at 134¼ pounds.

[Cent0089]

The 32-year-old Commey (29-2, 26 KOs), a native of Ghana who resides in the Bronx, came in at 134¼ pounds for his IBF lightweight title defense against Lopez (14-0, 11 KOs). Brooklyn’s Lopez, 22, also got on the NYSAC’s scale at 134¼ pounds.

Is there video of that ?