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Kayode Finishing Up "Best
Training Camp Ever"
According to manager Steve Feder, cruiserweight powerhouse
Lateef "Power" Kayode (16-0, 14 KOs) is finishing up his
best training camp ever in preparation for his nationally
televised battle with Rhode Island contender Matt "Too
Smooth" Godfrey (20-2, 14 KOs).
Kayode and Godfrey will meet on June 10 in the 10-round main
event at Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, California,
and live on Showtime's popular series ShoBox: The New
Generation at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).
"This training camp was our best to date," said Feder. "In
addition to our six days a week at Wild Card Boxing, we were
able to work with Heavyweight Chris Arreola for two weeks in
Riverside. He taught us a lot about dealing with and
applying pressure. We also worked again with strength and
conditioning coach Mike Vale and we added Juan Ruiz Bernabe
to work specifically on short bursts and balance for speed
work."
Feder says trainer Freddie Roach has made some adjustments
in Kayode's style that will make Godfrey easy pickings for
the 27-year-old from Lagos, Nigeria... a perfect return from
what some thought was a disappointing performance in his
last fight.
"The last fight was good for us because Lateef now knows
that from here on, he will have to hunt his opponents down
to get them to trade. 14 fighters who traded with Lateef
ended up on the canvas. We see this fight as perfect for us
coming off the Nick Iannuzzi fight. Iannuzzi came with a
game plan to punch and run and go the distance without
taking any chances of going toe-to-toe and we expect Godfrey
to rely on a similar tactic. Lateef has to get used to
this."
Team Kayode also doesn't hesitate to admit the big picture,
as they see it.
"Since turning pro in August of 2008, it's been a journey
with one goal in mind. Lateef wants to be the world
champion. End of story. Then, once he's obtained that
coveted title, at some point we will turn heavyweight and do
it all over again. He ultimately wants to be heavyweight
champion. After his cruiser campaign is totally satisfied,
we'll take the natural steps."
It wouldn't have been considered strange if Kayode had taken
a few easier fights to get his KO MOJO back, but Feder says
that wasn't even a consideration.
"We had a slew of opponents we could have taken on as
tune-ups before picking back up, but we saw nothing that
dictated us to take a step back. We discussed the plan with
our matchmaker John Beninati and promoter, Gary Shaw and we
all decided that we have the best cruiserweight prospect in
the world and taking on anyone less than a Matt Godfrey
would be a step back."
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