Kevin Ferguson, better known as Kimbo Slice, was a Bahamian-American mixed martial artist turned Professional boxer who competed in the heavyweight division from 2011 to 2013, ending a career with an undefeated record and winning streak.
Following his release from the UFC in 2010 and going 4-2 in MMA, Slice made a career move by moving to Boxing. In August 2011, he made his professional debut and flattened a tomato can opponent in twenty seconds. Making his debut at the later age of 37, Slice did meet the expectations or hype surrounding his professional career in boxing, but he would go 7-0, remaining undefeated, in 2011 and 2012, before retiring after his final bout in March of 2013 at the age of 39 to transition back to MMA.
Professional career[]
Transition from MMA and debut[]
In August 2010, the former UFC fighter Slice, having become a free agent, announced his intention to become a professional boxer. He stated "I feel like a baby all over again. I'm thinking about this at night. I'm gonna be a problem in the heavyweight division. I'm going to be coming in with a bad demeanor. I want to see what it's like to break some ribs, break a jaw with one punch. This is a career move. I love fighting. I like to knock people the fuck out. I love engaging. Maybe some people think I'm crazy."
Taking a year to train, in August of 2011, at age 37, Slice made his professional boxing debut, and he was promoted by Gary Shaw, owner of Gary Shaw Productions and a figure from Slice's days from MMA. Slice fought in a four-round headlining attraction against 39-year-old James Wade (0–1) at the Buffalo Run Casino in Miami, Oklahoma. He won the fight via KO at 0:10 in the first round.
Slice fought two more times in 2011. First up was Tay Bledsoe (2-3). He demonstrated good head movement and outboxed his more experienced opponent quite effectively, connecting with a big right hand that got him the KO win half way through round one. His next was the first and only of his career to go the distance when he fought Charles Hackman (0-1). He outboxed and defeated his opponent 39-37 on the cards.
Rise in competition and attention[]
When he first announced his intention to move from MMA to boxing, Roy Jones Jr. had said he would like to fight Slice, but that Slice would likely need a number of boxing matches beforehand in order to gain experience and exposure in the sport. Despite Slice having amassing what would have been enough experience on paper, the fight never materialized.
Slice vs Green[]
Slice had his fourth professional fight against a 26-year-old regional MMA veteran Brian Green. He was 27-17 in MMA, but made his boxing debut against Slice, and the two fought in Missouri. It was the most adversity Slice faced and the bout nearly went the distance. Green took all four rounds on the cards, but in the closing seconds of the final round, Slice landed a left uppercut that dropped and knocked Green out, marking a mild upset. There was controversy and accusations the fight was a fixed and staged event, as Green admitted to wearing 20 pound ankle weights to fool the state commission, and was heavily ridiculed for it was believed he took a dive.
More fights[]
Slice did not slow down. He continued his win streak with a pair of back to back first round knockouts. He defeated Jesse Porter (3-4) and Howard Jones (5-4), the first boxer he won against to have a winning record and the clear step up in experience was becoming clear. Slice would then move to Brisbane Australia for his next for fight.
Slice vs Tilyard[]
Slice boxing Tilyard in Australia, 2013.
In January 2013, 38 year old Slice fought the highest profile match of his career against 2x Queensland champion Shane Tilyard (6-6). The fight was sloppy, and Tilyard struck Slice in the head with several clean blows in round 1, but Slice struck back with body shots and managed to get some of his own head shots. Tilyard took the advantage, and Slice remembering his days in MMA went for a takedown which the referee deducted him a point and a firm warning to not continue such an antic. Round 2, Slice went on the offense and badly hurt Tilard, but exhaustion soon set in and Tilyard retook control. Halfway though the round, Slice connected a left hook to Tilyard's liver that dropped him and he failed to beat the count. Slice was the winner by TKO.