Kimbo Slice Fighting Non-Boxer in August 13 Boxing Debut
by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2011 10:06 AM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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An opponent has been named for the professional boxing debut of Kimbo Slice on August 13 in Oklahoma, and to the surprise of nobody who's even remotely sane or clued in to anything at all, it's a complete nobody and what basically amounts to a non-boxer.
Slice will face 39-year-old James Wade (0-1), a Missouri native who turned pro on January 13 at cruiserweight and was knocked out in the third round by the also debuting Carlos Torres in Oklahoma City. Slice, who had what could generously be called a mixed bag career in mixed martial arts, should obviously be favored and all, but would it really shock anyone if he lost immediately? I say every time I mention Kimbo that I think he seems like a nice guy and I wish he'd maybe turned pro in boxing 15 or so years ago, so look, I've established that I don't hate the dude, but let's call it what it is: A promotional stunt by Gary Shaw Productions, headed by Gary's son Jared, who "discovered" Slice and brought him into pro fighting after seeing some stupid YouTube videos where he beat up some fat guys and other assorted dudes who aren't really fighters, a few of whom would surely be handy in a bar brawl, but pro fighting ain't bar brawls.
So there you go. That's what Kimbo Slice's boxing debut amounts to.
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Perfect--
the
pretend career of a pretend boxer begins in the pretend country of (21st century) ’Merica
Maybe he can marry one of those Kardashian women and have a pretend life that plays out on reality television
if I ignore the bullshit by the Shaws and just talk about what I’ve seen of Kimbo in terms of actual talent:
- His power was way overstated and didn’t hold up in the professional cage other than against the scrubbiest of scrubs.
- His knees are actually shot. As in, he has no cartilage in his knees which badly impacts his movement.
- He has okay trunk movement, but he doesn’t move his head well in addition which turns into him bending over at the waist more than is advisable.
- His chin is bad.
- He works hard, according to most everyone I talked to that trained with him during his MMA run he was a guy who really tried his best to learn and get better.
- BUT, he also was entitled and expected to be treated as a star. He’d work hard but took offense to a lot of minor things.
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Jul 15, 2011 10:23 AM EDT reply actions
The supposed power of Kimbo is one of the most inexplicably persistent myths in combat sports. If James Thompson makes you look bad, you don’t hit all that hard.
My name isn't Todd.
Yeah, he has at best average power for a heavyweight, and that might be overstating it a little.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2011 11:51 AM EDT up reply actions
How much of that could be due to his bad knees? Would that have a big impact on his ability to throw powerful hooks? I noticed Kimbo plods around a lot with no spring in his step really, he just moves around at the waist while his feet aren’t moving very lightly.
by SilverNBlackZach! on Jul 15, 2011 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions
At least the Shaws won’t have to pay his opponents to strike with him now.
" Rock crushes scissors! But paper covers rock. And scissors cuts paper! Kif, we have a conundrum. "
------ Zapp Brannigan
by Hellsing on Jul 15, 2011 10:27 AM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’m not really sure why it’s a problem though. Most boxers start out their careers fighting guys who are just like Wade, or even worse. Why should Kimbo be any different? Despite his age, he is a boxing beginner.
Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic
It’s not really a problem so much as the Shaws, especially Jared, so grossly oversell Kimbo Slice that there has to be some balance in the universe.
Bad Left Hook
"To the town of Agua Fria rode a stranger one fine day..."
by Scott Christ on Jul 15, 2011 6:24 PM EDT up reply actions
The issue is that he is old so he doesn’t have time to take it TOO slowly. But still, it IS an appropriate opponent.
But, as scott said, the Shaws are going to sell the expected 1st or 2nd round stoppage win as some sort of huge proof that Kimbo will be a monster.
Managing Editor - BloodyElbow.com - SBNation's mixed martial arts headquarters.
by Brent Brookhouse on Jul 16, 2011 9:51 AM EDT up reply actions
i wish him luck..
.. kimbo comes off as a cool guy; atleast from the on-air clips i have seen of him.
as bad as the heavyweight division is, he should be able to fight tomato-cans at local shows and earn some paychecks. i mean, what else is this guy gonna do?
I wish kimbo the best
dont get why guys hate on him, he’s earning some money which all of us would like to do, he’s just earning his bread, everyone knew that he wouldn’t last in mma, i think he knew that too, it was just a paycheck, he seems like a really cool guy, and he has always given respect to his opponents
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