BoxRec

Of course, nothing has ever been easy for Commey, thirty-two, so it feels like a matter of course that he is the de facto B-side in this matchup. Top Rank, who is staging Saturday’s card, has been priming the twenty-two-year-old Lopez as one of their next generation of elite fighters. Commey’s promoter is Lou DiBella, who lacks Top Rank’s vast resources, namely its exclusive output deal with ESPN. The winner gets the right to face lightweight kingpin Vasiliy Lomachenko, holder of two of the division’s four major belts. Naturally, the publicity has favored the Honduran-American. None of this, though, bothers the unconcerned Commey.

“I’m still the champion,” Commey said, chuckling. “Whatever they do, whatever they say, I’m just going to retain my belt. Boxing is not a joking matter. You don’t play boxing. For me, I’m just quiet. I don’t care what he says or what he does. At the end of the day, we’re going to meet in the ring. I’m just trying to be the better boxer on that night. Everyone will see.”

https://hannibalboxing.com/no-joking-ma ... imo-lopez/