Ghanaian heavyweight boxer Richard Harrison Lartey endured yet another setback in his career after suffering a second-round knockout defeat to Deontae Pettigrew of the USA in a WBA World Continental title bout on Saturday night.
The fight took place at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Rockford, Illinois, and ended swiftly, with Pettigrew overpowering Lartey early in the contest. The loss marks Lartey’s seventh defeat in his last nine professional outings, raising serious questions about the trajectory of the 32-year-old’s career.
Following the knockout, Lartey received medical attention in the dressing room but was reported to be stable.
Before this defeat, Lartey had shown signs of a possible resurgence, securing back-to-back victories in 2024, a win over Andrzej Wawrzyk on April 24 at The Dome at the Ballpark in Rosemont, Illinois, and a home-soil victory against Ibrahim Labaran in Accra on September 23.
However, Saturday’s loss has once again derailed his momentum and diminished his chances of claiming the coveted WBA title belt.
By Peter Quao Adattor
