By Ryan Burton Cruiserweight contender BJ Flores has been going back and forth all week with undefeated cruiserweight prospect Lateef Kayode and his team. Flores issued a challenge to the Nigerian on Sunday and later in the week Kayode and his manager Steven Feder fired back at the part time ESPN boxing analyst. Flores contacted *********** to clear the air on some of the comments made by Team Kayode. Feder had told *********** that Kayode didn't even know who Flores was. Flores said he laughed at those comments and told ***********, "Am I supposed to be offended because your Nigerian heavyweight who just arrived in the States and barely speaks English doesn't know who I am? He will find out very fast come fight night." Team Kayode was critical about Flores' lack of activity and also criticized Flores for not fighting some of the guys that Kayode has fought and defeated. Flores revealed that he was inactive due to issues with his promoter and that he has been avoided my many of the fighters on Kayode's resume. "I want to clear up what Steve said about me not wanting to fight for 15 months. It isn't that I didn't want to. I was in a contract with Square Ring and legally not allowed. After we didn't come to an agreement for a long term deal they simply put me on the shelf for the remainder of the contract." Flores took a shot at Kayode's manager when he said, "I understand you are kind of new to the business and may not understand how all that works. However in time Steve you will learn. And half the guys on the list who you named off, Iannuzzi , Escelera and Perry (who I beat three times in the amateurs) always refused to fight me. So what if your boy knocked out someone 4 years after they fought me?? What does that mean?? Make a real offer and send over a contract." Feder felt that when Flores called out Kayode that he was merely using Kayode's name to gain publicity for his career. Kayode fought 7 times last year while Flores was on the shelf waiting to become a promotional free agent. Flores said he called out Kayode simply because he wants to move up in the rankings. "Free PR ride from your kid? That must be a joke. I'm simply calling out a guy who is rated ahead of me who I see as no threat at all." Flores also took exception to the critical comments Feder made about Flores' wide decision loss to IBO champion This content is protected last November. Flores feels the wide scores weren't because the fight wasn't competitive but because he fought in Green's backyard. " This content is protected Danny knew he was in a fight and the geography played a big part in the wide scorecards. Danny even told me that after the fight. At least I was in a close fight with a world class fighter and This content is protected . If your (Kayode's) fight would have been in Florida (where Nick Iannuzzi is from) then you most definitely would have had your first loss and the scores wouldn't have been close. I don't think anyone would dispute that. The people know what they saw!" Flores finished our conversation by reiterating his interest in fighting Kayode. He also took a shot at Kayode for turning down a fight with WBO champion Marco Huck. "I am a gentleman. But this is business. Your boy has got something I want. Quit changing the subject and send over a contract. A real contract and we can get to the bottom of all this. I saw your article about turning down the fight with Huck and how Lateef will fight Huck after he has 20 fights and not now. I say if your not ready to fight the top guys than get out of the way for guys who are. When you are up there near the top you have a target on your back. If that is too much for you to handle I don't know what to tell you. We can analyzee every little opponent and say this or that but the bottom line is send over a contract! I said I want my belts back and issued a challenge to your fighter and you change the subject. This is very easy. Just send the contract with a real offer and you got yourself a fight. A real fight!"
****, I know some of these African names are hard to pronounce, but how the **** do you say "*************"?!?
id edit the post rooster, u will get into trouble. its to do with a website that hosts illegal streams and has the same name.
Danny is already a promoter he looks after a couple of guys,once he retires he will become more hands on. He was only saying last night that we have some young talented fighters coming through however its hard to find kids that are willing to sacrafice everything for their career especialy at a young age when their mates are out at parties drinking smoking and having a good time. Its not easy for young kids to give up a lot of their recreation time in order to dedicate themselves to be the best they can be in a harsh sport like boxing not to mention there is a lot of parents out there that wouldn't even allow their kids to get anywhere near a boxing ring which just reduces the pool of potential boxers even more.
Danny's certainly stating the obvious there. That's why poverty stricken countries have the best fighters. Our lifestyle and opportunties set us apart.
