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Brandun Lee Defeats Samuel Teah via 3rd-Round KO

Nate Loop@Nate_LoopFeatured ColumnistMarch 11, 2021

Boxing gloves lay on a table during the Brigade Boxing Championships at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., Friday, Feb. 28, 2014. The academy has offered boxing since 1865, both as a club sport as well as a required part of the physical education program. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky)
Patrick Semansky/Associated Press

Brandun Lee made his toughest test yet as a pro boxer look easy Wednesday night, knocking out Samuel Teah in the third round of their junior welterweight title fight at the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Connecticut.

Lee (22-0, 20 KOs) knocked down Teah early in the third round with a chopping right hand after a flurry of punches. He then got the veteran trapped on the ropes, kept up the barrage of punches and finished the night early by rocking Teah's jaw with a textbook right hook.

Showtime Boxing has the highlight:

SHOWTIME Boxing @ShowtimeBoxing

"This kid can punch" @Brandun_Lee knocks out Samuel Teah in round 3 #LeeTeah #ShoBox https://t.co/OgVDnP2OOn

Compubox's Dan Canobbio felt the knockout was one of the best of the year so far:

Dan Canobbio @DanCanobbio

Brandun Lee just made a serious run at Oscar Valdez for knock out of the year. Wow.

Lee extended his knockout streak to 13 fights. The California native now holds the IBO intercontinental junior welterweight title, his first piece of hardware as a professional. The 21-year-old has spent most of his career fighting above 140 pounds, but he's now shown that he can maintain his power in a lower weight class.

Teah (17-4-1, 7 KOs), a tough veteran boxer out of Philadelphia, offered the young prospect some solid resistance in the first couple of rounds, standing his ground and trading in the center of the ring. Lee stayed calm and didn't get into any vulnerable positions. He used his jab to keep Teah from coming forward and followed up with accurate power shots.

Even when Teah landed some good body shots, Lee didn't waver. He maintained his focus and control, and it paid off in the third round when his heavy hands proved too much for the 33-year-old Teah to handle.

Boxing journalist Dan Rafael noted Lee was the first person ever to send Teah to the canvas:

Dan Rafael @DanRafael1

Those replays!!! Lee’s KO of Teah is KO of year material. Just sick. Teah had never been down in his career. Lee dropped him twice. #boxing #LeeTeah

After yet another quick night for Lee—he hasn't gone past four rounds in his professional career and has only gone to the judges twice—ESPN's Steve Kim pointed out there's still a big question for the rising star:

Steve Kim @SteveKim323

the real question for Brandun Lee is his punch resistance. If he can catch... we might really have something... #boxing

Lee will get a chance to show just how far he can take his obvious talents. Teah was his most accomplished opponent by far. The competition will only get stiffer from here on out now that he has a title. If Lee can sharpen his technique and keep his composure against tougher fighters, he has a bright future ahead of him.