Howl Like a Coyote! Can Cruiserweight Lateef Kayote Beat Denis Lebedev in Russia?
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
Chekhov, Russia (September 24th, 2015)– On November 11, 2015, Lateef Kayode will travel to Basket-Hall Arena in Kazan to fight Denis Lebedev for the World Boxing Association World Cruiserweight title. For Kayode, 21-0 with 16 knockouts and two no-contests, Hollywood, California by way of Lagos, Nigeria, this will be the last chance to make good on a career filled with disappointments. The odds of Kayode defeating the champion Lebedev, 27-2 with 20 knockouts, Chekhov, Russia, are a longshot at best. Thus far Kayode has shown the ability to overcome the odds, but this will be his toughest test.
This will be the ninth world title bout for Lebedev, while Kayode has two strange outcome no-contests in both his IBO cruiserweight and WBA heavyweight world title bouts.
Kayode’s 2012 draw with Antonio Tarver in the IBO world title bout was reversed to a no-contest when the prefight urinalysis revealed Tarver had tested positive for the steroid Drostalonone (Maseron) which is a steroid usually used to fight breast cancer, but it is also used as an ancillary drug to combat estrogenic side effects caused by mass building or other steroids. Tarver stated the result was a false positive, and appealed the California State Athletic Commission ruling which changed the fight result, lost, and a suspension and fine against Tarver were sustained.
Kayode, over two years later, was stopped at 2:55 of the first round after being down against Luis Ortiz at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in September 2014, in an interim World Boxing Association World Heavyweight title bout at the higher weight. In January 2015, it was announced the bout outcome was changed to a no-contest as Ortiz had tested positive for the banned anabolic steroid Nandralone. At some point, one begins to consider the reality of whether Lateef Kayode’s opponents had an unfair advantage by using the steroids. It sure looked that way. Test results revealed they were ‘juiced’.
‘Cheating’ is a strong word to put across the table. This may have been in Kayode’s past two title bouts, but it is not the case with Lebedev. By virtue of a certain type of hard core experience fighting at the ‘A’ level, Denis Lebedev is just a tougher dude than Kayode.
Kayode is a clean fighter whose career was sidetracked due two opponents who did not play the game by the fair established rules of the commissions where the bouts were fought. Lebedev and Kayode are clean, and there bout should be a good fight while it lasts. In the end, Lebedev is too strong for Kayode, and should stop him or knock him out in the middle rounds. Guillermo Jones has knocked Lebedev out. Is it possible Kayode could do it too? You never know, but Lebedev has a higher caliber of opponent so he is clearly favored.
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