ShoBox Results
Tonight on ShoBox, a crossroads cruiserweight battle takes place, as rising Lateef Kayode takes on recent title challenger and contender Matt Godfrey. Frankly, Godfrey looked awful in a recent unenthusiastic title try against Marco Huck. At the same time, Kayode showed some liabilities in a recent outing that the well-schooled Godfrey might be looking to exploit.
Kayode-Godfrey Results
An untidy first round concluded with Godfrey getting caught at the end of a right hand by Kayode, going down for a flash knockdown. Both let their hands go more in the first. Godfrey was showing flashes of his long and successful amateur background, while the stronger, but less-refined Kayode pursued with the heavier hands. Not a bad recovery round for Godfrey.
A big right to the body staggered Godfrey in the 3rd, who despite being mobile, was unable to land anything of consequence to deter the Nigerian-born aggressor. Kayode’s best weapon was a rat-a-tat bludgeon right he would slam onto Godfrey’s ear in clinches. Not elegant, but no one ever said Kayode was that classy.
In the 4th, Kayode looked to be doing some really good bodywork and controlling the round. Godfrey then had his best moment of the fight, landing a left that had Kayode staggering a little bit. Godfrey couldn’t capitalize, but it gives him hope. A side note: Kayode is throwing and landing an alarming number of rabbit punches without any warning from the referee.
A big right floored Godfrey in the 5th, giving momentum squarely back to Kayode, who hammered at the body passionately, before pelting Godfrey with head shots to finish the round. The 6th was relatively tamer, with Kayode doing the more effective work.
Kayode opened the 7th with a fury, but “Too Sweet” was able to weather the storm. And one day he’s going to find a ref who is not having it with the shots behind the head, which Kayode is being able to land throughout the fight with impunity. Godfrey’s cornerman should be going berzerk.
In the 8th, while in a clinch, Godfrey and Kayode were face-to-face and Godfrey spit at Kayode! Truly appaling. Another knockdown of Godfrey was scored in the 9th by clueless referee Dan Stell. More taunting ensued in the 9th, with Godfrey gesturing toward his loins. Good to see he has energy for that kind of business, when he should be trying to, I don’t know, land that chopping shot that had Kayode on noodle-legs before, maybe?
Kayode applied more pressure in the 10th. Godfrey continued to slip shots and be difficult to hit cleanly, but that’s about it. At the end of 10 rounds, it is clear Kayode is the winner. It was a weird fight. An onlooker can’t be sure if it was a good fight in terms of entertainment or an impressive performance for Kayode. It was just a weird fight. Scores were 98-90, 97-90, and 98-89 for Kayode, who is now 17-0 (14 KOs). Godfrey, whose options now look slim, falls to 20-3-1.
Undercard
Hovhannisyan Stops Marquez
In an scheduled 8-round lightweight bout, Armenian Art Hovhannisyan, dropped New Mexico’s Marquez in the first. Both came in undefeated, but Hovhannisyan appeared the far stronger fighter. Marquez was getting tattooed in the 2nd, before returning fire in spirited (and perhaps desperate) fashion.
There was a bit of man vs. boy dynamic as Hovhannisyan, 29, manhandled Marquez, 23, at times. Archie Ray was plucky, but the pain was being inflicted by Hovhannisyan (a name that will never be easy to deal with). A 3rd-round knockdown was fluky, but nonetheless put Marquez far behind on the cards.
Marquez had a much better 4th, winning the round and reversing what seemed like a runaway tide with nice combinations. He was having a good 5th until a sneaky right put Marquez down again. He shook it off and the Armenian looks gassed at round’s end.
A huge left put poor Marquez down hard in the 6th. No count was necessary, as Hovhannisyan goes to 14-0-1 (10 KOs). He has liabilities, but the guy can hit–that’s for sure.
Avalos Decisions Suleymanov
Chris Avalos, 120, looking to rebound from his last ShoBox appearance (a loss to Christopher Martin) got off to a great start against Russian Khabir Suleymanov. Avalos dropped Suleymanov with a punch off the break that the Russian vociferously protested.
The highly awkward Suleymanov got his legs under him, as Avalos struggled to time the herky-jerky Russian. At the same time, the more classical Avalos is wary of Suleymanov’s menacing-looking right. The Russian has some nice hands when he opens up.
In a wild 3rd, after the Russian was doing well potshotting Avalos, Avalos knocked him down. Suleymanov rose quickly and went after Avalos. Referee Lou Moret took forever to get between them and issue a count, yet penalized Avalos for hitting him! Strange. A 9-8 round for Avalos.
After a close 4th, Avalos opened up on an unsteady-looking Suleymanov in the 5th. Still, the Russian was finding enough single-shot success to keep himself in the fight. Action got a bit rough in the 6th. Lou Moret is not having his finest night. Avalos is doing well against such a tough and unconventional fireplug like Suleymanov.
Avalos controlled the 7th and started the 8th with some crisp shots that brought more blood from Suleymanov’s nose.The rapidly tiring Suleymanov heaved himself into Avalos, who is staying admirably controlled for a 21-year old against a tough night’s work in Suleymanov. The 9th was another good one for Avalos.
In the 10th, Suleymanov gave it a good shot, but Avalos continued to show a good set of whiskers in absorbing everything his foe threw at him. Scores were 95-92, 97-90, and 96-91 in a good win for Avalos who now looks ahead to bigger things. For a 21-year old, he has a bright future ahead of him.
