Philadelphia, PA – As training camps for Philadelphians Mike Jones, Teon Kennedy and Jesse Hart are winding down for their fights on June 9 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas, NV, as part of the Manny Pacquiao-Timothy Bradley championship card, all three are confident in bringing glory back home.
In perhaps the biggest night-ever for Philly fighters, Jones (26-0, 19 KOs) will battle Randall Bailey (42-7,36 KOs) of Miami, FL for the vacant IBF world welterweight title, Kennedy (17-1-2, 7 KOs) will challenge WBA world super bantamweight titlist Guillermo Rigondeaux (9-0, 7 KOs), of Cuba, while amateur star Hart, son of former middleweight contender Eugene “Cyclone” Hart, will make his pro debut.
Here are some of their comments from training camp:
MIKE JONES, #1 Rated Welterweight
“It is a lifelong dream to fight for the title. All I know is I’m 100% confident in myself and my abilities. I come to win and I will not lose.”
“I never get too high or too low. I never need acceptance from anybody, whether I score a knockout or get a decision win. I stay true to myself. I believe in God and I believe in myself. That’s what matters to me.”
“He’s (Randall Bailey) a banger, definitely likes to bang. I can do more than just slug. I’ll do whatever it takes to win, even if I have to pound him out, but I want to be moving to set everything up. I don’t know if he can take my power. My plan is not to give him anything and not to give him any advantage.”
“It’s like game planning for a tough defense in basketball. You have to take Bailey’s best attribute – his banging – away from him. Once you do that, things become a lot easier.”
“He’s a strong guy. He hits hard with that right hand and that left hook is not too weak, either. I’m looking for the best Randall Bailey and I want him to bring his best because I know that will bring out the best in me.”
“He has to watch out for my big shots, too. He’s shown he can be knocked out as well. He has his weak points; he doesn’t have a real good jab and he doesn’t put combinations together well. His thing is just trying to bomb you out with one punch. I just want to use my speed and show that I’m the better fighter all around.”
“Making a statement in this fight is showing my best, winning the fight and looking fantastic. The plan always is for me to show the world something better each and every time out.”
“I don’t have a prediction, but I’m just going to beat him down.”
“I always dream about them holding my hand up and I’m the new world champion. There’s no doubt that I’ll be the new IBF world welterweight champion.”
TEON KENNEDY, In His First World Title Fight
“I’m excited about the fight. Whenever I go to bed all I do is dream about it.”
“I feel great. I’m in shape. I’m ready to go right now. Rigondeaux has quick feet, quick hands. My heart and determination will bring the title home.”
“I can’t let him fight his fight and let him get comfortable. I have to force him to make mistakes and take it to him in the first few rounds to show him that I’m there to fight. I believe that I can win a decision. I’m ready mentally and I’m in shape physically. I can’t wait for the fight. It’s a special night to have all of us Philly fighters on the same show.”
“I’m still going to use an aggressive style because he likes to be comfortable. I’m going to put different angles in, not going to go straight to him.”
“Anything can happen, so don’t blink.”
JESSE HART, Amateur Star In His Pro Debut
“Its big, real big, to be fighting my pro debut on the Manny Pacquiao show in Las Vegas. For all the years my dad (Cyclone Hart) fought, he never fought in Las Vegas, so it’s a big thrill for both of us to be in Vegas. This is dad’s dream. It will make for a great show to have us Philly fighters out there. You can’t go wrong.”
“Bernard Hopkins came to me and told me, ‘You’re going to be the next one up, you’re going to be the next great middleweight of Philadelphia,’ and that meant a lot to me.”
“Philadelphia embraced me as a fighter because of my dad. I had to display skill and show that I could stand on my own two (feet). If my dad wasn’t Cyclone Hart, I would still be able to have a name and solidify my boxing credentials. I plan on becoming another great Philadelphia middleweight.”
“My dad is a big, big part of the reason why I was so successful in the amateurs and why I will be successful as a professional. When I was an amateur, my dad surrounded me with great amateur coaches, but he was my head trainer and we were successful.”
“I’d like to think that I was made for a reason. That’s to be a champion. I wasn’t born to do nothing else, but box
