Tag: Jose Pedraza

Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do; Keyshawn Davis, Hamzah Sheeraz pass tests

Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do after his shaky victory. Meanwhile, Keyshawn Davis and Hamzah Sheeraz passed tests.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST LOSER?
Teofimo Lopez

I don’t want to be too hard on the 140-pound titleholder, who was fortunate to emerge with a unanimous decision victory over Jamaime Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas. When an opponent as skillful and athletic as Ortiz doesn’t want to take punches, it’s difficult to hit the bullseye. The great Vasiliy Lomachenko landed only 21.9% of his punches in his victory over Ortiz in 2022, according to CompuBox. Lopez landed 21.4% of his shots. That being said, Lomachenko landed more punches than Lopez did against Ortiz – 125 to 78 – because he did a better job of making adjustments. Lopez never figured out how to corner Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs), taking the final three rounds on all three cards as a result of sheer aggression to pull out the victory. I won’t say that Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) squandered the momentum he built with his sensational victory over Josh Taylor last June – everyone has a bad night – but elite fighters find a way to neutralize anything their opponents throw at them. Lopez didn’t do that, meaning he still has work to do if he hopes to become one of the best of his generation. For the record: Yes, Lopez outpointed Lomachenko in 2020 – and he deserved the decision – but Lomachenko fought with an injured shoulder, on which he had surgery days later.

 

BIGGEST WINNER
Keyshawn Davis

Giving up marijuana evidently has done Davis good. The 2021 Olympic silver medalist and 135-pound contender couldn’t have looked much better than he did against veteran Jose Pedraza on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping the former two-division titleholder in the sixth round. Davis’ combination of fundamental skills and God-given gifts – particularly his hand speed – could make him a truly special fighter, as Pedraza learned the hard way. The Puerto Rican was overwhelmed from the outset. Pedraza is 34 years old and now 0-3-1 in his last four fights, which must be considered Davis’ performance is assessed. Still, Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs) is a capable, seasoned opponent. And Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) blew him away. The victory followed a no-contest against Nahir Albright in October, the result of testing positive for marijuana. Davis said he gave up the recreational drug to focus on boxing, which paid dividends Thursday. He might crack the Top 5 of one or more sanctioning bodies after his big night, meaning he took another step toward his first title shot. It seems to me that we must now mention his name when we discuss the top 135-pounders.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Hamzah Sheeraz

The 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England also faced the biggest test of his career, a scheduled 12-rounder against veteran Liam Williams on Saturday night in London. And Sheeraz earned an “A” grade. He fought behind his long, punishing left jab to put Williams down twice and stop him inside of one full round, a sensational result that stamps him a genuine 160-pound title contender. I was impressed with his skillset and poise at 24, as well as his punching power. He attacked his more experienced opponent in an intelligent, methodical yet vicious manner and simply destroyed him, which no one else has been able to do. The only time Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) failed to go the distance was a technical knockout against Liam Smith, which was the result of a cut. Sheeraz (19-0, 15 KOs) had a special night. He has called out Chris Eubank Jr., Smith and popular Nathan Heaney. I believe he has the ability and demeanor to compete on the same level as those potential opponents and possibly any one else in and around his division. He’s definitely one to watch.

 

BEST MATCHUP?
Haney vs. Garcia

News item: 140-pound titleholder Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and contender Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) have agreed to meet on pay-per-view April 20. No site has been announced. The fight makes perfect sense from a business standpoint, primarily because of Haney’s success and Garcia’s massive following on social media. The fight will sell. But is it a good matchup from a boxing standpoint? I would rather see Haney fight Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson, both of whom are as talented as he is, but Haney-Garcia could be more competitive than some might believe. Haney is one of the best technicians in the sport. He’ll probably outbox Garcia and win a clear decision. However, the champion is a better matchup for Garcia than Davis was for at least two reasons: One, Garcia won’t have to suffer to make weight, as he reportedly did when he fought Davis at 136 pounds. And, two, Haney doesn’t have the punching power of Davis, who stopped Garcia with a body shot. Garcia, who split six fights with Haney as an amateur, also is a good boxer, quick handed, a big puncher and now has experience in a superfight. I’m picking Haney to win but I wouldn’t count out Garcia.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item II: Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) will fight fellow former titleholder George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for the vacant IBF 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia. It’s hard to believe but the boxing wizard hasn’t held a major title since October 2020, when he lost his lightweight titles to Lopez. He won his next three fights but then lost a disputed decision to then-undisputed champion Haney a year ago. I don’t think Kambosos has the skill set to beat Lomachenko, even a 35-year-old version. That means the future Hall of Famer will have a belt around his waist one more time, which seems appropriate. … Former amateur star Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) from Cleveland is living up to the hype so far. The 19-year-old southpaw was at it again on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping previously unbeaten Benjamin Gurment (8-1-3, 5 KOs) with a massive left hand in the second round of a scheduled eight-round 135-pound bout. Check out the punch here. Mason seems to have elite tools.

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Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do; Keyshawn Davis, Hamzah Sheeraz pass tests

Weekend Review: Teofimo Lopez has work to do after his shaky victory. Meanwhile, Keyshawn Davis and Hamzah Sheeraz passed tests.

A critical look at the past week in boxing

BIGGEST LOSER?
Teofimo Lopez

I don’t want to be too hard on the 140-pound titleholder, who was fortunate to emerge with a unanimous decision victory over Jamaime Ortiz on Thursday in Las Vegas. When an opponent as skillful and athletic as Ortiz doesn’t want to take punches, it’s difficult to hit the bullseye. The great Vasiliy Lomachenko landed only 21.9% of his punches in his victory over Ortiz in 2022, according to CompuBox. Lopez landed 21.4% of his shots. That being said, Lomachenko landed more punches than Lopez did against Ortiz – 125 to 78 – because he did a better job of making adjustments. Lopez never figured out how to corner Ortiz (17-2-1, 8 KOs), taking the final three rounds on all three cards as a result of sheer aggression to pull out the victory. I won’t say that Lopez (20-1, 13 KOs) squandered the momentum he built with his sensational victory over Josh Taylor last June – everyone has a bad night – but elite fighters find a way to neutralize anything their opponents throw at them. Lopez didn’t do that, meaning he still has work to do if he hopes to become one of the best of his generation. For the record: Yes, Lopez outpointed Lomachenko in 2020 – and he deserved the decision – but Lomachenko fought with an injured shoulder, on which he had surgery days later.

 

BIGGEST WINNER
Keyshawn Davis

Giving up marijuana evidently has done Davis good. The 2021 Olympic silver medalist and 135-pound contender couldn’t have looked much better than he did against veteran Jose Pedraza on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping the former two-division titleholder in the sixth round. Davis’ combination of fundamental skills and God-given gifts – particularly his hand speed – could make him a truly special fighter, as Pedraza learned the hard way. The Puerto Rican was overwhelmed from the outset. Pedraza is 34 years old and now 0-3-1 in his last four fights, which must be considered Davis’ performance is assessed. Still, Pedraza (29-6-1, 14 KOs) is a capable, seasoned opponent. And Davis (10-0, 7 KOs) blew him away. The victory followed a no-contest against Nahir Albright in October, the result of testing positive for marijuana. Davis said he gave up the recreational drug to focus on boxing, which paid dividends Thursday. He might crack the Top 5 of one or more sanctioning bodies after his big night, meaning he took another step toward his first title shot. It seems to me that we must now mention his name when we discuss the top 135-pounders.

 

BIGGEST WINNER II
Hamzah Sheeraz

The 6-foot-3 middleweight contender from England also faced the biggest test of his career, a scheduled 12-rounder against veteran Liam Williams on Saturday night in London. And Sheeraz earned an “A” grade. He fought behind his long, punishing left jab to put Williams down twice and stop him inside of one full round, a sensational result that stamps him a genuine 160-pound title contender. I was impressed with his skillset and poise at 24, as well as his punching power. He attacked his more experienced opponent in an intelligent, methodical yet vicious manner and simply destroyed him, which no one else has been able to do. The only time Williams (25-5-1, 20 KOs) failed to go the distance was a technical knockout against Liam Smith, which was the result of a cut. Sheeraz (19-0, 15 KOs) had a special night. He has called out Chris Eubank Jr., Smith and popular Nathan Heaney. I believe he has the ability and demeanor to compete on the same level as those potential opponents and possibly any one else in and around his division. He’s definitely one to watch.

 

BEST MATCHUP?
Haney vs. Garcia

News item: 140-pound titleholder Devin Haney (31-0, 15 KOs) and contender Ryan Garcia (24-1, 20 KOs) have agreed to meet on pay-per-view April 20. No site has been announced. The fight makes perfect sense from a business standpoint, primarily because of Haney’s success and Garcia’s massive following on social media. The fight will sell. But is it a good matchup from a boxing standpoint? I would rather see Haney fight Gervonta Davis or Shakur Stevenson, both of whom are as talented as he is, but Haney-Garcia could be more competitive than some might believe. Haney is one of the best technicians in the sport. He’ll probably outbox Garcia and win a clear decision. However, the champion is a better matchup for Garcia than Davis was for at least two reasons: One, Garcia won’t have to suffer to make weight, as he reportedly did when he fought Davis at 136 pounds. And, two, Haney doesn’t have the punching power of Davis, who stopped Garcia with a body shot. Garcia, who split six fights with Haney as an amateur, also is a good boxer, quick handed, a big puncher and now has experience in a superfight. I’m picking Haney to win but I wouldn’t count out Garcia.

 

RABBIT PUNCHES

News item II: Lomachenko (17-3, 11 KOs) will fight fellow former titleholder George Kambosos Jr. (21-2, 10 KOs) for the vacant IBF 135-pound title on May 12 in Australia. It’s hard to believe but the boxing wizard hasn’t held a major title since October 2020, when he lost his lightweight titles to Lopez. He won his next three fights but then lost a disputed decision to then-undisputed champion Haney a year ago. I don’t think Kambosos has the skill set to beat Lomachenko, even a 35-year-old version. That means the future Hall of Famer will have a belt around his waist one more time, which seems appropriate. … Former amateur star Abdullah Mason (12-0, 10 KOs) from Cleveland is living up to the hype so far. The 19-year-old southpaw was at it again on the Lopez-Ortiz card, stopping previously unbeaten Benjamin Gurment (8-1-3, 5 KOs) with a massive left hand in the second round of a scheduled eight-round 135-pound bout. Check out the punch here. Mason seems to have elite tools.

[lawrence-related id=40724,40720,40718,40690,40684]

Jose Ramirez vs. Richard Commey: date, time, how to watch, background

Jose Ramirez vs. Richard Commey: date, time, how to watch, background.

Former 140-pound titleholder Jose Ramirez will continue his pursuit of another belt when he faces veteran Richard Commey on Saturday in Fresno, California.

JOSE RAMIREZ (27-1, 17 KOS) VS. RICHARD COMMEY (30-4-1, 27 KOS)

  • Date: Saturday, March 25
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Ramirez 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Tina Rupprecht, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA and Rupprecht’s WBC titles); Raymond Muratalla vs. Humberto Galindo, lightweights
  • Prediction: Ramirez UD
  • Background: The Ramirez-Commey winner will take a significant step toward a shot at a 140-pound title. Ramirez, a former titleholder, lost his two belts to current champ Josh Taylor by a close, but unanimous decision in May 2021. The 2012 U.S. Olympian bounced back by outpointing capable veteran Jose Pedraza the following March, which is the last time he was in the ring. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies. The Fresno-area native will be fighting Commey in front of a hometown crowd. Commey, ranked by three organizations, has managed to remain relevant in spite of a poor record the past few years. The hard-punching Ghanaian is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, although the losses have come against elite opponents Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. He drew with Pedraza in his most recent fight, last August, which kept his title hopes alive. He hasn’t won a fight since he stopped Jackson Marinez in February 2021, more than two years ago.

[lawrence-related id=28591,32341]

Jose Ramirez vs. Richard Commey: date, time, how to watch, background

Jose Ramirez vs. Richard Commey: date, time, how to watch, background.

Former 140-pound titleholder Jose Ramirez will continue his pursuit of another belt when he faces veteran Richard Commey on Saturday in Fresno, California.

JOSE RAMIREZ (27-1, 17 KOS) VS. RICHARD COMMEY (30-4-1, 27 KOS)

  • Date: Saturday, March 25
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Ramirez 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Tina Rupprecht, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA and Rupprecht’s WBC titles); Raymond Muratalla vs. Humberto Galindo, lightweights
  • Prediction: Ramirez UD
  • Background: The Ramirez-Commey winner will take a significant step toward a shot at a 140-pound title. Ramirez, a former titleholder, lost his two belts to current champ Josh Taylor by a close, but unanimous decision in May 2021. The 2012 U.S. Olympian bounced back by outpointing capable veteran Jose Pedraza the following March, which is the last time he was in the ring. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies. The Fresno-area native will be fighting Commey in front of a hometown crowd. Commey, ranked by three organizations, has managed to remain relevant in spite of a poor record the past few years. The hard-punching Ghanaian is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, although the losses have come against elite opponents Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. He drew with Pedraza in his most recent fight, last August, which kept his title hopes alive. He hasn’t won a fight since he stopped Jackson Marinez in February 2021, more than two years ago.

[lawrence-related id=28591,32341]

Fight Week: David Benavidez, Caleb Plant set for key 168-pound clash

Fight Week: David Benavidez and Caleb Plant are scheduled to square off an in important 168-pound pay-per-view fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

David Benavidez and Caleb Plant will square off an in important 168-pound pay-per-view fight Saturday in Las Vegas. Also Saturday, Jose Ramirez will face Richard Commey in a battle of 140-pound contenders in Fresno, California.

DAVID BENAVIDEZ (26-0, 23 KOS) VS. CALEB PLANT (22-1, 13 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, March 25
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Super middleweight (168 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Benavidez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: Benavidez 2½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Cody Crowley vs. Abel Ramos, welterweights; Jesus Ramos vs. Joey Spencer, junior middleweights; Chris Colbert vs. Jose Valenzuela, lightweights
  • Prediction: Benavidez KO 10
  • Background: Benavidez vs. Plant might be the biggest possible 168-pound fight not involving undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Benavidez is 26 but already a two-time super middleweight champ who lost his titles outside the ring, first after testing positive for cocaine and then for missing weight. His missteps certainly haven’t damaged his reputation. The strapping native of Phoenix is one of the most destructive offensive fighters in the world, which many believe makes him a genuine threat to Alvarez. He has stopped his last six opponents, including David Lemieux in his most-recent fight last May. Plant, also a former titleholder, lost his belt to Alvarez by an 11th-round knockout in November 2021. The athletic, polished techician bounced back to stop former champ Anthony Dirrell with a single left hook in the ninth round last October, restoring whatever luster he lost by falling to the Mexican pound-for-pounder. The Benavidez-Plant winner will be in position to challenge Alvarez, although the champ is scheduled to defend against John Ryder on May 6 and is targeting a rematch with 175-pound beltholder Dmitry Bivol in September.

 

JOSE RAMIREZ (27-1, 17 KOS) VS. RICHARD COMMEY (30-4-1, 27 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, March 25
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Ramirez 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Tina Rupprecht, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA and Rupprecht’s WBC titles); Raymond Muratalla vs. Humberto Galindo, lightweights
  • Prediction: Ramirez UD
  • Background: The Ramirez-Commey winner will take a significant step toward a shot at a 140-pound title. Ramirez, a former titleholder, lost his two belts to current champ Josh Taylor by a close, but unanimous decision in May 2021. The 2012 U.S. Olympian bounced back by outpointing capable veteran Jose Pedraza the following March, which is the last time he was in the ring. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies. The Fresno-area native will be fighting Commey in front of a hometown crowd. Commey, ranked by three organizations, has managed to remain relevant in spite of a poor record the past few years. The hard-punching Ghanaian is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, although the losses have come against elite opponents Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. He drew with Pedraza in his most recent fight, last August, which kept his title hopes alive. He hasn’t won a fight since he stopped Jackson Marinez in February 2021, more than two years ago.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

  • Christian Mbilli vs. Carlos Gongora, super middleweights, Montreal (ESPN+)

FRIDAY

  • Ivan Zucco vs. Germaine Brown, super middleweights, Milan, Italy (ESPN+)

SATURDAY

  • Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light, cruiserweights (for Okolie’s WBO title), Manchester, England (no TV in U.S.)

[lawrence-related id=36175,35397,30331,36155,33478]

Fight Week: David Benavidez, Caleb Plant set for key 168-pound clash

Fight Week: David Benavidez and Caleb Plant are scheduled to square off an in important 168-pound pay-per-view fight Saturday in Las Vegas.

FIGHT WEEK

David Benavidez and Caleb Plant will square off an in important 168-pound pay-per-view fight Saturday in Las Vegas. Also Saturday, Jose Ramirez will face Richard Commey in a battle of 140-pound contenders in Fresno, California.

DAVID BENAVIDEZ (26-0, 23 KOS) VS. CALEB PLANT (22-1, 13 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, March 25
  • Time: 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: MGM Grand, Las Vegas
  • TV/Stream: Pay-per-view
  • Division: Super middleweight (168 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: Benavidez, Honorable Mention
  • Odds: Benavidez 2½-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Cody Crowley vs. Abel Ramos, welterweights; Jesus Ramos vs. Joey Spencer, junior middleweights; Chris Colbert vs. Jose Valenzuela, lightweights
  • Prediction: Benavidez KO 10
  • Background: Benavidez vs. Plant might be the biggest possible 168-pound fight not involving undisputed champion Canelo Alvarez. Benavidez is 26 but already a two-time super middleweight champ who lost his titles outside the ring, first after testing positive for cocaine and then for missing weight. His missteps certainly haven’t damaged his reputation. The strapping native of Phoenix is one of the most destructive offensive fighters in the world, which many believe makes him a genuine threat to Alvarez. He has stopped his last six opponents, including David Lemieux in his most-recent fight last May. Plant, also a former titleholder, lost his belt to Alvarez by an 11th-round knockout in November 2021. The athletic, polished techician bounced back to stop former champ Anthony Dirrell with a single left hook in the ninth round last October, restoring whatever luster he lost by falling to the Mexican pound-for-pounder. The Benavidez-Plant winner will be in position to challenge Alvarez, although the champ is scheduled to defend against John Ryder on May 6 and is targeting a rematch with 175-pound beltholder Dmitry Bivol in September.

 

JOSE RAMIREZ (27-1, 17 KOS) VS. RICHARD COMMEY (30-4-1, 27 KOS)

  • When: Saturday, March 25
  • Time: 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT (main event later in show)
  • Where: Save Mart Arena, Fresno, California
  • TV/Stream: ESPN, ESPN+
  • Division: Junior welterweight (140 pounds)
  • At stake: No major titles
  • Pound-for-pound ranking: None
  • Odds: Ramirez 6-1 favorite (average of multiple outlets)
  • Also on the card: Seniesa Estrada vs. Tina Rupprecht, strawweights (for Estrada’s WBA and Rupprecht’s WBC titles); Raymond Muratalla vs. Humberto Galindo, lightweights
  • Prediction: Ramirez UD
  • Background: The Ramirez-Commey winner will take a significant step toward a shot at a 140-pound title. Ramirez, a former titleholder, lost his two belts to current champ Josh Taylor by a close, but unanimous decision in May 2021. The 2012 U.S. Olympian bounced back by outpointing capable veteran Jose Pedraza the following March, which is the last time he was in the ring. He’s ranked in the Top 7 by all four major sanctioning bodies. The Fresno-area native will be fighting Commey in front of a hometown crowd. Commey, ranked by three organizations, has managed to remain relevant in spite of a poor record the past few years. The hard-punching Ghanaian is 1-2-1 in his last four fights, although the losses have come against elite opponents Teofimo Lopez and Vasiliy Lomachenko. He drew with Pedraza in his most recent fight, last August, which kept his title hopes alive. He hasn’t won a fight since he stopped Jackson Marinez in February 2021, more than two years ago.

 

ALSO FIGHTING THIS WEEK

THURSDAY

  • Christian Mbilli vs. Carlos Gongora, super middleweights, Montreal (ESPN+)

FRIDAY

  • Ivan Zucco vs. Germaine Brown, super middleweights, Milan, Italy (ESPN+)

SATURDAY

  • Lawrence Okolie vs. David Light, cruiserweights (for Okolie’s WBO title), Manchester, England (no TV in U.S.)

[lawrence-related id=36175,35397,30331,36155,33478]

Jose Pedraza, Richard Commey fight to draw in spirited bout

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey fought to draw in spirited 10-round 140-pound bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Jose Pedraza boxed well and delivered a brutal body attack against Richard Commey on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Commey pushed the action for the most of the fight, landing his hard straight right and left hooks with some consistency.

However, in the end, neither of them did enough to have his hand raised after the fight. The judges scored the 10-round junior welterweight fight a split draw.

That wasn’t good news for the two veteran contenders, both of whom were hoping to bounce back after losing their most-recent fights. Instead, they went neither forward nor backward.

Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs) got off to a strong start in the opening round, sticking, moving and targeting the body of Commey (30-4-1, 27 KOs).

However, by Round 2, the big puncher from Ghana picked up his pace, found his range and began to land hard, accurate punches to the face of his Puerto Rican opponent. A good, competitive fight was on.

Commey probably impressed two of the judges with his aggression and activity, which allowed him to land punishing, eye-catching punches in almost every round. However, Pedraza, the better boxer, did a good job of countering and landing body shots that seemed to slow down Commey.

Commey was cut above the left eye by an apparent clash of heads in Round 5, although the referee ruled said it results from a punch. That led to some of Pedraza’s most productive rounds, particularly Round 9.

In the penultimate frame Pedraza threw three times as many punches as Commey did and landed some of his most damaging shots of the fight. However, Commey rebounded to have a solid Round 10 that was difficult to score.

When the final bell rang, it seemed as if the fight could go either way. And that’s how the scoring played out. One judge had it 97-93 for Pedraza, the second 96-94 for Commey and the third 95-95. Boxing Junkie scored it 96-94 for Pedraza, six rounds to four.

Pedraza is willing to do it again.

“If they demand a rematch, I’m ready to give Richard Commey a rematch because he deserves it and I have the utmost respect for him,” Pedraza said. “Ultimately, my goal is to win a world title once again. Whatever I have to do, that’s what I’m willing to do.”

Commey, meanwhile, wants go back to Ghana before making his next move

“It is a draw,” he said. “Obviously, I have to go back home and see my people. I love my people, and I gotta go back there, do what I gotta do.”

Jose Pedraza, Richard Commey fight to draw in spirited bout

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey fought to draw in spirited 10-round 140-pound bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Jose Pedraza boxed well and delivered a brutal body attack against Richard Commey on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Commey pushed the action for the most of the fight, landing his hard straight right and left hooks with some consistency.

However, in the end, neither of them did enough to have his hand raised after the fight. The judges scored the 10-round junior welterweight fight a split draw.

That wasn’t good news for the two veteran contenders, both of whom were hoping to bounce back after losing their most-recent fights. Instead, they went neither forward nor backward.

Pedraza (29-4-1, 14 KOs) got off to a strong start in the opening round, sticking, moving and targeting the body of Commey (30-4-1, 27 KOs).

However, by Round 2, the big puncher from Ghana picked up his pace, found his range and began to land hard, accurate punches to the face of his Puerto Rican opponent. A good, competitive fight was on.

Commey probably impressed two of the judges with his aggression and activity, which allowed him to land punishing, eye-catching punches in almost every round. However, Pedraza, the better boxer, did a good job of countering and landing body shots that seemed to slow down Commey.

Commey was cut above the left eye by an apparent clash of heads in Round 5, although the referee ruled said it results from a punch. That led to some of Pedraza’s most productive rounds, particularly Round 9.

In the penultimate frame Pedraza threw three times as many punches as Commey did and landed some of his most damaging shots of the fight. However, Commey rebounded to have a solid Round 10 that was difficult to score.

When the final bell rang, it seemed as if the fight could go either way. And that’s how the scoring played out. One judge had it 97-93 for Pedraza, the second 96-94 for Commey and the third 95-95. Boxing Junkie scored it 96-94 for Pedraza, six rounds to four.

Pedraza is willing to do it again.

“If they demand a rematch, I’m ready to give Richard Commey a rematch because he deserves it and I have the utmost respect for him,” Pedraza said. “Ultimately, my goal is to win a world title once again. Whatever I have to do, that’s what I’m willing to do.”

Commey, meanwhile, wants go back to Ghana before making his next move

“It is a draw,” he said. “Obviously, I have to go back home and see my people. I love my people, and I gotta go back there, do what I gotta do.”

Jose Pedraza vs. Richard Commey: LIVE updates and results, full coverage

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey fought to a draw in a 10-round junior welterweight bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One judge had it for Pedraza 97-93, another for Commey 96-94 and the third 95-95. Read the full report here. *** Heavyweight …

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey fought to a draw in a 10-round junior welterweight bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

One judge had it for Pedraza 97-93, another for Commey 96-94 and the third 95-95.

Read the full report here.

***

Heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson knocked out Miljan Rovcanin in the second round of a scheduled eight-round bout, Anderson’s 12th KO in as many fights.

Anderson landed a series of hard punches in the final seconds of the second round, punctuated by a right hand that hurt Rovcanin (24-3, 16 KOs) and put him onto his back. That’s where he was counted out.

The official time of the stoppage was 3:00 of Round 1.

***

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey will face off in a 140-pound battle of former titleholders tonight (Saturday) in Tulsa, Oklahoma (ESPN, ESPN+).

Pedraza (29-4, 14 KOs) and Commey (30-4, 27 KOs) are both 30-somethings trying to rebound from losses in their most-recent fights and remain in the hunt for a major belt.

In the co-feature, hot heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson (11-0, 11 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio, will take on Miljan Rovcanin (24-2, 16 KOs) of Serbia in a scheduled eight-round bout.

The main portion of the card begins at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post results of all the featured bouts on the card immediately after they end. Simply return to this post when the time comes.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=32320,32284,28591,26855]

Jose Pedraza vs. Richard Commey: LIVE updates and results, full coverage

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey fought to a draw in a 10-round junior welterweight bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. One judge had it for Pedraza 97-93, another for Commey 96-94 and the third 95-95. Read the full report here. *** Heavyweight …

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey fought to a draw in a 10-round junior welterweight bout Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

One judge had it for Pedraza 97-93, another for Commey 96-94 and the third 95-95.

Read the full report here.

***

Heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson knocked out Miljan Rovcanin in the second round of a scheduled eight-round bout, Anderson’s 12th KO in as many fights.

Anderson landed a series of hard punches in the final seconds of the second round, punctuated by a right hand that hurt Rovcanin (24-3, 16 KOs) and put him onto his back. That’s where he was counted out.

The official time of the stoppage was 3:00 of Round 1.

***

Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey will face off in a 140-pound battle of former titleholders tonight (Saturday) in Tulsa, Oklahoma (ESPN, ESPN+).

Pedraza (29-4, 14 KOs) and Commey (30-4, 27 KOs) are both 30-somethings trying to rebound from losses in their most-recent fights and remain in the hunt for a major belt.

In the co-feature, hot heavyweight prospect Jared Anderson (11-0, 11 KOs) of Toledo, Ohio, will take on Miljan Rovcanin (24-2, 16 KOs) of Serbia in a scheduled eight-round bout.

The main portion of the card begins at 10:30 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT. The main event will take place later in the show.

Boxing Junkie will post results of all the featured bouts on the card immediately after they end. Simply return to this post when the time comes.

Full coverage – a fight story, photo gallery and analysis – will follow on separate posts the night of the fight and the following day.

Enjoy the fights!

[lawrence-related id=32320,32284,28591,26855]