Former IBF lightweight champion Richard Commey 30-3 (27) returned to the win column with a one-punch sixth-round knockout of Jackson ‘El Fenix’ Marinez 19-2 (7) at ‘The Bubble’ at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.
The 33-year-old Bronx-based Ghanaian took a couple of rounds to get going after more than a year on the sidelines following his second-round knockout loss to undisputed lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez 16-0 (12) in December 2019.
Dominican Marinez, 30, used his lateral movement to avoid Commey’s dangerous right hand in the early rounds but by the third Commey was starting to catch up with him. In the fourth and fifth Marinez was able to get inside Commey’s power shots to nullify them.
In the sixth round Commey put his foot on the gas, throwing 63 punches and landing 21 including 18 power shots to overwhelm Marinez, who was knocked down and then out at the 2:35 mark.
At the time of the stoppage Commey was leading 49-46 and 48-47 on two of the judges’ scorecards, while the third judge had Marinez ahead 48-47.
“When I first started, I started very slow because I’ve been away for more than a year, so I had to take my time a little bit just to get my rhythm,” Commey said. “My corner was telling me to do something. They saw that punch that took him down.”
An interested observer at ringside was Commey conqueror Lopez, who has formed a firm friendship with the former champion since their fight.
“After our fight, I saw him in the lobby and we chatted and hugged,” Commey explained. “He always liked me, and it’s pure love. For him to come down to my corner, it was motivating. It showed tremendous love, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.
“We gotta love each other, regardless of where you’re from or who you are. I appreciated [his support].”
Marinez was coming off a controversial loss to Rolando ‘Rolly’ Romero 13-0 (11) in Uncasville, Connecticut in August last year.
On the undercard 21-year-old heavyweight Jared ‘The Real Big Baby’ Anderson 8-0 (8) kept his perfect record intact with a left hook knockout of Kingsley Ibeh 5-1-1 (4) in the sixth and final round.
“We will keep fighting prospects and people who say they can’t be beat,” Anderson said. “I am here to fight the best. Since everyone wants it, why not give it to them?
“I wanted the Ibeh fight because I saw him push many prospects. The knockout came and I made a statement.”
In a close fight featherweight Adam ‘BluNose’ Lopez 15-2 (6) edged a 10-round majority decision over Jason ‘El Alacrancito’ Sanchez 15-3 (8) by scores of 97-93, 96-94 and 95-95.
Sanchez was in control in the early going before Lopez found his rhythm in the mid-rounds and took over the fight. Sensing the fight slipping away, Sanchez rallied in the final two stanzas but it was not quite enough to salvage the win.
