Kirkland gets 2 years in prison

Junior middleweight contender James Kirkland sentenced to 2 years in prison - ESPN

Junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, who pleaded guilty in July to gun possession by a convicted felon, was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison in U.S. federal court in his hometown of Austin, Texas.
Kirkland, who last fought in March, has been incarcerated since April at the Federal Correctional Institution in Bastrop, Texas, about 20 minutes from Austin, after being arrested for buying a firearm at a gun show. He could be out by June, according to Michael Miller, Kirkland's personal attorney and co-manager.

Kirkland would get credit for the approximately six months he has already served. In addition he can earn credits for good behavior and Texas rules allow for the final six months of his sentence to be served in a halfway house, Miller said.

Miller said federal guidelines called for a sentence of 47 to 57 months. However, Miller said Kirkland avoided the harsher sentence because U.S. Judge James Nowlin was impressed by the outpouring of support for the 25-year-old.

Besides Miller testifying on Kirkland's behalf, so too did his promoter, Golden Boy's Oscar De La Hoya, who made the trip to Austin with others from the company.

"I told the judge that James made a stupid mistake that cost him dearly," De La Hoya told ESPN.com after leaving the hearing."I told the judge, yes, we all make mistakes and we all need role models. I want to take James under my wing and guide him. He's never had that before. The judge was great on giving him that time because he could have given him a lot longer."

Said Miller,"James is a great kid who needs another chance. He committed a stupid act but his benefit to society isn't going to be in prison. It's going to be in society as someone kids can look up to as a person who changed his life around and made something of himself. I think the judge took that into consideration.

"James took responsibility for his stupidity and his own actions and a judge likes to hear that. I've visited him three times and I think he gets it. His attention has been gotten. If he fights again, great. But learning from this is what it is all about."

Should Kirkland be released to halfway house, he would be able to train and fight, Miller said.

Kirkland (25-0, 22 KOs) was on the verge of a title shot after a series of impressive knockout performances on national television. He had become a significant fighter to HBO on its "Boxing After Dark" series and was supposed to fight on the high-profile Manny Pacquiao-Ricky Hatton HBO PPV card on May 2 in Las Vegas.

However, a few weeks before the fight Kirkland was arrested after buying a gun at an Austin gun show, which he did with his own identification. The weapon was later discovered during a traffic stop. Because Kirkland was already on probation for a 2003 armed robbery conviction and barred from possessing a gun, his purchase was a serious offense.

De La Hoya said he planned to visit Kirkland in prison"sooner than later."

"I want to talk to him," De La Hoya said."He seems like a genuine kid. I believe when he bought that gun there were no bad intentions. He's a kid who was winning, fighting on HBO and making money and I think he figured he'd protect himself. 'I'm going to buy this gun with my own ID to protect myself.' I am sure he was thinking that."

De La Hoya, who said Kirkland looked like he weighed around 190 pounds at the sentencing, said he hoped Kirkland learns from this experience and that he could be fighting within a year.

"With time served, good behavior and a halfway house, we can fight him within the year," De La Hoya said."He's only 25. He did the crime, he's going to do the time. It's up to him after that."

James Kirkland Sentenced, Fighting in 9/10 Months - Boxing News

man he was exciting as hell.

Great news. I knew he wasn't doing no heavy time. De La Hoya officially owns James Kirkland

Kirkland is lucky as hell to get only 2 years, and it looks like he'll be out in a few months. Let's hope he learns from this.

His manager talked about in another article a few weeks ago that this was their dream scenario, 2 years or less. Dude's very fortunate.

I am ok if he serves at least a year in prison. He is an idiot and shouldn't have the benefit of being able to fight any quicker than that. Enough of this slap on the wrist stuff.

Well I hope he learned his lesson, and that once he gets out, he doesn't go back to making those same bad choices. His career was just taking off, and I can only hope that he is able to come back, and get his career going again.

From what I heard, he might have to move up in weight though. I guess he ballooned up to 195 pounds at one point, but his manager said that when he went to see him last month he was down to 178, so we'll see what kind of shape he is in when he gets out

2 years is the best for him. his team wanted this.

Crap. I wanna if he's up to an interview. Hmmmm....

Man he's got off lightly there for sure.... I always like to give people second chances man, but when he gets out he'll be on his third if i'm not wrong. Difficult for leopards to change their spots and all that so hopefully he certainly learns his lesson but that'll be a tough challenge for sure....

sad stuff....

not 6months back i was proclaiming that james kirkland, alfredo angulo and vernon forrest would make the light middleweight division the premier division within 5 years.....


:(:(:(

Good news for him, when he finally gets back in the ring it will only be around an 18 month layoff.

He should have just went out and killed someone he would have gotten less time, worked for dante stallworth. Not a day in jail. The risk vs reward theory in this country is amazing. I'm surprised people dont get robbed and dumped on more often these days.

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Originally Posted by Mar

He should have just went out and killed someone he would have gotten less time, worked for dante stallworth. Not a day in jail. The risk vs reward theory in this country is amazing. I'm surprised people dont get robbed and dumped on more often these days.

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When Dante Stallworth killed someone, it wasn't in Texas. The moral of the story is don't commit crimes in Texas, that state doesn't fukk around.

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Originally Posted by hattonthehammer

sad stuff....

not 6months back i was proclaiming that james kirkland, alfredo angulo and vernon forrest would make the light middleweight division the premier division within 5 years.....


:(:(:(

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Well even if Forrest hadn't passed he was on a serious downslide of his career even after he beat Mora in the rematch so not much mustard behind that one... Angulo is fun to watch but onesided... and Kirkland is a criminal. Don't ever go to Vegas.:LOLATYOU:

And Plaxico getsa two years!!! Sometghing is wrong with this picture!!

Boxing is one of the few jobs where a prison record is of little consequence. :shocking:

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Originally Posted by holmcall

Boxing is one of the few jobs where a prison record is of little consequence. :shocking:

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Bernard Hopkins;D

i was starting to be a kirkland fan hopefully he come back strong with couple of tune-ups, then a fight with a top-ten guy

kirkland bulldozes a lot of 154-ers

I'm glad Kirkland got this chance, I personally don't feel that what he did was heinous, not when a lot of people don't care about Eric Morel getting world title shots.

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Originally Posted by JazMerkin

I'm glad Kirkland got this chance, I personally don't feel that what he did was heinous, not when a lot of people don't care about Eric Morel getting world title shots.

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No doubt.I was looking ahead to Montiel beating his fondling azz.To bad it got cancelled.

Kirkland just blew it all.Not in his head but think he was weary of his past catching up to him,people he used to run with.Don't think he was looking to knock over a 7-11 but should have known better being on parole,convicted felon.

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Originally Posted by PRIDE OF BOSTON

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Originally Posted by holmcall

Boxing is one of the few jobs where a prison record is of little consequence. :shocking:

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Bernard Hopkins;D

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Sonny Liston;D

Biggest waste of talent ever.

The dumbest way to waste 2 of your golden years, with all the step back padded into the deal. The guy knew he couldn't hold a gun, why in hell did he went to a fair and buy one? He should have been intelligent enough to realize that he was a few stones away from becoming millionaire, now there will be a long way to catch back.

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Originally Posted by sumkalambay

kirkland bulldozes a lot of 154-ers

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I`ll let you know about that when i see him in the ring with genuine talent

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Originally Posted by Nameless

The dumbest way to waste 2 of your golden years, with all the step back padded into the deal. The guy knew he couldn't hold a gun, why in hell did he went to a fair and buy one? He should have been intelligent enough to realize that he was a few stones away from becoming millionaire, now there will be a long way to catch back.

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Maybe so they don't rob him again

Hopefully he learned his lesson but I don't feel bad for him at all, this kid was given a second chance and he had role models, he is 25 years old he did not makle a kid mistake he is a grown man who said "Fuck everyone I will buy this gun even though I am not supposed to because I think I am above it all"


The second chances in life were fighting on national TV and having the chance to make million dollar paydays

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Originally Posted by hattonthehammer

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Originally Posted by sumkalambay

kirkland bulldozes a lot of 154-ers

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I`ll let you know about that when i see him in the ring with genuine talent

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Hammer you have included the the shitty IBO and WBU 140 titles in your little speech but havent included the WBA 140 title he held???

Plaxico had NO priors and a license to carry in Florida and got two years. Kirkland was real lucky.

In the US under project exile gun possesion by a felon is suppossed to be a mandatory FIVE years.

Plaxico is an asshole, but he got railroaded.