Bloody Broken Jaw Teon Kennedy Edges Collado at Bally’s
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Photos courtesy Ray Bailey
Atlantic City, NJ (August 25th, 2013)– A bloody broken jawed Teon Kennedy, bleeding profusely from the mouth, closed with a strong offense down the stretch in the last three rounds to pull out a close but unanimous 10 round decision over upset minded Joselito Collado in a Junior Lightweight crossroads bout in the main event of an eight bout card at Bally’s Hotel & Casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Kennedy, now 19-2-1, seven knockouts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, won for the second time campaigning as a Junior Lightweight at 130 pounds. In June 13, 2013, Kennedy decisioned Carlos Vinan over 10 rounds in the same ring at this weight. Promoter Russell Peltz is positioning Kennedy for a world title shot, perhaps in 2014, at Junior Lightweight, and by Kennedy’s own admission, the going for him since coming up in weight, after fighting Guillermo Rigondeaux for the WBA Super Bantamweight title, has been rough.
Kennedy explained what happened against Collado. “In the second or third round, Collado headbutted me, broke my jaw and loosened one of my teeth. Blood was coming out of my my mouth. I had to fight my way through the situation.” Collado, now 13-3, three knockouts, a Dominican Republic fighter now fighting out of Jamaica, Queens, New York, spend the bout trying to wrestle his way inside and taking the fight dirty.
Collado opened the bout by finding a place for his straight right. Kennedy stalked him, walking Collado down with good body shots. Collado won the first round, Kennedy the second round. The bout, after the headbutt, turned ugly, with Collado switching back and forth from traditional stance to southpaw to confuse Kennedy. After the butt, Kennedy’s timing was slightly off. Bot fighters were landing in center of the ring inside exchanges, but Kennedy was missing a lot. The third and fourth round appeared even.
Collado won the fifth, Kennedy the sixth round, and Kennedy upped the tempo by landing singly placed power shots while cutting off the ring. Collado, who got hit with a low blow in the sixth, began throwing low blows of his own. Kennedy began landing jabs and power shots effectively as Collado began to tire from the seventh round on. Kennedy won the seventh, ninth and tenth rounds. The eight round appeared even, with Collado scoring with pop shots inside, and Kennedy countering with accurate body shots. Collado, at this point, tried to win the bout with a one punch style, which did not work as Kennedy beat him with punch volume. Collado tried wrestling to get inside and throwing powerless flurries, which Kennedy answered with some brutal head shots as the bout closed.
Real Combat Media scored the fight 98-95 for Kennedy. A good, grueling and ugly fight.
Result: Teon Kennedy Win 10 Joselito Collado, Junior Lightweights
Scoring: 96-94, 96-94, 98-92 for Kennedy.
Referee: Lindsay Page
In the preliminary bout to the main event, Atlantic City Middleweight DeCarlo Perez won an extremely close but unanimous decision over Jamar Freeman of North Caorlina in an eight round crossroads bout between prospects. Perez is now 11-2-1 with for knockouts. The bout looked drawish, but Perez was a busier fighter than Freeman, which proved the difference in a close bout.
Result: DeCarlo Perez Win 8 Jamar Freeman, Junior Middleweights
Scoring: 7-75, 77-5, 78-74 for Perez
Referee; Brian O’Melia
The undercard was very balanced and fair. 0-4 Carlos Nieves of Aguafdilla, Puerto Rico ruined the professional debut of New Jersey native Nathaniel Rivas with an upset decision win. 2-4 Rafael Montalvo upset 4-2 Jose Javier Calderon. In the walkout bout, rising middleweight prospect Ishmael Garcia got dropped by Michael Sunkett for a flash knockdown while throwing reckless shots inside in the first round, but got up to give Sunkett a one-sided beating and stop him in the second round as the card closed.
Atlantic City Undercard Results
Mark Rideout TKO 2 Aaron Leonard, Heavyweights (1:27)
Carlos Nieves Win 4 Nathaniel Rivas (Debut), Junior Welterweights
David Valykeo Win Majority 4 Brian Donohue
Rafael Montalvo TKO 4 Jose Javier Calderon, Welterweights (0:53)
Anthony Burgin Win 4 Jose Del Valle, Junior Lightweights
Ishmael Garcia TKO 2 Michael Sunkett, Middleweights, Walkout Bout (2:02)
Garcia was knocked down for a flash knockdown in the first.
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