After serving jail time for armed robbery and sitting behind bars another year for felony firearm possession, unbeaten US southpaw James Kirkland wants his comeback to end in a world title.
Kirkland, 27-0 with 24 knockouts, ended a two-year layoff earlier this month and will climb into the ring for his third fight in 35 days on April 9 against an undetermined middleweight opponent.
“I want to fight every day,” Kirkland said. “The level I think I’m going to be on, I really feel that at the end of 2011 I’ll be ranked No. 1 in the world or be about to fight for a world title or already have a world title. My time will come and I will be champion.”
Kirkland, who turned 27 on Saturday, was convicted of armed robbery in 2003 and spent two-and-a-half years behind bars. He was on probation and convicted for felony firearm possession in 2009, spending another year in prison.
“I’ve set aside foolish things. Now it’s time to grow,” Kirkland said. “Nothing can take me off what I’m going to do. I’m not going to let anything take me from my dream, inspire me to do the wrong thing again. I just have to wait my time. I fell off doing something stupid.”
In his ring return on March 5, Kirkland delivered a first-round knockout victory. Two weeks later, he added a second-round knockout.
“It was all right in my book,” he said. “Not just a new Kirkland, but one that has not lost nothing and doesn’t have any ring rust.”
Kirkland hopes to shed some weight and compete at super welterweight, which offers some high-paying potential rivals.
“I’m just getting myself the work, focusing on getting the work in, seeing the punches and be able to know what’s coming,” he said. “When I was away, I was training and sparring. I made sure I had some running in and made sure I could lose weight fast to jump into the ring as soon as possible. I feel super strong, as strong as possible, but the speed is not all the way back yet.”
Kirkland described his second stint behind bars as a wake-up call.
“Your dreams are all shattered,” he said. “You are hurt mentally, hurt physically. You are down. -Everything about you is gone. You lose not only access to boxing, but your loved ones. You make a dumb and careless decision [and you are] staying positive, trying to keep my mind focused on achieving.”
Former world champion Bernard Hopkins, who in May will try to become the oldest major champion in boxing history, spoke about his time behind bars with Kirkland and offered advice.
“As far as cutting those people to the side, making old bad habits be old habits, things you won’t be doing again, his advice was all positive,” Kirkland said.
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