Rigondeaux retains WBA super-bantamweight belt

Guillermo Rigondeaux (left) from Miami, and Teon Kennedy from Philadelphia, exchange punches in the first round of their WBA super bantamweight title fight Saturday, June 9, 2012, in Las Vegas. AP/JULIE JACOBSON

MANILA, Philippines – Cuba’s Guillermo Rigondeaux stopped American Teon Kennedy in just five rounds on Sunday to retain his WBA superbantamweight title in the first official undercard of Pacquiao-Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, USA.

Rigondeaux, a two-time olympic gold medalist, used a lethal left hand that knocked down Kennedy a fifth time en route to a TKO victory at the 1:11 mark.

The Cuban-born Miami-based fighter hurt Kennedy with his laser-like left straights that the American was not able to figure out.

Kennedy fell to 17-2-2.

Rigondeaux, 31, remained unbeaten as he improved his record to 10-0-9 KOs. He made the first defense of the title he won with a sixth-round knockout of Rico Ramos on January 20.

“All of my punches are great,” Rigondeaux said. “I have no bad ones.”

Kennedy said Rigondeaux’s speedy hands made the difference.

“Rigondeaux has the kind of punches you can’t see,” the American said. “He is real quick.”

Rigondeaux called it one of the best fights of his young pro career.

“But I have a lot of big fights ahead,” he added.

The Cuban has already complained that some of the talent-laden division’s best – including Filipino WBO champion Nonito Donaire, World Boxing Council champ Toshiaki Nishioka of Japan and International Boxing Federation champ Jeffrey Mathebula – are ducking him.

Donaire and Mathebula are slated to fight to unify their world titles in Los Angeles on July 7.

Also on the undercard, unbeaten Mike Jones took on fellow American Randall Bailey for the vacant International Boxing Federation welterweight crown.

Jones brought a record of 26-0 with 19 knockouts to the fight, while Bailey boasts a record of 41-7 with 36 knockouts.

Originally posted at 10:00 am | Sunday, June 10, 2012