Richard Commey floors Ray Beltran four times, wins fight by stoppage

In a tough and grueling fight, IBF lightweight champion Richard Commey stopped former champion Ray Beltran in round eight at the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, CA. Friday night.

Commey (29-2, 26 KOs) almost ended things in the opening stanza when he landed a big hook that floored Beltran. After Beltran got up, Commey forced his woozy opponent into the ropes and unloaded, forcing referee Eddie Hernandez Sr. to give Beltran (36-9-1, 22 KOs) a standing eight count. The gutsy Beltran clocked Commey with a counter—which stopped the onslaught.

Beltran, who couldn’t win the IBF belt after failing to make weight yesterday, held his own in round three and landed some big hooks in round four until being staggered late. In round five, Commey landed a crisp left hook that sent Beltran stumbling to the ropes. Seconds later, he was down from a cuffing left. Beltran got up, but the fight was quickly slipping way. Another right buckled his legs.

Commey tried to end things, but appeared to punch himself out. Beltran fought back with a big hook to the jaw. Commey forced Beltran into the ropes in round six and unloaded. Beltran absorbed the blows and fought back. Commey went to the body and head. Beltran did some good work on the inside. Commey connected with a combination.

In round seven, both fighters traded hard blows. Blood was dripping from a cut over Beltran’s eyebrow. Commey had swelling over his right eye.

Commey got right to work in round eight. He dug downstairs. As Beltran walked towards him, a crisp check hook sent Beltran collapsing to the canvas for the fourth and final time. Beltran somehow got up, but Hernandez waved the fight off.

The time was 54 seconds into round eight.

“Beltran showed why he was a champion,” Commey said of the former WBO lightweight champ. “He’s a great fighter, who showed it against me tonight. I was happy to get the job done.”