<<Print>>

Newly-crowned IBF lightweight world champion, Richard Commey, has been ruled out for six weeks after his MRI scan proved him ineligible to fight WBO and WBA titlist, Vasyl Lomachenko, in a unification on April 12.

According to Commey's manager, Michael Amoo-Bediako, the bout with the Ukrainian has been called off due to the extent of his injury lay-off with Lomachenko expected to fight mandatory challenger, Anthony Crolla, next.

Commey suffered a fractured knuckle in the first round of his title-clinching bout against Russian Isa Chaniev at the Ford Centre in Frisco, Texas on February after destroying him in two rounds.

In an interview with Amoo-Bediako from his base in the United Kingdom, he explained that the 31-year-old is expected to have another doctor's appointment this week for further treatment.

"He is out for six weeks which means his supposed fight with Lomachenko is off at the moment. We will have to wait to see what happens in the next few weeks.

"Commey is expected to see the doctor again for further treatment on his injury but for now the fight with Lomachenko in April won't take place as expected," Amoo-Bediako said.

Commey(28-2, 24 KOs) became Ghana’s ninth world champion, after a second round technical knockout victory over Chaniev which saw the Russian being dropped three times.

He joins the nation's rich boxing history which houses the likes of David "Poison" Kotei, Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, Nana Yaw Konadu, Alfred Kotey, Joshua Clottey, Joseph Agbeko and Isaac Dogboe who at various stages of their careers conquered the world.