JAMES KIRKLAND: ON TOP OF THE WORLD

For fight fans who crave explosiveness, unbeaten junior middleweight James Kirkland is your man.

With fireworks in both hands, the Austin, Texas southpaw nicknamed "Mandingo" has stopped 20 of 23 opponents, 14 falling in four rounds or less.

November 21, 2008 - by Chuck Johnson

Kirkland's nearly 87 per cent knockout ratio has made him one of boxing's fastest-rising young attractions. But, in striving toward his goal of becoming the top 154-pound in the world, Kirkland, 24, realizes that boxing at the highest level is big business.

He's banking on his connections outside the ring to impact his career just as significantly as his rock-solid punches. "By this time next year, I'll be on top of the world,'' says Kirkland, oozing with optimism after recently signing with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy Promotions.

"I'm ready to fight the best fighters at 154 pounds, and I know that Golden Boy Promotions and Oscar De La Hoya will get me these great fights. That's the biggest thing about boxing. You have to have good people behind you and the right people behind you. I'm jumping in head forward. I'm looking for this contract to be a good thing for me and my family."

Kirkland (23-0, 20 KOs) will be involved in his biggest promotion yet Saturday, Nov. 22, when he faces fellow Austin native Brian Vera (16-1, 10 KOs) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

The 10-round contest will be the opener for the HBO-televised doubleheader (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT) that features England's Ricky "The Hitman" Hatton (44-1, 31 KOs) against Brooklyn's Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi (25-1, five KOs) in the 12-round junior welterweight main event.

"The way my training has gone and the way I feel right now, I'm really impressed with myself,'' Kirkland says. "This fight is just the start of bigger and better things coming my way."

In returning to HBO, Kirkland aims to give viewers want they want at the expense of an opponent who's no stranger to him.

"I used to spar with this dude in Austin a while back, so I know everything that he's coming with and he basically thinks he knows everything I'm coming with,'' says Kirkland, aware that Vera will be looking to pull off another upset after his impressive seventh-round TKP victory in March against highly-regarded contender Andy Lee.

Kirkland considers himself too well-rounded as a fighter for Vera to handle the pressure.

"I've got very, very good defense that I wouldn't underestimate, but my plan is always about offense,'' Kirkland says. 'Bang, bang, bang, bang, move. Bang, bang, bang, stand right in front of my opponent. In the later rounds, he's not going to be able to throw anything whatsoever. He's going to be scared (because) he's going to get hit with everything but the kitchen sink. I'm just looking forward to having a good time and an explosive fight."

Kirkland, the second oldest of three brothers raised by a single mom, says his penchant for fighting used to get him in trouble.

"Boxing was never my dream, but then I liked to street fight,'' he says. "When I was growing, that's basically what was on my mind. I was just one those tough kids. I was a hands-on kind of guy. I was good in every sport, but fighting was something I liked to do everyday. I just kept getting in trouble about it. So my mom put me in the ring and said 'If you want to fight, fight some people who know how to fight. ' "

Kirkland found his role model and guardian when Donald "Pops" Billingsley took the fight-happy kid off the streets in East Austin and got him into a boxing gym.

"The only Dad I ever had was Pops,'' Kirkland says. "Pops has been with me all my life. That's a real, real good man,. He took care of me and led me in the right direction. When I first started boxing, I was like six years old. I couldn't compete at the time, but I stayed with it and I had fun doing it."

Kirkland was 10 when he met Ann Wolfe, who would become his trainer and an inspirational force in his life. The youngster quickly gravitated to the former homeless woman and the bond and admiration grew stronger as Kirkland watched Wolfe learn boxing and become an eight world champion.

"She kept grinding and wanting to make something better for her life,'' Kirkland says Billingsley, his mentor, and Wolfe, his trainer, have been Kirkland's team since he turned professional in 2001.

"This training camp has been the best as far as me getting in top, top shape,'' Kirkland says. "Ann and Pops have been pushing me to get bigger and better and it's happening.

"Some people say a woman can't train a dude, but I wouldn't have anybody but Ann when it comes down to conditioning. She's always right there overseeing things and she picks up on any mistakes and lets me know about them. She's an eight-time world champion and just a good influence on me. With the type of knowledge she has, it's like they say, knowledge is power."

Kirkland is the father of two young sons, James, who turns 4 this month, and Michael, 1. He says he feels a sense of responsibility to walk the right path not just for his own kids' guidance but also for the youngsters who frequent the gym where he trains.

"They're looking up to me like a leader, so I've got to remain a positive role model," Kirkland says. "That's why I left the streets alone. I've got two kids and I've got to do what I need to take care of them. As far as any negativity, I'm not there. I don't get down like that any more. I've got good thinkers and positive people with me, and that's what I like around me."

Kirkland lost what he calls "a bad decision" in the Golden Gloves national finals and didn't get to try out for the 2000 Olympic team. Despite the disappointment at the time, he's now convinced he made the right decision by turning pro rather than prolonging an Olympic dream.

"Look where I'm at,'' he says. "I've put eveyrthing in the hands of the people who are moving me. Golden Boy already has some stuff set up for me after this fight, if all goes well. I'm looking forward to seeing what the next step will be,"

If Kirkland could pick his next opponent, "It would be either Cory Spinks or Vernon Forrest,'' he says. "They're the top names at 154 right now, but those two cats have belts that aren't going to last. They've been getting a lot of recognition and that's what I want."

Kirkland's new promoter has promised him greater exposure and sounds happy to have him in the fold.

"James Kirkland is one of boxing's hottest young stars and we are very excited to work with him," De La Hoya says. "I am confident that he will contend for a world title in the very near future."

Sooner rather than later is the timetable Kirkland has in mind to become the undisputed junior middleweight champion.

"My goal is be the king of 154,'' he says. "I want all the belts at 154. Then I want to gradually move up to 160 and 165. I feel like I could do a lot of damage at 160. But I want to take over 154 first. There's a lot of competition out there right now. But I don't see anybody at 154 or 160 that can take that pop I've got."