Tarver vs Kayode: Pre-Fight Feud Yields Unique Storyline for Showtime Main Event

At 43 years old, Antonio Tarver is 14 years older than Lateef Kayode, but don't look at this age as a disadvantage. 

If anything, the experience the elder Tarver has gained in his 36-fight career that began professionally in 1997 will be a distinct advantage during tonight's main event against the younger Kayode on Showtime.

This fight has a unique storyline in that Tarver, who's crossed over to the commentary table, has openly criticized Kayode during the matches he's called on ShoBox and his comments got under the skin of the 29-year-old Nigerian fighter. 

Dan Rafael of ESPN.com wrote a column about the feud that's given the bout intriguing hype. He gathered a few interesting quotes from each fighter

Said Tarver:

"

I'm not paid to stroke anybody or sit behind that desk and promote or market a fighter," Tarver said. "I've got to see it with my own eyes and tell it how I see it. The way I see it may not be the way your average viewer sees it, but I come from years of experience as one of the most decorated amateurs of our time and I've been a very successful professional fighter, so I think I know the game of boxing back and forth.

He wouldn't listen to my advice when I gave it to him [as a commentator] on 'ShoBox,' and now he's going to go back to school. I'll teach him a few things on Saturday.

"

Clearly offended, Kayode, who's trained by the legendary Freddie Roach, responded with the following:

"

I have something to prove to everyone and to Antonio Tarver. I'm going to show that he's never fought anyone like me. I'm going to prove that all the things he said about me were wrong. First of all, he said all my punches were sloppy, and second of all, he said I'm not fighting with any spirit. Every time I fight on 'ShoBox,' he says the same thing. 

"

The back-and-forth chirping should draw in more viewers for a fight that, otherwise, doesn't have anywhere near the level of appeal one would expect for a main event. 

Kayode has only been fighting professionally for four years, and while he's undefeated at 18-0, he hasn't been overly impressive in the majority of his wins that have come against mediocre-at-best competition. 

He's the underdog because he's facing an older, but vastly experienced and relatively accomplished fighter. 

Tarver's the smarter and more accurate puncher, and should emerge victorious, thus backing up his comments that got people talking about this fight in the first place. 

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