Kimbo to try his hand at Pro-Boxing now.

[Buffalo Dave]

Source MMAJunkie:

Former UFC fighter and "The Ultimate Fighter 10" cast member Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson reportedly is leaving MMA for professional boxing.

The fighter was a backyard and bare-knuckle brawler whose fight videos earned him a big underground following.

Gary Shaw, the boxing promoter who eventually inked Ferguson to the now-defunct EliteXC MMA promotion, told ESPNNewYork.com that he now has a boxing deal in place with the fight and that "Kimbo" could debut by year's end.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) could not immediately reach Ferguson or his representatives for comment.

However, according to the ESPNNewYork.com report, Ferguson is working with California-based trainer Clemente Medina and is expected to debut sometime between October and December. Shaw thinks a successful run could have Ferguson poised for title contention within six or so fights.

Time, though, isn't on Ferguson's side. The fighter turned 36 years old back in February, and as we saw on "TUF 10" and his brief time in the UFC, he's struggled with knee and conditioning issues.

On the MMA circuit, Ferguson (4-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC) found mixed success. With a string of favorable matchups, he went 3-0 under the EliteXC banner before an embarrassing and nationally televised 14-second TKO loss to late replacement Seth Petruzelli in 2008. But a year later, the UFC took a gamble and geared an entire season of its reality series around him. (Producers initially sought fighters in three weight classes but opted only for heavyweights once Ferguson was secured.)

Ferguson lost to eventual show champion and former IFL title-holder Roy Nelson in a first-round matchup on "TUF 10." But on the undercard of the show's live finale, he scored a unanimous-decision win over Houston Alexander to avoid a contract termination. That release, though, came this past May when Ferguson suffered a second-round TKO loss to Matt Mitrione at UFC 113.

Some pundits panned the UFC for releasing a still-marketable fighter, but "Kimbo" hasn't fought professionally since the Mitrione loss.

I don't understand why. He seems to be better at MMA than boxing. Of course the Kimbo hype has fizzled since being cut from the UFC. At least with him trying boxing it will bring some hype back for him. No matter what the guy does he still will be a draw.

I'm not sure if it's the right move for him. His striking skills never really got off, we never saw the feared Kimbo power besides the first couple guys he fought, two very old and way past their prime guys in Bo Cantrell and Tank Abbott who both were nothing special to begin with. Then he fought James Thompson guy is just a bum and that was stopped because Kimbo burst James's cauliflower ear. But since the Pertruzelli fight his chin is in question. I don't think boxing would be good for him because his conditioning isn't the greatest, and like I said he really never showed any good striking in his MMA fights, plus his hand speed doesn't seem to fast to keep up with boxers. Another concern about him is that bad knee of his, I don't think he can have any type of career until he gets that thing fixed, even though he won't be taking leg kicks anymore, he will be moving a lot more around the ring. Just like in MMA, I think any good boxer will have no problem beating him, he should get fed a couple cans to start his boxing career. I want the guy to succeed because I like him as a person, but I just don't see in boxing.

Honestly I think the best thing for Kimbo would be to try his hand in pro wrestling. He already has great character for it. Obviously has a definitive look as well. He also would probably be big in marketing too. I can see it now, a skull cap attached with a beard, they would probably market his boxing glove chain too.

What are your guy's thoughts on Kimbo trying a boxing career, do you see him having success?

 

[Fizzy]

Hell no he won't have any success. First of all he is starting to train in boxing at a very late age, and with a very bad knee. Boxing is very different from MMA. You need to learn a new stance, and be pretty quick which Kimbo is not. His hands have never been special, and his conditioning is really not to good. This was on ESPN on some show today, and I agreed with what they man said about it. Kimbo is getting into a new sport at a very old age. The guy compared it to deciding you want to pitch for the Yankees at his age. It just doesn't happen. Kimbo has never shown anything to us that would make us believe he can make it and be successful in boxing.

I really don't agree with you that Kimbo should try wrestling. Wrestling is so physically demanding as it is and even more in the WWE. Kimbo would have to learn everything that it takes to be a pro wrestler while being very old. Sure there are guys older than him in pro wrestling but they have been doing it for years and years, and know how to take falls properly, and not hurt themselves or their opponents. Kimbo would have to learn everything in a short amount of time because of his age, and would be a risk to his health and his opponents. With his age and health Kimbo just cannot start a new career in anything right now.

 

[M. Winters]

He'll get worked in whatever he tries to do, the guys a bum. He's a good street fighter and that's about it. When he got thrown in with professional mixed martial artists he got his ass whooped and the same will be said for boxing. All of these guys have been training their whole lives in their respective sports and he thinks he can walk in and beat top notch fighters, it won't happen.

Get back to the streets and give us some more youtube fun.

 

[Rayne]

He'll face a bunch of washed up fighters (again), or young guys who won't ever make it but still have the dream of that One Big Knockout that propels them into the limelight. Kimbo's getting another fat paycheck- good for him!

There's been a lot of Kimbo hate, and I certainly despise everyone that's been around him. But Kimbo has never claimed to be anything besides what he is, and in a sport that revolves around self-hype and self-promotion, I have a LOT of respect for that. Get your money and get out. Seriously- how many other careers are open to Kimbo where he can make the kind of cash he has from professional fighting?

 

[INDYjon22]

I don't really care what happens to Kimbo now. If he fights MMA, I will watch him, and if he boxes then I will watch that as well. But, like Rayne said, he won't be contending for anything, more or less I think he will be participating in freak show fights or fighting cans. Fun little knockouts may occur but it won't ultimately lead to anything. However, I think boxing may be the right move for Kimbo. His knees are shot and if he continued fighting in MMA then guys would just continue to work his knees over, further injuring them. With boxing, he won't have to worry about his knees getting kicked to shit and can focus more on punching people, something he is good at. I will be intrigued to see how he does in his first boxing match.

 

[Via Armbar]

I can't remember who the quote originated from, but somebody said that his ''bob and weave'' was reminiscent of early Tyson...

LOL

No, no it isn't. It hasn't ever been and never will be. I don't dislike Kimbo, but let's be real; his days of competing in combat sports should be over. Especially in mma. His knees are shit and his gas tank is one of the worst I remember seeing. Watch the fight with Alexander if you haven't seen it yet. It was comically bad gassing. He has decent power shots but has never showed any sort of inside game or ability to string together combos. Both of those things are far more important in boxing than they are mma. If he actually commits to this I could see him beating a can or two. After that though, he is asking for trouble. It's too little too late.

As far professional wrestling goes, that should be way out of the question. Wrestling is notorious for being hell on the body and Kimbo already has a laundry list of health problems. As a non active personality, sure why not. He could be a decent draw. As a competitor? I'm not doctor, but I would strongly advise against it.

 

[Dressler]

This could turn into something rather funny actually, imagine this scenario; the obvious happens tonight and Randy Couture beats James Toney, showing that MMA Fighters are better then Boxers in MMA, then Kimbo ( A never was in MMA ), goes into to Boxing only to dominate in it. Can you imagine the irony? Boxers have been hating on MMA fighters since the dawn of time, now they'd have to live with one of their own losing to a MMA fighter AND a former MMA Fighter who couldn't make it in MMA be a World Champ in Boxing.

Funny stuff.

But as for Kimbo to Boxing, good for him, like someone said before, he gets another fat pay check and life goes on. Who cares, it'll be fun to watch him, hes a draw for sure, but he didn't do nothing in MMA and he sure as hell wont do jack shit in Boxing.

 

[Gregor_Samsa]

In boxing there is always room for a sideshow. This would be a great little freak act to put on an undercard. It would be foolish to think someone who just started training to box at the age of 36 would have any remote impact on the sport other than the freak show aspect. It's just as foolish to think James Toney has any shot of beating Couture. An over the hill boxer in a completely different sport and an over the hill street fighter in a new sport.
They're both sideshows, only meant to garner money and attention. Which they might do for a little while.
Put Kimbo in the ring vs 7'0 tall, former heavyweight champ Nikolai Valuev. That'd be a sight. Nikolai has as much hair on his back as Kimbo has on his face.

 

[jmt225]

I am a Kimbo Slice fan, so I will definitely tune into whatever he does. He's just an exciting fighter with this aura about him that most people cannot obtain.

That said, no... I don't think he'll be successful. He just doesn't have the conditioning for a 12 Round fight, and he fights too hard. Once he gets in there with guys who have fast footwork and great head movement, he's going to get tooled, without a doubt.

However, until that time comes, I will definitely enjoy watching him knockout bums and see the hype train start all over again. Kimbo is fun, man, what can I say? He's an interesting character, and a good guy... I really hope he can make some money from this.

 

[Goliath Uterus]

Supposedly he's going to fight Roy Jones Jr., which will be fucking hillarious. Even if Jones is past his prime, he's facing a guy who is also past his prime, and who has never even been in a professional boxing match, if it happens it will be a short night of work for Jones, and an embarrising debut for Slice. I actually like Slice, but I know he isn't a good fighter at all, he should stick to figting over the hill MMA guys, or go back to fighting street fights, because I don't think that he's gonna find any success in the boxing world.

 

[CyDeez]

I truly don't know wtf to say about this besides it's funny.

The guy has power in his hands, we all know that. But with the smaller gloves and what not, I think he has a better chance to utilize that power in MMA.

I don't know... At least they can't kick his old ass legs in boxing LOL...

Not that it would be a draw or some era defining classic, but now I wouldn't mind seeing Kimbo face Toney. Not in a sanctioned Boxing Match, but in an MMA Match. Whether it be UFC or some other promotion. Someone would get knocked out ugly and it at least would be more entertaining then either one of them matched up against some MMA Veteran that would just wanna take them down and limit the only skills they have, STRIKING!