{"id":18683,"date":"2012-04-24T16:31:15","date_gmt":"2012-04-24T21:31:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=18683"},"modified":"2012-04-24T16:31:15","modified_gmt":"2012-04-24T21:31:15","slug":"antonio-tarver-ready-for-boxing-war-with-lateef-kayode-boxing-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/?p=18683","title":{"rendered":"Antonio Tarver: READY FOR BOXING WAR WITH LATEEF KAYODE \u2013 Boxing News"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a>Monday, April 23, from JW Marriott L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, Calif.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a whole new ballgame \u2013 welcome to the big time, brother\u201d \u2013 Antonio Tarver<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cHe has the name, but he doesn\u2019t have any heart.\u201d \u2013 Lateef Kayode<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

A mix of boxing legends, undefeated contenders and a current world champion converged in Los Angeles for a wild, emotional and often heated press conference on Monday to formally announce the upcoming Saturday, June 2 Quadrupleheader live on SHOWTIME\u00ae from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. <\/p>\n

Former light heavyweight kingpin and current SHOWTIME ringside boxing analyst Antonio \u201cMagic Man\u201d Tarver (29-6, 20 KO\u2019s), of Tampa, Fla., will headline as he continues his campaign in the cruiserweight division by taking on unbeaten power puncher Lateef \u201cPower\u201d Kayode (18-0, 14 KO\u2019s), of Hollywood, Calif., by way of Lagos, Nigeria.<\/p>\n

In the co-main event, Ronald \u201cWinky\u201d Wright (51-5-1, 25 KO\u2019s), of St. Petersburg, Fla., makes his return to the ring against undefeated rising star, Peter \u201cKid Chocolate\u201d Quillin (26-0, 20 KO\u2019s), of Brooklyn, N.Y.<\/p>\n

The telecast, which features four undefeated fighters, over 200 combined victories and 102 knockouts, will open with two world title bouts including WBA Super Welterweight World Champion Austin \u201cNo Doubt\u201d Trout (24-0,14 KO\u2019s), of Las Cruces, N.M., defending against crowd-pleasing Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KO\u2019s), of Danbury, Conn., by way of Santiago, D.R. In the opening world title match, Vusi \u201cMarvelous\u201d Malinga (20-3, 12 KO\u2019s), of Johannesburg, South Africa, will face undefeated Leo \u201cTerremoto\u201d Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KO\u2019s), of Lincoln Heights, Calif., for the vacant IBF bantamweight world championship.<\/p>\n

The event is presented by A.T. Entertainment, Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Corona and AT&T with Trout vs. Rodriguez being presented in association with Greg Cohen Promotions and Joe DeGuardia\u2019s Star Boxing and Malinga vs. Santa Cruz being presented in association with Branco Sports Productions.<\/p>\n

The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will air live at 9 p.m. ET\/PT (delayed on the West Coast) on SHOWTIME \u00ae with preliminary bouts airing live on SHOWTIME EXTREME\u00ae beginning at 8 p.m. ET\/PT.<\/p>\n

Tickets for the June 2 event are on sale now for as low as $25, with VIP floor seats priced at $200. Other tickets in the 8,000-seat outdoor stadium at The Home Depot Center are available at $50 and $100. Fans can purchase tickets at AXS.com or by phone at 888-9-AXS-TIX (888-929-7849), as well as The Home Depot Center Box Office (open Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. PT). VIP Suites are available for purchase by calling 1-877-604-8777. For more information on group discounts or VIP packages, please call 1-877-234-8425.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what the participants had to say on Monday:<\/p>\n

Antonio Tarver:<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u201cYou have to admire these young guys for their enthusiasm and their will. Eight or nine years ago that was me, trying to fight a legend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI feel I still have so much to give to the game of boxing. I have to take this fight seriously and you better believe I\u2019ll be ready for June 2.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese young guys are trying to take our spots and this is what makes boxing special.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you try to constructively critique someone (Tarver has served as color commentator for Kayode fights), you hope they go back to the gym and get better. I wasn\u2019t on his bandwagon. I saw loopholes in his game and it was my job to tell him that. He didn\u2019t want to take heed to that and now I need to show him.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m telling Lateef that his dream is going to come crumbling down.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m standing here today to tell Lateef Kayode and everybody he\u2019s got coming to support him on June 2 that his dreams are going to come tumbling down. It\u2019s a big difference when you are in that ring by yourself and facing the heat and fire I\u2019m going to bring, and all (Kayode trainer) Freddie Roach can do is give you water. It\u2019s a whole new ballgame \u2013 welcome to the big time, brother.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ve never been worried about power because power is nothing if you can\u2019t land that punch.
\n\u201cThere are two types of fighters, some you can make quit and some you have to knock out and I don\u2019t think there is any quit in Lateef Kayode, which means I\u2019m going to have to knock him out to come away with the victory.\u201d
\n\u201cLateef Kayode is in a good position for a young fighter who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. They think that\u2019s a dangerous fighter, but I see it different. A fighter who has everything to lose is more dangerous than a fighter who has everything to gain, because I know what will happen to me if I lose. Lateef Kayode will be facing a very, very dangerous fighter. I\u2019m bringing a lot heat with me in the ring on June 2.\u201d
\nLateef Kayode<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u201cI will knock you out. I will beat the crap out of you.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to be a world champion and I want to fight world champions. I want to prove to all of you that I am better than him, that I am stronger than him.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen Tarver commented on me on SHOWTIME, he never said anything good. I never disrespected him and I said, \u201cChamp, what have I done to you?\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to prove myself and prove that I am ready for this man, that I am ready for the best.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has the name, but he doesn\u2019t have the heart. He doesn\u2019t have the power. The way he fights, I can get this guy.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe doesn\u2019t have crap. Tarver is done. I never disrespected anyone in my life, but on June 2, this guy is done.\u201d<\/p>\n

Winky Wright<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u201cI\u2019m not coming back for the money. I\u2019ve got money, and I\u2019ve got friends who have money, so it\u2019s good there. The reason I\u2019m coming back is to make a statement.<\/p>\n

\u201cI could have fought a tune-up, but boxing is about accomplishments and to me that means winning another world championship.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy last fight was a bad one for me. I probably should have taken a fight before it, but I was never retired. I could have come back a year-and-a-half ago, but the kind of deal and opportunity we were looking for just wasn\u2019t there. It is now.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis guy (Quillin) is hungry and he wants to win a championship. I love his enthusiasm, so I\u2019m looking forward to fighting him. If he thinks I\u2019m making a mistake fighting him after being off, if he thinks I\u2019m not what I used to be, now\u2019s his chance to show it.<\/p>\n

\u201cLet\u2019s do it. I\u2019m ready for a fight.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Peter \u201cKid Chocolate\u201d Quillin<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u201cI want to thank Golden Boy, SHOWTIME, Tarver, the powerful team I have behind me and everyone involved in making this event happen for giving me the platform to show what I have.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m just getting started. I\u2019m still climbing the ladder, so there\u2019s no way I overlook any opponent, especially a fighter that is going to wind up in the Hall of Fame.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to win this fight. I\u2019m in fighting shape. I\u2019m fired up. I\u2019m ready right now to take advantage of this great opportunity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t fight for my family. I don\u2019t fight for my friends. Kid Chocolate fights for himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you\u2019ve never been to the planet, Pluto, I\u2019m going to take you there. Pluto is where all the stars are, so if you want to go to Pluto, come out and support me.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Austin Trout<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u201cIt\u2019s an honor for me to be part of an event like this with so many great fighters, and I thank everybody for making me a part of it and for SHOWTIME for accepting me.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m super excited and I know my fight with Delvin (Rodriguez) will be great. Trust me, Delvin comes to fight, so this is going to be a good, hard fight for a while, but I\u2019m working in the gym on making it easier.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know I\u2019m not a household name in boxing. That\u2019s why I\u2019m so appreciative of this opportunity and looking forward to taking full advantage of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m looking to fight any of the other titleholders or the biggest names out there.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Leo Santa Cruz
\n\u201cI\u2019m from Lincoln Heights (Calif.), so for me to be fighting in my own backyard in my very first world title fight is beyond my wildest dreams. I\u2019ve been waiting for something like this, and now my opportunity of a lifetime is here.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are so many great, great fighters on this card. I\u2019m excited and very happy to be on it. This is going to be a great show.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know (Vusi) Malinga is an aggressive fighter who\u2019s waited a long time to fight for the IBF title, but I\u2019ve waited my whole life. I can\u2019t wait for June 2 to show what I can do on the biggest stage at The Home Depot on SHOWTIME.\u2019\u2019<\/p>\n

Richard Schaefer, Golden Boy Promotions CEO<\/strong><\/em>
\n\u201cIt\u2019s a privilege to bring a great event like this to Los Angeles. We have four undefeated fighters on the card and they\u2019re not just fighting anybody, they\u2019re fighting legends, guys who know how to win.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is an amazing card. Those legends are telling these guys to be forewarned because your \u201c0s\u201d are going to go. We have eight fighters with a combined record of 213 wins and 19 losses and each one wants to win on June 2.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is big-time boxing back in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

\u201cWinky is one of the most decorated fighters of our generation. He could have come back with a soft touch, but that\u2019s not what Winky does. He comes in against one of the most feared fighters in the division.<\/p>\n

\u201cKid Chocolate didn\u2019t hesitate a second to take the fight. He wants to face the best, but Winky is here to turn back the clock. He\u2019s coming back to show you what he\u2019s all about.<\/p>\n

\u201cKayode is a young, undefeated guy with tremendous knockout power. Tarver could have gone with an easier fight, but he wanted to fight the best.\u201d<\/p>\n

Stephen Espinoza, Executive Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports \u00ae
\n\u201cWe are very proud to bring this unique night of boxing to SHOWTIME \u2013 eight world-class fighters, four fights, two world title fights. We\u2019ve only had one quadrupleheader that wasn\u2019t a pay per view in SHOWTIME history.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have legends, rising stars, youth vs. experience and world title fights. There are no easy fights on this card.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to have at least one fight on SHOWTIME EXTREME so we\u2019re going to have at least a quintupleheader.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s really a tribute to the six promoters on this card to put together what will be an amazing night of boxing.\u201d<\/p>\n

For information on SHOWTIME Sports, including exclusive behind-the-scenes video and photo galleries, complete telecast information and more, visit the website at http:\/\/sports.SHO.com.<\/p>\n

About Showtime Networks Inc.:<\/strong><\/em>
\nShowtime Networks Inc. (SNI), a wholly-owned subsidiary of CBS Corporation, owns and operates the premium television networks SHOWTIME\u00ae, THE MOVIE CHANNEL\u2122 and FLIX\u00ae, as well as the multiplex channels SHOWTIME 2\u2122, SHOWTIME\u00ae SHOWCASE, SHOWTIME EXTREME\u00ae, SHOWTIME BEYOND\u00ae, SHOWTIME NEXT\u00ae, SHOWTIME WOMEN\u00ae, SHOWTIME FAMILY ZONE\u00ae and THE MOVIE CHANNEL\u2122 XTRA. SNI also offers SHOWTIME HD\u2122, THE MOVIE CHANNEL\u2122 HD, SHOWTIME ON DEMAND\u00ae and THE MOVIE CHANNEL\u2122 ON DEMAND, and the network’s authentication service SHOWTIME ANYTIME\u00ae. SNI also manages Smithsonian Networks, a joint venture between SNI and the Smithsonian Institution, which offers Smithsonian Channel\u2122. All SNI feeds provide enhanced sound using Dolby Digital 5.1. SNI markets and distributes sports and entertainment events for exhibition to subscribers on a pay-per-view basis through SHOWTIME PPV\u00ae.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>\"\"<\/a>\"\" <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Monday, April 23, from JW Marriott L.A. LIVE in Los Angeles, Calif. \u201cIt\u2019s a whole new ballgame \u2013 welcome to the big time, brother\u201d \u2013 Antonio Tarver \u201cHe has the name, but he doesn\u2019t have any heart.\u201d \u2013 Lateef Kayode A mix of boxing legends, undefeated contenders and a current world champion converged in Los […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[1921,105,659],"class_list":["post-18683","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-boxing-news","tag-antonio-tarver","tag-boxing","tag-showtime"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18683","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=18683"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18683\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=18683"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=18683"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ringsidereport.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=18683"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}