"I'm full-time. This is what I do all day long; I'm in the gym. Now I have people coming up there, watching, and trying to figure out what Kirkland is looking forward to getting. I'm looking forward to getting a shot. I've been sitting out for 9 months. Shit, who wants it," stated jr. middleweight contender James Kirkland, who recently contacted FightHype.com to give us an update on the status of career. Although he has not fought in over 9 months due to managerial and promotional issues, Kirkland continues to work hard in the gym, eager for an opportunity to get back in the ring to showcase his talents.
"I'll fight anybody at 154. I'm not ducking and dodging anybody. They thinking that I'm sitting back, getting fat as a hat, you know. They thinking that I'm just sitting back and not doing nothing. Don't get me wrong, it's hard to stay motivated when you don't know when you're going to fight," Kirkland commented, still focused on perfecting his craft despite the fact that his career is currently on hold. "I don't do nothing but box now. I box, spend time with my kids, and keep on moving to another day. I don't be in the mix no more, I don't be in the clubs, it doesn't even matter. I'm one-dimensional now, man. It's just Kirkland boxing, Kirkland home, Kirkland kids, Kirkland home, you know what I mean? That's me. As long as I'm in the ring, that's all I want."
Although he has yet to make any new additions to his team, Kirkland already has a new trainer in mind. "You know Robert Garcia? He's definitely going to be added to my work list, regadless of whatever team I end up being with," he continued. "I would go to Spain to work with that dude. It doesn't matter where he go. That dude right there is the real deal and any fighter who has used him, they're going to vouch for him. Anybody that he has worked with, the proof is in the pudding."
His arm now fully healed, Kirkland believes a resolution to his managerial and promotional issues will be made in the near future and he's eager to get back into the ring to do what he does best. "I feel like if I sit down and talk with Golden Boy, we can resolve something," he added. "All I can say is, man, people that are calling me out, I have no one sending me any type of contracts or saying, 'Kirkland, you wanna fight this or fight that.' I have no one doing that. I definitely want to fight."
CHECK BACK SOON FOR THE FULL INTERVIEW WITH JAMES KIRKLAND
[ Follow Ben Thompson on Twitter @fighthype ]