(Photo courtesy of Showtime)
On this edition of No Holds Barred, host Eddie Goldman speaks previews the Lateef Kayode-Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright-Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin, and Vusi Malinga-Leo Santa Cruz fights scheduled for June 2, and reviews the dramatic fifth-round TKO by Carl Froch over previously-unbeaten Lucian Bute on May 26.
Lateef Kayode and Antonio Tarver headline a four-fight card to be held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, and shown in the U.S. on Showtime.
The 43-year-old veteran Antonio Tarver (29-6, 20 KOs) will face the 29-year-old unbeaten Lateef Kayode (18-0, 14 KOs), who was originally from Nigeria, in a 12-round cruiserweight fight, with major title implications. After losing his last two fights and taking a three-year layoff, the 40-year-old Winky Wright (51-5-1, 25 KOs) will return to action to fight the undefeated 28-year-old Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin (26-0, 20 KOs) in a middleweight bout. Also on that card, 32-year-old South African Vusi Malinga (20-3, 12 KOs) fights the 23-year-old unbeaten Leo Santa Cruz (19-0-1, 11 KOs) for the vacant IBF bantamweight title, and unbeaten WBA super welterweight champ Austin Trout (24-0, 14 KOs) takes on challenger Delvin Rodriguez (26-5-3, 14 KOs).
With the return of the veterans Tarver and Wright, the appearance by African fighters Kayode and Malinga, and the presence of unbeaten rising stars Quillin, Santa Cruz, and Trout, plus the always-exciting Rodriguez, this show has the makings of an historic night of boxing.
We have comments and discussion by Lateef Kayode, Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright, Peter "Kid Chocolate" Quillin, Vusi Malinga, and Leo Santa Cruz from their media conference calls held last week. There are many story lines here which will begin to be played out in the ring.
In addition, we open with a commentary on the instant classic between Carl Froch and Lucian Bute. Froch, fighting in his home town of Nottingham, England, but the underdog against the then-unbeaten IBF super middleweight champ Bute, completely dominated this action-packed fight, finishing with a fifth-round TKO in a fight of the year candidate.
