The Gifted One

[stevieb_8006]

a treat for you all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKHfYCZZJg


great vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZjF-Evl ... re=related

[teddy007]

Brilliant, I really enjoyed that mate

[tijuana1]

x2

[bigjack]

a treat for you all

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WIKHfYCZZJg


great vid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rZjF-Evl ... re=related

What a legend but that was cruel putting young collins in with him, like a lamb to the slaughter

[Coco]

And I thought this was going to be a thread about Chambers!

[sweetscience]

And I thought this was going to be a thread about Chambers!

i thought it was going to be about me for a minute

[King Tubby]

Anyone read the book by Oliver Jarratt?

[Chambers2]

And I thought this was going to be a thread about Chambers!

I can't view YouTube at work......... so those YouTube clips aren't of me on the dancefloor?

[headhurts]

Tremendous - my favourite, all time boxer. Thanks for posting these videos.

[thaibox uk]

Brilliant havn,t seen his fights for years wold love to see the whole collins fight, somebody here was gonna send it me but never did :(

[stevieb_8006]

im a hell of a guy

[WildWaylon]

And I thought this was going to be a thread about Chambers!

and so did I.lol

[stevieb_8006]

Kirkland Laing was a waste of talent and generally everyone feels bad that he didn't achieve more.... but I did speak to a southern area champ who said he doesn't buy it - his argumnet is that Kirk pissed his career up the wall, couldn't put in the work and that boxing rewards hard work not just talent.

There's something to be said about that even if I don't necessarilly agree....

yeah but he didnt do too bad for a guy on the cane his whole career

[Matt W]

Kirkland Laing was a waste of talent and generally everyone feels bad that he didn't achieve more.... but I did speak to a southern area champ who said he doesn't buy it - his argumnet is that Kirk pissed his career up the wall, couldn't put in the work and that boxing rewards hard work not just talent.

There's something to be said about that even if I don't necessarilly agree....

I agree. It's hard to sympathise with somebody that has all the gifts but doesn't have the dedication to make the most of them (it's why I never had any sympathy for Gazza when Hoddle left him out of the World Cup). I have greater respect for, say, Clinton Woods who nobody would have expected to win a world title but who grafted and made the most of what he had. There's few things worthwhile in life that are achieved without hard work, particularly over the long-term.

[stevieb_8006]

Kirkland Laing was a waste of talent and generally everyone feels bad that he didn't achieve more.... but I did speak to a southern area champ who said he doesn't buy it - his argumnet is that Kirk pissed his career up the wall, couldn't put in the work and that boxing rewards hard work not just talent.

There's something to be said about that even if I don't necessarilly agree....

I agree. It's hard to sympathise with somebody that has all the gifts but doesn't have the dedication to make the most of them (it's why I never had any sympathy for Gazza when Hoddle left him out of the World Cup). I have greater respect for, say, Clinton Woods who nobody would have expected to win a world title but who grafted and made the most of what he had. There's few things worthwhile in life that are achieved without hard work, particularly over the long-term.

to be fair, u've never heard kirkland grumble. its not like he moans "oh what could have been...."

[Oliver Jarratt]

Hi everyone,

Just to answer King Tubby's message, see www.oliverjarratt.com for how to buy my biography of Kirkland called "The Gifted One: Kirkland Laing through the eyes of others." Website also contains links to various reviews, just to give you some neutral opinions on it. Reviews are also pending in Boxing News and Boxing Monthly.

All the best,

Oliver

[stevieb_8006]

Hi everyone,

Just to answer King Tubby's message, see http://www.oliverjarratt.com for how to buy my biography of Kirkland called "The Gifted One: Kirkland Laing through the eyes of others." Website also contains links to various reviews, just to give you some neutral opinions on it. Reviews are also pending in Boxing News and Boxing Monthly.

All the best,

Oliver

Cant wait to get this book. Long overdue it is. I heard that bunce documentary was a bit of a stitch up, can u comment on this oliver.

Oh and how is laing nowadays? Have u spoke to him post injury?

[TheGoods]

Finally picked mine up from post office today. Gonna get stuck into it tonight. It looks mighty impressive. Nothing excites me like a well crafted book about the sweet science. Top job Oliver.

[Oliver Jarratt]

Thanks guys.

In relation to the Steve Bunce documentary, I'm aware that some people took a negative view of it, but I've always felt his intentions were genuine. Moreover, he invited me (despite never having met me) to sell my book at the Nottingham session of Bunce Live a month or so back. He's also plugged the book heavily, including on his Radio London show, so based on my personal experience, I cannot fault him.

As for Kirk, yes I did meet him after his fall, and even got him to the Midlands Area Council (of the BBBofC) Awards Dinner in 2007, where Kirk was awarded "Boxer Of The Past" - couple of photos of that in the book!

All the best,

Oliver

[ERIC GUY]

Last time I saw Kirk, was in Hackney, asked me for some money for a beer!! maybe 8 yrs ago??

[Collins2000]

Brilliant havn,t seen his fights for years wold love to see the whole collins fight, somebody here was gonna send it me but never did :(

I put a couple of complete Kirkland Laing fights up at the http://www.thebox.bz.

Vs Sylvester Mittee

http://www.thebox.bz/details.php?id=92451

Vs Rocky Kelly

http://www.thebox.bz/details.php?id=92451

It's a private torrent site but they are accepting new members at the moment.

[MightyWarrior]

I was at the Kelly fight. And a few weeks before it, I bumped into Rocky Kelly in a pub in Fulham, across the road from where I worked, and was amazed to see him buying some weed off some guy in the pub ( and no it wasn't Kirk haha )
I should have put a bet on Laing right then, but knowing Kirk, he was probably up to even worse!

[FLINT ISLAND]

Hey guys

You know that shed behind my garden you were all making fun of me about

Colin Jones trained in that shed for both his fights with Kirkland Laing and came from behind to Knock Kirklamd Laing out twice

And they were two great wins - because Kirkland Laing really was a brilliant talent

So please show more respect to the shed behind my garden D

[TerribleTerry]

I was at the Kelly fight. And a few weeks before it, I bumped into Rocky Kelly in a pub in Fulham, across the road from where I worked, and was amazed to see him buying some weed off some guy in the pub ( and no it wasn't Kirk haha )
I should have put a bet on Laing right then, but knowing Kirk, he was probably up to even worse!

Great story MW - as you say Kirkland would have probably been smoking the herb himself in the run up to most fights - he certainly never struck me as the type to abstain just because there was a fight around the corner...

[MightyWarrior]

I was at the Kelly fight. And a few weeks before it, I bumped into Rocky Kelly in a pub in Fulham, across the road from where I worked, and was amazed to see him buying some weed off some guy in the pub ( and no it wasn't Kirk haha )
I should have put a bet on Laing right then, but knowing Kirk, he was probably up to even worse!

Great story MW - as you say Kirkland would have probably been smoking the herb himself in the run up to most fights - he certainly never struck me as the type to abstain just because there was a fight around the corner...

Ha yes, Rocky must have been thinking the same thing...
it was pretty funny, he was obviously trying to go unoticed, with baseball cap pulled low etc, but I said good luck next week to him, and he looked very worried and asked me not to mention anything to his manager Harry ( not that I would have, plus I didn't even know the bloke either ) he was a real character, and tough as hell too. Originaly from Acton I think