Kirkland arrested in hometown!

**Manuel "Chubby" Medina** · 04-20-2009 07:46 PM

Kirkland arrested in hometown

By Dan Rafael
ESPN.com
Archive
Junior middleweight contender James Kirkland, who is scheduled to fight Michael Walker in a 10-round bout May 2 on the Ricky Hatton-Manny Pacquiao HBO PPV card undercard in Las Vegas, was arrested on a weapons charge Sunday.
He was still in custody Monday afternoon.
Kirkland, 25, who is on probation for a 2003 armed robbery that cost him 2½ years of his career, was arrested during a traffic stop in his hometown of Austin, Texas, and booked Sunday afternoon. He was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, according to the Travis County Sherriff's Department Web site.
Whether Kirkland (25-0, 22 KOs) will be available to fight May 2 is unclear.
"It appears that James is the victim of circumstance and we're waiting for the facts to come in before we make any comment," Cameron Dunkin, Kirkland's co-manager, told ESPN.com.
Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer, who signed Kirkland in October and promoted his last two bouts, both of which were on HBO, has talked with Kirkland's attorney and co-manager Michael Miller and had no comment.
"I don't really know anything yet, so I really can't comment, but I'm looking into it," Schaefer said.
Kirkland has emerged as one of the most fearsome punchers in boxing and is on the fast track. After stopping Joel "Love Child" Julio in six rounds on March 7, he was quickly lined up for the May 2 fight which was to be followed with another HBO appearance in August. Schaefer has been trying to put together a title challenge for him against either Sergei Dzindziruk or Daniel Santos.

**TheDemolitionDan** · 05-02-2009 05:07 PM

In the most anticipated fight of the year. This would have been thee fight to showcase his exciting talent. This would have been a stepping stone and those in the States that haven't heard of James Kirkland would have known who he is. A mini Mike Tyson at 154 they would have seen this young exciting fighter. This would have been a fight that the people in the States would have reconized and said "This is our fighter." With that being said James Kirkland getting arrested and not being able to show his talent on this grand stage just about ruins all of that. What could have been for James Kirkland.

**Hunter** · 04-20-2009 09:10 PM

Seriously though, I know he hasnt been proven guilty but why do these guys with so much promise (especially those getting a second chance like kirkland) continue to make bonehead decisions

They should throw the book at him.......He would have just gotten Ko'ed by Paul Williams anyway....Maybe this is his way of avoiding Williams......

**DaxxKahn** · 04-20-2009 09:14 PM

Originally Posted by Hunter

Seriously though, I know he hasnt been proven guilty but why do these guys with so much promise (especially those getting a second chance like kirkland) continue to make bonehead decisions

They should throw the book at him.......He would have just gotten Ko'ed by Paul Williams anyway....Maybe this is his way of avoiding Williams......

Agreed he gets the book thrown ar him...Obviously he did not appreciate his second chance....Some people don't even get a first chance...

A bit harsh on the Avoiding Williams part but agree on the fact Paul would KO him....So would Santos and Dzindziruk at this stage

**TheDemolitionDan** · 04-20-2009 09:25 PM

Dang, this sucks. Kirkland was somebody that was a future star and he could have been a great face for Boxing with his exciting style.

**LEGION** · 04-20-2009 10:26 PM

He's been a favorite prospect of mine for a long while and this is just disappointing to put it mildly. I just don't get why he needs a gun when he rides around with Ann Wolfe everywhere; that woman would scare anyone

A shame really and he could be in some hot water; here i Texas they don't play when it comes to carrying around firearms.

**BoomBoom** · 04-20-2009 10:39 PM

Very bad news. maybe the judge will give him a break. I doubt it though cause it is a felony.I hope this didnt cost him his career.

**Violent Demise** · 04-20-2009 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by THE BOXING GOD

Wow if this is true he's in BIG trouble!!!!! A felon with a firearm is a serious serious offence,usually carrying a mandatory sentence of years in jail,unless schaffer and oscar pay a witch doctor 2 bring johnnie cochran back from the dead this guy might be done,or at least lose the prime of his career,what an idiot ur a top contender put the fukkin gun down,and if the neighborhood u live in is that bad move tha fuk away,I believe oscar would have no problem re-locating one of his top prospects to a beautiful neighborhood

He'll be fine. His original offense is from 2003. That's 6 years he's been mostly trouble free. He's on the brink of Super Stardom. Oscar and Golden Boy have his back. Not to mention Texas has lax gun laws compared to other states. He'll be fine. He most likely get his probation reinstated. He might be pulled from the May 2 card. But that should be it

**scraptime** · 04-21-2009 03:01 PM

Originally Posted by THE BOXING GOD

Wow if this is true he's in BIG trouble!!!!! A felon with a firearm is a serious serious offence,usually carrying a mandatory sentence of years in jail,unless schaffer and oscar pay a witch doctor 2 bring johnnie cochran back from the dead this guy might be done,or at least lose the prime of his career,what an idiot ur a top contender put the fukkin gun down,and if the neighborhood u live in is that bad move tha fuk away,I believe oscar would have no problem re-locating one of his top prospects to a beautiful neighborhood

Yeah, but like the saying goes' " you can take them out of the ghetto, but you can't take the ghetto out of them"
Why is this dude even carrying a firearm? Obviously he must have beef or is involved in some kind of illegal activity. What a dumbass!

**paddy448** · 04-22-2009 05:38 PM

Originally Posted by THE BOXING GOD

I don't know how to post the article but its on maxboxing.com kirkland was handed over to federal agents and is still in custody,looks like he's n BIG trouble,bilbo if ur reading this I think its time 2 ante up

this aint good news,especially as he has been done for armed robbery before,surely his sentence will be more harsh,than if he got caught with no previous firearm offence,i dont no the strictness of the laws in texas but it cant be good,could this potentially wreck a promising young career

**blegit** · 04-22-2009 07:33 PM

Originally Posted by paddy448

Originally Posted by THE BOXING GOD

I don't know how to post the article but its on maxboxing.com kirkland was handed over to federal agents and is still in custody,looks like he's n BIG trouble,bilbo if ur reading this I think its time 2 ante up

this aint good news,especially as he has been done for armed robbery before,surely his sentence will be more harsh,than if he got caught with no previous firearm offence,i dont no the strictness of the laws in texas but it cant be good,could this potentially wreck a promising young career

Now it has nothing to do with the Texas law. He is in federal custody. Kirkland is a felon and it is a federal offense for a felon to be in possession of a firearms. Actually, they can even convict you for being in the vicinity. Like someone having a gun in the same car you are in. The charge holds a 5 year sentence and he will get all of that sentence unless he tells. Two people I know have went down because of this. One of them got the 5 years for being at a house that had a gun in it. The law itself is only about 5 years old and they have been cracking down at all cost.

**paddy448** · 04-22-2009 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by blegit

Originally Posted by paddy448

Originally Posted by THE BOXING GOD

I don't know how to post the article but its on maxboxing.com kirkland was handed over to federal agents and is still in custody,looks like he's n BIG trouble,bilbo if ur reading this I think its time 2 ante up

this aint good news,especially as he has been done for armed robbery before,surely his sentence will be more harsh,than if he got caught with no previous firearm offence,i dont no the strictness of the laws in texas but it cant be good,could this potentially wreck a promising young career

Now it has nothing to do with the Texas law. He is in federal custody. Kirkland is a felon and it is a federal offense for a felon to be in possession of a firearms. Actually, they can even convict you for being in the vicinity. Like someone having a gun in the same car you are in. The charge holds a 5 year sentence and he will get all of that sentence unless he tells. Two people I know have went down because of this. One of them got the 5 years for being at a house that had a gun in it. The law itself is only about 5 years old and they have been cracking down at all cost.

cheers for clearing that up for me