A few intriguing question that remain to be answered Friday night on ShoBox: The New Generation LIVE on SHOWTIME® (11:05 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast) from the Chumash Casino Resort.
- Will Hollywood’s Lateef “Power” Kayode (14-0, 13 KOs) increase his knockout streak to 14 in a row when he faces Ed “The Georgia Thumper” Perry (17-4-2, 1 NSF) of Frankfort, Ind., in a 10-round cruiserweight main event?
- Will former Cuban Olympian Luis “La Estrella” Franco keep his unbeaten streak (7-0, 5-0) alive and continue to move up the ranks against a tough Philadelphia fighter Eric “Outlaw” Hunter (15-1, 8 KOs) in a 10-round featherweight bout?
- Will both Perry and Hunter be able to take advantage of a great opportunity and play the role of the spoiler on national TV and shock their higher profiled opponents?
All four fighters weighed in on Thursday with Kayode coming in at 199 ¼, Perry at 198 ¾, and both Franco and Hunter tipping the scales at 125 ½ pounds.
Weigh-in Photos
Quotes:
LATEEF KAYODE:
“We are not in any rush. It’s one fight at a time.
“We haven’t seen anything on Ed Perry. There are no tapes and nothing on YouTube. He’s a Midwest fighter who we have to get past.
“The knockout does not have to come. That’s what the marketing machines want to see. It’s not all that I’m about. I want to show that I can box too.”
ED PERRY:
“I’m slick. I’m like a snake. I’m a boxer-puncher who just keeps coming at you.
“The name of this game is war tomorrow night. I will come in there and show him what I’m all about. I have more experience than he has and I’ve never been knocked down. I’ve been in the fight game since 1997. So let’s see him bring all the power he can.
“If he wants to just go for the knockout that plays to my advantage. I’m the sleeper here because I have no name. It’s my big opportunity to shine and shock the world. You may only get a call like this once in your life. And when you do, you better be ready for it.
“What’s my game plan? My game plan is to give him a boxing lesson.”
LUIS FRANCO:
“I know I could have done better the last time (a decision win on ShoBox in September). I was fighting someone who resorted to dirty tactics. We did what we had to do to get the W.
“We will take on whoever they put in front of us. We are not discriminating against anyone.
“We’ve only known about this opponent for 10 days. Does that matter? We train and prepare for all types of fighters. (Hunter) is a righty and quicker than the guy we were supposed to fight. It doesn’t matter. We’ll be ready on Friday night.”
ERIC HUNTER:
“I don’t think about where (Franco’s) come from or what he’s done. I have my game plan and he has his.
“I will work off what I see. Whatever he brings is fine with me. I’m ready to do this. I’m never been more ready for anything than I am for this fight.
“I just hope it’s going to be great. I want it to be the best night of my life. I can’t wait to see what happens. But I do want it to just be a great night.”
