Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas – In a battle for the vacant WBA interim-heavyweight title, Luis “King Kong” Ortiz (22-0, 19KOs) stopped previously undefeated Lateef “Power” Kayode (20-1, 16KOs) in the first round.
A left hook by Ortiz dropped Kayode in the first minute. Kayode became very defensive and then he was once again rocked by a hard left. This time Ortiz trapped him in the corner and unleashed an arsenal or power punches to force referee Robert Byrd to step in to wave things off. Kayode was out on his feet when the fight was waved off.
Ortiz now becomes the mandatory challenger to WBA heavyweight champion Ruslan Chagaev. Unified king Wladimir Klitschko is the WBA’s super champion at the weight.