Golden Boy and HBO are making plans for Kirkland to face former welterweight title challenger Danny Perez on Nov. 22 in the televised co-feature on the Ricky Hatton-Paulie Malignaggi card at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. However, HBO won’t committ to the bout until its legal department signs off.

“I am in court on a contractual dispute over Kirkland,” Shaw told ESPN.com. “I put both HBO and Golden Boy on notice. I will file suit against Golden Boy. I already have a suit against the management.”

Shaw said he was disappointed that Golden Boy would make a move on his fighter before the lawsuit had run its course.

“For Golden Boy to try to be holier than thou and talk about saving boxing and doing the right thing for boxing, then they should have stood back and let the lawsuit play out,” he said. "If I lose the lawsuit, then they can go and sign Kirkland. But they’re so used to raiding talent and hiding behind Oscar’s pretty smile. They did it to me with Diego Corrales, trying to sign him when I had a valid contract, and I won that one. They tried to sign Manny Pacquiao with a suitcase of cash in the back of a limo.

“I know Kirkland went to other promoters to talk about signing with them and to the credit of those other promoters, they said, ’We’re not interested in getting into another legal dispute.’”

For what it’s worth, I don’t see much coming of this. Golden Boy will probably wind up paying Shaw. Either way, they get their fighter, Gary gets some money, and the world keeps spinnin’.

I like Joel Julio the best. Less defensive indifference than Kirkland, far faster hands than Angulo. But if it turns out Angulo can take a shot like his pseudo-mentor Margarito, I guess that won’t matter a whole lot.

1) Matirosyan – Julio probably has more potential, but Vanes is a better boxer and doesn’t seem to have any major flaws. He’s being moved a lot more slowly than the others, but he’s also younger. The big question mark is his chin, and if it proves to be shaky, obviously that drops him a couple notches.

2) Angulo – Has his flaws, and will eventually get outboxed by a quick fighter, but I can see him being a multiple-time beltholder

3) Julio – The most talented, but doesn’t seem to have his head on straight most of the time

4) Kirkland – Probably the biggest gate attraction of the bunch long-term

5) Greene – More talented than Angulo also, but years behind in terms of boxing skills

43) JCC Jr.

I know he’s a weight class up, but I like Danny Jacobs better than all of them.