Richard Commey: From karate kid to IBF lightweight champion

Richard Commey is the IBF lightweight champion, but he was a martial artist before he was a boxer. From Ghana to the U.S., Commey’s journey continues.

Richard Commey (28-2, 25 KOs) is the IBF lightweight champion, but boxing wasn’t at the heart of his combat quest. Growing up in Ghana, Commey’s path to boxing champion wasn’t easy or foreseen.

Ghana has a rich boxing history with fighters like Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey leading the pack. Many others have followed their examples because fighting is part of their culture. This fact was omnipresent during Commey’s childhood.

“When you’re walking with your peers or your friends, and something breaks out, you got to fight to win your respect,” Commey told FanSided. “This is what it’s like where I grew up.”

With the threat of a daily battle erupting walking down the street, it seems like the ability to box would be advantageous. However, most box for the dream of a world title and the glory and money that comes along with it.

Commey didn’t see boxing skills as the more reliable or logical defensive tools for a street fight. Instead, he turned to Shotokan karate.

“We fight on the street, but boxing wasn’t my thing,” admitted Commey. “I really go into Shotokan while I was playing football. I was like, I need to learn something to defend myself.”

Commey spent years practicing Shotokan but wanted to compete as well. Kickboxing was the natural next step, and Commey excelled. As good as he was as a kickboxer, friends and family knew that future opportunities in that field were limited.

“People saw me and were like, ‘Richard Man, you better off using your arms because you can go far. You can go to places where you do boxing,'” said Commey. “So I went to give it a try.”

Commey trained as a boxer for a year before turning professional in 2011. It didn’t take long for the people around Commey to realize that there was something special about his right hand and the power it delivered.

“I knew I could punch, but everyone that I sparred said, ‘Richard you got a big right hand,'” recalled Commey.

Commey won 17 fights in a row by knockout. His streak broke in his 18th bout, but he won fights 20-24 by knockout, and then his luck changed. He dropped a controversial split-decision to Robert Easter Jr. in his first title bout. He then lost his next contest to Denis Shafikov by another split-decision.

Even after experiencing a brief patch of failure, Commey never gave up on his goal of becoming a world champion.

“I didn’t really lose confidence in myself because I knew I was close in both fights,” said Commey. “I felt like maybe I will give myself one more push.

“It taught me that it’s not over until it’s over. I’ve got to go in there and dig and dig and keep digging. And it made me understand that maybe that wasn’t the right time for me. ”

Part of Commey’s push towards self-betterment included learning more in boxing. To do that, he felt like he needed to seek out a new trainer. Luckily, fate intervened.

“My manager met Andre and had a word with him, and Andre was like, ‘I would love to work with Richard,'” remembered Commey. “We got connected, and we started working sometime in July of 2017.”

Commey has been with Rozier ever since. In Rozier, he found much more than just a boxing trainer.

“Andre is like a father,” said Commey passionately. “All the guys in the gym are like [a] big family. We learn off each other. We’re family. That’s what is special.”

When Commey got his second shot at a world title, he didn’t let it slip through his fingers. He stopped Isa Chaniev in two rounds to win the IBF title. Chaniev hit the canvas three times before the referee called an end to the action in round 2. It was finally the right time for Commey to be world champion.

Commey was supposed to meet Vasiliy Lomachenko in a lightweight unification contest, but he injured his right hand. Now, Commey’s right hand is fully mended.

He makes the first defense of his title on Friday, June 28, on ESPN+ against veteran Raymundo Beltran. Commey has a lot of respect for Beltran and knows that he’s a gritty boxer who has also experienced a lot throughout his career.

“He’s been around. He’s a two-time world champion,” said Commey of Beltran. “He’s tough. It’s a good fight, and I respect him.”

Commey is far from his karate days, but all of his experiences have molded him into the champion he is today. He hopes to fight Lomachenko to decide the future of the lightweight division, but he needs to take care of Beltran first. You can see Commey vs. Beltran on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m.