KENNEDY WINS USBA JR. FEATHER CROWN IN CLASSIC OVER RODRIGUEZ; RODRIGUEZ SUFFERS SERIOUS INJURY

In what will go down as nearly a twenty-nine minute classic, could be overshadowed by what happened minutes after Teon Kennedy’s thrilling tenth round stoppage over Francisco Rodriguez to claim the vacant USBA Jr. Featherweight title at The Legendary Blue Horizon.

The two waged for latterly every moment of this potential Fight of The Year until referee Benji Esteves called a halt to the action at 1:53 of round ten of the scheduled ten round title clash.

Rodriguez sat on his stool for approximately five minutes after the stoppage before being unresponsive and then slumping over before urgently being placed on a stretcher and having oxygen masked applied to his face before being rushed down Broad Street to Hahnemann University Hospital where at the time of this writing there was no update on his condition.

The fight started out as a scorcher with Rodriguez throwing and landing hard body shots and combinations. The two started trading heavy shots in close until Kennedy landed a huge counter shot that sent Rodriguez staggering into to the ropes that Esteves ruled a knockdown. Kennedy was all over Rodriguez landing bombs until the bell rang to close the opening frame. The action picked up in the second round with great action in close. Kennedy landed a perfect over hand right that staggered Rodriguez. Rodriguez recovered to engage with Kennedy on the ropes that was a great exchange. Rodriguez had a solid round three as he switched between southpaw and orthodox and unleashed some quick three punch combinations. That only led to the two combatants trading head shots at the end of the round. Round four was more of the same as there were high tempo exchanges throughout the frame. Round five was a good countering stanza for Kennedy. Rodriguez was able to get in a hard right cross to make the round a little tougher to score.

Kennedy started to show the effects of this budding war as in round six he began to swell around the right eye. That didn’t deter him at all as he landed some tremendous shots in that round before Rodriguez would return the favor at the end of the round. The two continued to exchange in close in the seventh. It was almost too good for words as Kennedy would land a big right only to eat two huge lefts from Rodriguez. The continued the high intensity action until Kennedy rocked Rodriguez in round nine with a big right hand. Another right had Rodriguez in serious trouble but he knew how to hang on long enough only to eat about four flush shots at the bell. Kennedy’s corner was sensing that Rodriguez was still hurt told their man to go after Rodriguez in the tenth. Kennedy started to batter Rodriguez all over the ropes and the native of Chicago wasn’t firing back as he did in the previous rounds and that’s when Esteves made the decision to halt the fight at 1:53.

When the fight was stopped, Kennedy was ahead 87-83 (same as 15rounds.com card), 86-84 and 86-83

Kennedy, 121 lbs of Philadelphia wins his first regional belt and has a record of 14-0-1 with six knockouts.

15rounds.com thoughts and prayers are with Rodriguez, 121 lbs who is now 14-3.

The co-feature saw Jason Barnett stop the popular John Poore just thirty-eight seconds into round three of their scheduled six round Heavyweight bout.

Barnett boxed very effectively as he beat Poore to the punch behind a surprisingly good jab. Barnett landed a nice left hook that drove Poore into the ropes in the second round. In round three, Barnett landed a perfect left hook that froze Poore stiff on his feet before slumping to the canvas and the fight was immediately waved off at thirty-eight seconds into round three.

Barnett, 223 lbs of St. Petersburg, FL is now 11-14 with five knockouts. Poore, 217 lbs of Upper Darby, PA is now 21-4.

In the opening bout, Jason Sosa made a successful pro debut by stopping Jonathon Ocasio at 1:13 of round three of scheduled four round Jr. Lightweight bout.

Sosa dominated and scored the first knockdown in round three from a leaping left hand. Sosa landed six unanswered hard blows in the corner before referee Gary Rosato stopped the bout.

Sosa, 129 ½ lbs of Camden, NJ is 1-0 with one knockout. Ocasio, 128 lbs of Philadelphia is 0-6.
It was a good night for pro debaters from Camden, NJ as Miguel Corsino did one better then Sosa as he stopped Keane Davis at 2:33 of round two of a scheduled four round Welterweight bout.

Both guys scored knockdowns in round one as it was Davis who struck first as he scored a flash knockdown with a quick left hook inside. Corsino’s knockdown later in the round from a hard right was more authoritative. Davis was clearly hurt as he was wobbled later in the round from a hard counter left. He was staggered again at the beginning of the second round from a similar punch. Corsino then landed a perfect left hook that dropped Davis for a second time. Davis was dropped again in the round from a big right hand. Three more big shots ended things as Davis went down for a fourth time in the fight.

Corsino, 146 ½ lbs of Camden, NJ is 1-0 with one knockout. Davis, 148 lbs of Philadelphia is 0-1.
Jamal Davis used a first round knockdown en route to a six round unanimous decision over Joshua Onyango in a Jr. Middleweight bout.

Davis scored the knockdown on a nice counter right that dropped Onyango to the canvas. Davis boxed well and ate some good shots as Onyango kept the pressure up and had some decent moments in the fight.

Davis, 154 ½ lbs of Philadelphia won by scores of 59-54, 59-54 and 58-55 to raise his mark to 11-5. Onyango, 154 lbs of Trenton, NJ is now 14-18-1.

Dennis Hasson remained undefeated as he battered Eric Pinarreta over five rounds of their scheduled six round Super Middleweight bout.

Hasson scored a knockdown in round two from a perfect left that drilled Pinarreta to the canvas. Pinarreta continued to take some hard head shots as Hasson landed anytime he wanted as the firepower coming back was not of any concern to the undefeated Hassson. In round five, Pinarreta took three more hard shots and his corner threw in the towel at 1:51.

Hasson, 167 1/2 lbs of Philadelphia is now 9-0 with three knockouts. Pinarreta, 167 lbs of New Bedord, MA is now 2-3.

Ardick Butler stopped Epifano Cosme Rodriguez just 2:25 into their scheduled four round Welterweight bout.

Butler dropped Rodriguez with a hard left to the body and finished the job with a barrage of punches that was cleaned up with a perfect right hand to end the fight.

Butler, 147 ½ lbs of Philadelphia is now 4-1 with one knockout. Rodriguez, 147 ½ lbs of Lancaster, PA is now 0-2

A scheduled four round bout between Angel Ocassio and Marcus Smith was cancelled after the post fight events of the Kennedy-Rodriguez bout.

The show was promoted by Peltz Boxing Inc. in association with Joe Hand Promotions Inc.