(“Your OTHER left jab…”)
Well, we can all stop holding our breath wondering when Kimbo Slice will get back to crushing cans.
Slice, AKA Kevin Ferguson is finally making his boxing debut and, under the watchful eye of former EliteXC vice president Jared Shaw, he will likely have a decent run of beating up overmatched opponents while restocking his breadbox with boxing dollars.
Here’s the lead-in from the hyped-up press release Shaw sent out today:
“Forget the kicking and wrestling, Kevin ‘Kimbo Slice’ Ferguson will soon be where he should have been all along… busting heads in a boxing ring.
On Saturday, August 13, legendary street brawler Kimbo Slice will make his long-awaited professional boxing debut in the four-round main event of a Gary Shaw Productions and Tony Holden Promotions boxing extravaganza at Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma.
Slice became the Internet’s first street-certified action hero by smashing down a series of opponents in brutal backyard fist fights. The announcement is good news for fight fans, as he will surely administer a much-needed shot of adrenaline into the American heavyweight scene.”
I’m not sure Kimbo will inject anything into the heavyweight boxing scene, but there will be those who watch if not simply for the freakshow factor the backyard brawler will bring.
His first bout under the Gary Shaw Productions banner will be on August 13 in Miami, Oklahoma against a yet-to-be-named victim.
Here’s what the promoter formerly known as $kala, whose new title according to today’s release is “Team Kimbo Promotional Advisor,” had to say about Kimbo’s future in the boxing ring:
“Kimbo was always meant to be in the ring. He’s one of the hardest punchers in the world and on August 13, his journey to becoming America’s heavyweight begins. The first stop will be Oklahoma in what will become the Kimbo Slice Express.”
Slice’s longtime manager “Icey” Mike Imber, said that in spite of Gary Shaw’s earlier assertions that his charge isn’t putting in the effort necessary to succeed in the sport, Kimbo has been training hard for his debut with boxing coach Randy Khatami and that he has also spent some time in top-rated contender Alfredo Angulo’s camp working with his trainer Clemente Medina.
“He’s completely focused on his boxing career and excited to showcase his talents inside the squared circle. Kimbo Slice is hungry and when that man wants his bread, he’s scary. Even in his losses, ‘Kimbo’ brought a level of excitement that few fighters can generate,” Shaw said. “He is a genuine personality with unbelievable strength and character, and we’re excited about his prospects in boxing.The minute he steps in the ring, he’ll be one of the most recognizable and talked-about fighters in the sport, and his fans around the world will once again feel the excitement.”
If only his performance inside the ring or cage was as impressive as the buzz surrounding Slice, he may have some longevity in combat sports.