Very few took notice of Richard Commey’s in-ring wardrobe on Saturday as he knocked out Russia’s Isa Chaniev in the second round to become the IBF lightweight champion and who can blame them?
There was much to admire about the way Commey dismantled his overmatched opponent but the reason for him wearing his dark coloured trunks dotted with the faces of young people is equally admirable.
“These are the boys in my hood that look up to me and want to be like me as they are all boxers. I want to give them hope and let them know they can do it if they have the desire and work hard at it.”
Commey hails from Bukom, a poor suburb of Accra that has the singular distinction of producing an absurd amount of elite fighters for Ghana.
He has close ties to his home and is a regular fixture there when he is in Ghana and having the presence of mind to give prominence to these young fighters on the biggest night of career in front of a watching worldwide audience just takes him up a notch in the decency stakes.
Way to go Richard.
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By: Godfred Akoto Boafo | citinewsroom.com | Ghana
