LOS ANGELES (April 23, 2012) – 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® from The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.
Former light heavyweight kingpin and current SHOWTIME ringside boxing analyst Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver (29-6, 20 KO’s), of Tampa, Fla., will headline as he continues his campaign in the cruiserweight division by taking on unbeaten power puncher Lateef “Power” Kayode (18-0, 14 KO’s), of Hollywood, Calif., by way of Lagos, Nigeria.
In the co-main event, Ronald “Winky” Wright (51-5-1, 25 KO’s), of St. Petersburg, Fla., makes his return to the ring against undefeated rising star, Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin (26-0, 20 KO’s), of Brooklyn, N.Y.
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’s Star Boxing and Malinga vs. Santa Cruz being presented in association with Branco Sports Productions.
The SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast will air live at 9 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) on SHOWTIME ® with preliminary bouts airing live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT.
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.
Here’s what the participants had to say on Monday:
Antonio Tarver:
“You 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.
“I 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’ll be ready for June 2.
“These young guys are trying to take our spots and this is what makes boxing special.
“When 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’t on his bandwagon. I saw loopholes in his game and it was my job to tell him that. He didn’t want to take heed to that and now I need to show him.
“I’m telling Lateef that his dream is going to come crumbling down.
“I’m standing here today to tell Lateef Kayode and everybody he’s got coming to support him on June 2 that his dreams are going to come tumbling down. It’s a big difference when you are in that ring by yourself and facing the heat and fire I’m going to bring, and all (Kayode trainer) Freddie Roach can do is give you water. It’s a whole new ballgame – welcome to the big time, brother.”
“I’ve never been worried about power because power is nothing if you can’t land that punch.
“There are two types of fighters, some you can make quit and some you have to knock out and I don’t think there is any quit in Lateef Kayode, which means I’m going to have to knock him out to come away with the victory.”
“Lateef Kayode is in a good position for a young fighter who has nothing to lose and everything to gain. They think that’s 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’m bringing a lot heat with me in the ring on June 2.”
“I changed things up starting with my last fight against Danny Green. I ran when I needed to run and I got into condition. I didn’t overdo it and over-train like I normally had to do in order to make weight. I had to kill myself to get down in the past and we’re not doing that now. We’re taking our time, working in the gym and working on strength and conditioning and we’re being consistent.
“If we miss a day to get some rest, that’s OK and it’s not the end of the world. As long as I’m eating good, living right and getting my rest, that’s the main thing. We’re not going to beat ourselves up in sparring. If I get fatigued to the point where I’m not as sharp anymore, they’ll pull me out. I’m doing things like the veteran that I am and we’re doing it real smart.
“I’m working in Tampa with my longtime trainer Jimmy Williams and Buddy McGirt comes down three or four days a week. He’ll also be down the week before we leave for the fight and he knows what we’ve got to work on. Jimmy and Buddy work together great and I think I’ve got the best of both worlds with these guys. Jimmy is a great guy in preparation and I think Buddy is the best trainer in the game between rounds as far as giving the proper instructions and making sure he has his fighter’s attention and focus.”
Lateef Kayode
“I’ve had a great camp at The Wild Card. I have a great team. We started early, so I’ve been working for a long time. It will be three months by fight time. I’m in the best condition ever. My body can take anything he throws at me. If he wants to trade, I will trade and if he wants to box, I will box. I can go 12 rounds without a problem, but there is no way he will be able to withstand the kind of punishment I will give him unless he plans on running away all night. Either way I am knocking this man out.
“If it goes the distance, they might try to rob me, so I am going to put Tarver to sleep before the 12th round. That way I am the judge and the jury.”
Lateef Kayode
“I will knock you out. I will beat the crap out of you.
“I 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.
“When Tarver commented on me on SHOWTIME, he never said anything good. I never disrespected him and I said, “Champ, what have I done to you?’
“I’m going to prove myself and prove that I am ready for this man, that I am ready for the best.
“He has the name, but he doesn’t have the heart. He doesn’t have the power. The way he fights, I can get this guy.
“He doesn’t have crap. Tarver is done. I never disrespected anyone in my life, but on June 2, this guy is done.”
Winky Wright
“I’m not coming back for the money. I’ve got money, and I’ve got friends who have money, so it’s good there. The reason I’m coming back is to make a statement.
“I could have fought a tune-up, but boxing is about accomplishments and to me that means winning another world championship.
“My 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’t there. It is now.
“This guy (Quillin) is hungry and he wants to win a championship. I love his enthusiasm, so I’m looking forward to fighting him. If he thinks I’m making a mistake fighting him after being off, if he thinks I’m not what I used to be, now’s his chance to show it.
“Let’s do it. I’m ready for a fight.”
Peter “Kid Chocolate” Quillin
“I 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.
“I’m just getting started. I’m still climbing the ladder, so there’s no way I overlook any opponent, especially a fighter that is going to wind up in the Hall of Fame.
“I’m going to win this fight. I’m in fighting shape. I’m fired up. I’m ready right now to take advantage of this great opportunity.
“I don’t fight for my family. I don’t fight for my friends. Kid Chocolate fights for himself.
“If you’ve never been to the planet, Pluto, I’m 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.”
Austin Trout
“It’s 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.
“I know I’m not a household name in boxing. That’s why I’m so appreciative of this opportunity and looking forward to taking full advantage of it.
“I’m looking to fight any of the other titleholders or the biggest names out there.”
Leo Santa Cruz
“I’m 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’ve been waiting for something like this, and now my opportunity of a lifetime is here.
“There are so many great, great fighters on this card. I’m excited and very happy to be on it. This is going to be a great show.
“I know (Vusi) Malinga is an aggressive fighter who’s waited a long time to fight for the IBF title, but I’ve waited my whole life. I can’t wait for June 2 to show what I can do on the biggest stage at The Home Depot on SHOWTIME.”
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
