Kimbo Slice officially to boxing
Kimbo Slice, the viral video backyard-fighting sensation turned mixed martial artist, is gearing up for a foray into the sweet…
Kimbo Slice, the viral video backyard-fighting sensation turned mixed martial artist, is gearing up for a foray into the sweet science.
Slice, whose real name is Kevin Ferguson, told ESPNNewYork.com that he’s eager to see how he fares in the boxing world, after spending almost three years in MMA.
“I feel like a baby all over again,” said the 36-year-old Florida resident. “I’m thinking about this at night. I’m gonna be a problem in the heavyweight division. I’m going to be coming in with a bad demeanor. I want to see what it’s like to break some ribs, break a jaw with one punch.”
At Gleason’s Gym in Brooklyn, New Jersey-based promoter Gary Shaw recently told ESPNNewYork.com that he was confident he would soon have a deal signed with Slice. After weeks of negotiations with Slice’s advisor “Icy” Mike Imber, Shaw told ESPN that he’d inked a deal and that Slice would debut sometime between October and December, depending on how much progress he makes with trainer Clemente Medina, a California-based tutor.
Slice, 36, plans to take a swing at the squared circle.
Slice said he wouldn’t close the door on MMA and that he greatly enjoyed his tenure with the UFC, and appreciated the opportunity UFC chief Dana White gave him.
“This is a career move,” he said. “I love fighting. I like to knock people the [expletive] out. I love engaging. Maybe some people think I’m crazy.”
