ESPN Friday Night Fights had a bit of a ho-hum night as junior featherweights Teon Kennedy (17-1-2, 7 KOs) and Christopher Martin (23-1-3, 6 KOs) fought hard to a majority draw at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, NV. It was a close fight with both men giving as well as they got but with neither apparently putting the exclamation point that could give them a win.
Kennedy spent the fight pressing and using volume to get at Martin who boxed on the outside and looked for spots to attack. Kennedy?s left hook to the body and head landed regularly but with 7 knockouts to his record, it?s clear not that he is not exactly a power puncher. Martin is an excellent boxer who also lacks pop and it showed. While he landed right hand crosses and uppercuts, he never stunned or hurt Kennedy. Because of that, he was in retreat mode much of the fight and ended up on the ropes often because of it. When this happened, the action swayed to Kennedy who unloaded volume that didn?t always land flush.
Scores were 95-95 twice and 97-93 Kennedy. This writer had it 97-93 Kennedy.
On the televised undercard, 2008 Cuban Bronze medal winner Yordenis Ugas, (11-0 with 5 KOs) underwhelmed en route to nearly shutting out Esteban Almaraz who was game but outclassed. Ugas was able to score a nice knockdown early off a jab to the body and a right over the top. It was set up beautifully. The problem was that it was the best action of the night for him. Scores were 79-72 twice and 80-71. I scored it a shutout for Ugas as well as a knockout as twitter seemed lulled into sleep waiting for the knockout.
