Boxing Challenge

   The boxing weekend is light to end August after a heavy load last weekend with only one fight on an ESPN+/Top Rank card from Tulsa Oklahoma as two former world champions battle in a crossroads fight that could result in a higher profile fight for the winner and perhaps a move down the ladder to gateway status for the loser.

Former IBF junior lightweight and WBO lightweight champion Jose Pedraza meets former IBF lightweight beltholder Richard Commey in a junior welterweight tilt scheduled for ten rounds which is a tough fight to call.

Pedraza, who is arguably the biggest name on the resume of Gervonta Davis after Davis took his 130-pound title by seventh-round knockout in 2017, may already have reached gatekeeper status as after his 2018 loss to Vasyl Lomachenko, Pedraza has dropped decisions to the best two fighters he has faced since in Jose Zepeda and in his last fight against Jose Ramirez.

Still, Pedraza defeated prospects and fringe contenders Julian Rodriguez, Antonio Lozada, and Javier Molina since his Lomachenko loss, so a win over Commey would keep him in line for a fight against a contender in the loaded 140-pound division.

Commey has lost two of his last three but can be excused for losing to two of the best around in a 2019 second-round knockout defeat to Teofimo Lopez (and losing his IBF title) and in his last outing a decision loss in December to Vasyl Lomachenko.

In between, Commey looked very good in February 2021 in knocking out Jackson Marinez in six rounds after most believed in Marinez's previous fight he had been robbed against Rolando Romero.

Is it that Commey is still a world-class boxer that ran into two elite greats of the game?

Or is he beginning to drop in status and only the prestige of Lopez and Lomachenko has kept his name in the picture? 

With both fighters in their mid-30s (Commey is 35, Pedraza 33), it's fair to consider them on the back end of their best form but the victor will be in a position for a few more high-level paydays, so the fight is an important one in the Top Rank dominated division.

It's an interesting style clash with Pedraza as a boxer-puncher (leans toward boxer) that likes to fight at long-range with Commey a fighter that likes to attack and is willing to fight on the inside, so one would think that Pedraza has the physical advantages in this one.

You would be wrong for thinking that as Pedraza only owns a half-inch edge in height and it's Commey with the greater reach by a half-inch, so that is an extra wrinkle when trying to choose the winner.

A very interesting fight with plenty on the line for both fighters.

Boxing Challenge

Junior Welterweights. 10 Rds

Jose Pedraza vs Richard Commey

Ramon Malpica and Vince Samano: Pedraza Unanimous Decision

TRS: Commey Split Decision