Kimbo Delays Boxing Debut in Favor of Vacation. Wait, Vacation From What?
(Shaq has always been a sucker for a guy in a Santa suit. PicProps: MMA Digest)
It was with bated breath a few months back that we brought you news that sleazebag promoter and World’s Greatest Dad Gary Shaw would soon be exploring new and interesting ways to get Kimbo Slice knocked the fuck out by transitioning the internet legend/UFC washout to professional boxing. Obviously, that has not happened yet and this week ESPN’s Dan Rafael got tired of waiting. Rafael reached out to Shaw with a courtesy “WTF” call this week and learned that The Sliceman’s pro punching debut has been pushed back to “the beginning of next year” because Kimbo is, uh, on vacation. Also, (and we hope we’re not reading too much into this) it sounds like Shaw is just a little bit pissed off about it.
“Right now he’s vacationing in Florida. He went home for Thanksgiving. His pro debut will be put off until at least the beginning of next year,” Shaw says. “He needs more work and more sparring … I had him in California sparring and in real training … He was given all the tools, but he continues to get offers from MMA and offers to be in movies and it’s hard to keep him focused on training camp. That’s the story more than anything else.”
Man, we shudder to think of a world where even Gary Shaw grows tired of Kimbo’s bullshit. We thought if there was one promoter we could count on to remain committed to cashing in on Slice’s unwarranted notoriety and marginal talents it was Big Gar, even when less devoted scumbags have already given up. Now Shaw himself is starting to sound a little bit wistful when discussing Slice’s boxing future.
“I’m hoping he will turn pro,” Shaw says. “People of all ages recognize him, so when you’re with him it’s like you are with a huge star, but he’s never been in a boxing ring for a real fight. It’s like with Mike Tyson and Manny Pacquiao — when they walk into a room, they own the room. When Kimbo walks into a room, Kimbo owns the room and it’s all about Kimbo.
“When everyone recognizes you and you believe you are a huge star, and you get all of these offers, it’s hard to go to a gym and work like you’re a rookie. But he’s coming back to California to train after the holidays. Hopefully, he means after the Thanksgiving holiday.”
Zing. Rafael writes that Slice has been in Cali training with Clemente Medina and strength and conditioning coach Darryl Hudson, who we’re led to believe are the real deal. Still, if Kimbo can’t be bothered to train hard enough for whatever tomato cans Shaw would be sure to line up for him in his first few trips to the squared circle, things aren’t looking good for that Roy Jones fight we’ve all been waiting for.
On the bright side, at least Shaw and Slice didn’t commit some unthinkable promotional blunder like finding out Slice had been under contract to Jones the whole time. Now that would be embarrassing.
