Jose Pedraza and Richard Commey couldn’t be separated at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Tulsa, as they fought to a ten round draw at super lightweight.
Both men were at a crossroads in their careers, each coming off losses in their last fights. Pedraza had been outscored by Jose Carlos Ramirez in March, while Commey was making a debut at 140 pounds after being soundly beaten on the cards by Vasyl Lomachenko last December. The two had also previously served as world champions, with Pedraza reigning at super featherweight and lightweight, and Commey a former IBF lightweight boss.
Commey (30-4-1, KO27) began well in this one, landing with an accurate jab in the opening frame, and he caught Pedraza (29-4-1, KO14) with some cuffing right hands in round two. Pedraza turned southpaw to good effect, and the third saw him use his movement off the ropes, although he took a flush right hand and his nose was bloodied, with swelling under his left eye also an issue. Commey was largely dominating the first half of the contest, but the turning point seemed to be the sixth, where a clash of heads seemed to give Pedraza the momentum he badly needed. The Puerto Rican was growing in belief, and worked well to the body of Commey in rounds seven and eight, and by the ninth, Pedraza hurt his man with an accumulation of punches, and with shots downstairs doing particular damage. Pedraza controlled the final round although Commey did rally towards the end, and the contest was in the balance going to the scorecards.
As close as it comes 📝 How did you score it?@BoostMobile x #PedrazaCommey pic.twitter.com/H8QUake8Ks
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 28, 2022
Pedraza took one card by a score of 97-93, while a second judge scored Commey a 96-94 victor. The deciding judge tallied 95-95, meaning the two couldn’t be split, and a rematch is likely.
The four heavyweight attractions on the bill all ended early.
Jared Anderson (12-0, KO12) maintained his perfect record, as he halted Miljan Rovcanin (24-3, KO16) in the second round of their scheduled eight rounder.
BEAT DOWN 👀@TeamBigBabyy x #PedrazaCommey pic.twitter.com/ayxguh1uZ1
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 28, 2022
Efe Ajagba (16-1, KO13) also scored a second round finish, as he dropped Jozsef Darmos (14-5-3, KO10) twice in round two before finishing the job in the same frame.
The body shot that signaled the end 💣@AjagbaEfe x #PedrazaCommey pic.twitter.com/Gx7tE7o3K4
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 28, 2022
Richard Torrez Jr (3-0, KO3) needed less than a round to dispatch Marco Antonio Caneda (4-3, KO2), and Jeremiah Milton (6-0, KO5) stopped Nick Jones (9-5, KO6) in the second round.
KO of the Year nominee!? 🔒@RichardTorrez21 | #PedrazaCommey pic.twitter.com/0xMQhEiqLv
— Top Rank Boxing (@trboxing) August 28, 2022
At super lightweight, Delante Johnson (5-0, KO4) took a fifth round win in his scheduled six rounder with Harry Gigliotti (8-4, KO3), and at welterweight, Kelvin Davis (6-0, KO4) took a six round points win against Sebastian Gabriel Chaves (5-5, KO2).
In a pair of lightwight encounters, Frevian Gonzalez Robles (6-1, KO1) outscored Gerardo Esquivel (3-3-1, KO1) over six, and Abdullah Mason (4-0, KO3) dropped Angel Rebollar (5-1, KO3) in the opening round of four, before winning on the cards. Dante Benjamin (4-0, KO2) took every round of four at light heavyweight against Leandro Silva (3-7, KO2).
