Photo Credit: Gene Blevins/Hoganphotos/Golden Boy Promotions
Luis Ortiz captured the interim WBA heavyweight title by effortlessly knocking down Lateef Kayode and eventually scoring a TKO stoppage in round one.
Ortiz took full advantage of Kayode’s tendency to lunge forward with power shots by firing home counter left crosses. It would be that punch that scored Ortiz the bout’s only knockdown. In the closing seconds, Ortiz trapped Kayode on the ropes and unleashed a barrage of more than 10 unanswered blows while Kayode covered up. Kayode did not return fire until referee Robert Byrd had already called off the bout.
Ortiz improves to 22-0 with 19 KOs while Kayode falls to 20-1 (16 KOs), suffering his first defeat. Winning the interim title puts Ortiz as the #2 ranked challenger for the WBA straps held by Wladimir Klitschko (Super Champion) and Ruslan Chagaev (World Champion).
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Surprise, surprise — Kayode faces his first credible opponent at heavyweight and gets blown out the water. Kayode’s “Power” nickname was a bit of an exaggeration even in his cruiserweight days considering he’s never KO’d a Top 20 guy. At heavyweight, he looked every much the part of the smaller man. While athletic, Kayode does not possess the boxing acumen to outsmart a stronger and bigger foe. Kayode tried his bullying cruiserweight tactics and got humiliated.
Kayode also tried to protest the stoppage and looked ready to go on another rant if he got any interview time. Fox Sports wasn’t having that, and this performance likely means the next time we’ll see Kayode will be on a routine Friday Night Fights card in early 2015.
Beats, Boxing and Mayhem 