Atlantic City, NJ- On the undercard of the Yuirokis Gamboa vs. Jorge Solis match, undefeated Super Bantamweight prospect Teon Kennedy from Philadelphia, PA defeated unbeaten prospect Jorge Diaz from Jersey City, NJ, in a very entertaining twelve round affair. Diaz came out very aggressively, putting the pressure on Teon, early. Kennedy used slick boxing skills to move and give angles, but was stunned, early, by a Diaz left. Still, Teon kept his composure and got out of the round.
Teon Kennedy used the bull vs. the matador approach, in the first half of the fight, letting Diaz come to him, aggressively, then using swift counterpunching to drop Diaz, in the third and sixth rounds. The fight changed, after Kennedy could not keep Diaz off him, in the second half of the fight. Teon decided to stand and go toe to toe with Diaz, fighting the brawler’s fight.
In some of the best exchanges of the year, Teon Kennedy came out the victor, winning on all three judges scorecards 115-111,119-109 and 117-109. Even though, Teon Kennedy won the fight and pleased the crowd with his performance, there was an underlying sign, in this fight. The sign is that Teon fights with his heart, not his skills, and that could be the downfall of his career.
Like most fighters from Philadelphia, there is a fighter’s instinct that is bred inside from the many wars that take place, in the gyms, as well as the streets. Like all boxing fans, I like a good fight, but boxing is an art, a sweet science, and the beauty of boxing is watching a man use his skill to out smart the lesser skilled opponent. Not watching the skilled fighter lose a fight to a fighter who is not on his level.
When Teon Kennedy gets the big fights against top-level competition and that competition is able to force him into a fight, then you will see great toe-to-toe action that is truly genuine. Teon Kennedy has to keep his heart out of the fight or he will find himself no longer an undefeated prospect, but a story of what could have been .
- The Boxing King -
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