By Cliff Rold
The power of Lateef Kayode (15-0, 14 KO) continues to be too much for opponents in the Cruiserweight division. The 27-year old Nigerian, now fighting out of Hollywood, California, stopped the game but outgunned 34-year old Ed Perry (18-5, 11 KO) of Lafayette, Indiana in six rounds on Friday night at the Chumash Casino, Santa Ynez, California.
Both men came in just under the Cruiserweight limit of 200 lbs., Kayode at 199 ¼ and Perry at 198 ¾. The referee was Jack Reiss.
Kayode, his guard held high and tight, began the fight circling to his left as Perry pushed forward. Perry used his left jab to open an attempted left hook and right jab but Kayode parried both blows. Kayode slowly warmed to the use of his own jab, deliberately sticking his left towards the chin and chest of Perry.
Kayode landed a combination to the ribs early in round two, Perry nodding an acknowledgement that he’d felt the blows. While Kayode remained the busier man, Perry showed patience in blocking and slipping, lulling Kayode into a left hook just before the ten second mark.
Both men landed heavily in the third, Kayode again keeping the volume up to maintain his edge but Perry getting closer with the left hook. In the fourth, Perry again connected with a big left. Kayode responding with flush right hands, the blows multiplying as the round went on. In the final minute of the fourth, the accumulation of rights forced Perry to his knees near the ropes. Perry looked for the most part to be catching his breath and, rising midway through the count, Perry was waved on to continue after Reiss concluded the mandatory eight.
Perry didn’t shrink from the battle to start the fifth, a left hook working around the Kayode guard and brining a shake of the head from the Nigerian. Kayode used echoing body blows to bring down the guard of Perry, punching in combination to the face when openings allowed. His jab a piston, Kayode landed two lacing rights to in the final minute, spurring a hooking response from Perry to the delight of the fans.
It didn’t take long into round six for Perry’s game effort to be put to an end. A right to the head moved Perry towards the ropes. Looking for another head shot, Perry left himself vulnerable to a smashing, fast left hook to the belly underneath before the right hand crashed over the top to his face. Perry dropped to a knee again, this time not rising as Reiss tolled the count of ten at :51 seconds of round six.
Kayode will hope to build on top ten ratings in three of the four most recognized sanctioning bodies in boxing. Kayode is rated #6 by the WBC, #11 by the WBA, and #8 by the WBO.
In the chief support bout, 28-year old 2004 Cuban Olympian and, later, defector Luis Franco (8-0, 5 KO), 125 ½, of Miami, Florida, kept his undefeated mark with accurate hooks and a steel cup. Well ahead on points, Franco endured a series of low blows throughout the night before 24-year old Eric Hunter (15-2, 8 KO), 125 ½, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was ultimately disqualified in round eight.
The referee was John Schorle.
The card was televised in the U.S. on premium cable outlet Showtime, as part of its “ShoBox” series, promoted by Gary Show Productions.
Cliff Rold is a member of the Ring Magazine Ratings Advisory Panel and the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be reached at roldboxing@hotmail.com
