Former world lightweight champion Richard Commey will return to the ring on October 18 against Nahir Albright in a 140-pound clash on the undercard of Danny Garcia vs. Daniel Gonzalez at the Barclays Center in New York. The matchup came together following the withdrawal of Ashton Sylve, who was originally slated to face Commey before being replaced by Albright for unspecified, but likely injury-related reasons.
Albright enters the bout on the back of a career-boosting majority decision victory over the previously unbeaten Kelvin Davis in June. That win was followed by a heated backstage altercation with Davis’ brother, former lightweight champion Keyshawn Davis, whom Albright had pushed to the brink in a majority-decision loss the previous year. Although that defeat was later changed to a no decision due to Davis testing positive for marijuana, Albright’s performances have marked him as one of the division’s more dangerous and unpredictable contenders.
Watch one of the best KOs from Commey: Watch
Commey remains a recognizable name but faces questions about his form and consistency at 38. After enduring defeats to elite names such as Teofimo Lopez, Vasyl Lomachenko, and Jose Ramirez, the Ghanaian veteran returned in August to stop William Jackson in two rounds.
Inactivity has been a persistent issue for Commey, whose best years came during his reign as IBF lightweight champion. That lack of recent top-level activity could prove costly against an energetic opponent like Albright, who will likely enter as the favorite.
Image Credit: The RIng