Ghana’s International Boxing Federation (IBF) lightweight champion, Richard Commey, is close to finalising a deal to fight Ray Beltran on June 28.
The fight which would become Commey’s first title defence since winning the IBF strap on February 2 is expected to headline a Top Rank on ESPN card.
According to an ESPN report, the winner of Commey-Beltran bout would be obligated to face July 19 world title eliminator between Teofimo Lopez and Masayoshi Nakatani.
Commey ((28-2, 25 KO) has been hunting for an opponent to mark his first title defence having been declared fit from his hand injury that ruined a planned unification bout against WBA and WBO titlist Vasyl Lomachenko.
Beltran (36-8-1, 22 KO) on the other hand made his super lightweight debut in February with an impressive stoppage victory over Hiroki Okada after losing his WBO crown to Jose Pedraza last August.
The Ghanaian has been training in his New York base under the tutelage of experienced American trainer Andre Rozier as he prepare to face his next opponent.