Today former EliteXC fighter and internet street fighting legend Kimbo Slice had his first interview since his October 4th loss to journeyman Seth Petruzelli. Kimbo, who's real name is Kevin Ferguson, was supposed to fight MMA legend Ken Shamrock on October 4th at the EliteXC: Heat event but that fight was canceled at the very last second due to a cut above the eye of Ken Shamrock sustained during training.
Wary to scratch the main event, Kimbo, from the card completely EliteXC approached undercard fighter Seth Petruzelli and asked him to fight Kimbo in the main event of the night. EliteXC entised Petruzelli by bumping up his show purse and they even added in some not so legal incentives. The mayhem that ensued from the end of the fight (StandGate, the exposure of EliteXC's biggest cashcow and the astronomical debt ProElite was in) led to the meteoric downfall of EliteXC and parent company ProElite. Since losing just about everyone has been talking about the event, about the loss or about the controversy behind the fight.
That is, all except Kimbo. Kimbo has been M.I.A since his loss but today he made his first public interview since the embarrassing loss on The Dan Le Batard Show on South Florida's 790 The Ticket.
The interview was pretty cut and dry as Kimbo is a relaxed guy when it comes to interviews. Kimbo was asked about the Petruzelli fight and the aftermath. When asked about if he were embarrassed, depressed or upset Kimbo responded:
Nah, none of the above. it comes with the fight, it comes with the territory. Like I always said from the beginning and I'll say it again. I'm a fighter, and thats what I continue to do and I give 110% in it. If a guy catches me with a good one, that's cool.
When asked about a recent article in the local newspaper in which the front page was draped with Kimbo's picture with a headline reading "Sissy" Kimbo was unaware of the article, but upon hearing it he was very upset:
Yeah I gotta get in contact with that guy. We need to confront the situation face to face. Because that **** wasn't cool. To me that was disrespectful. [We] Representin' that same city and the local newspaper has to be disrespectful like that. I think I gotta confront this guy. I want to see what his angle was. Why would he disrespect me like that. I think the guy needs to be slapped in his mouth. There's one thing you can't call me and that's a sissy.
When asked what happened the night of the fight Kimbo responded:
They had us under the impression that the fight was not going to happen. I mean, I'm going to be honest with you. When they told me the fight was not going to happen that blood that I'd been holdin' on the whole time while I was training, you know I kinda let it go a little because I was like 'wow the fight ain't going to happen now'. I was a little bit depressed but I kinda had a relaxed mindframe. Everything about me was no longer in fight mode. I just didn't click back into fight mode. We went to the fight[venue] anyways and an hour later they came running back acting crazy talking that we got a new fight, what do you want to do? **** it, I'll do it. I ain't going to back down. I guess it wasn't in my favor. That night wasn't my night.
LeBatard asked what were his thoughts on Seth Petruzeilli wearing a Kimbo Slice halloween costume. Kimbo responded by saying that "It was cool as **** that Seth wore a Kimbo costume."
Kimbo went on to say "I love fighting. People get angry to fight, I dont. I love doing this. I'll shake a guy's hand if he knocks me the **** out."
Kimbo did seem to be confused as to how some people thought the fight could be fixed. "How can the fight be fixed? We don't deal with fixed fights. We're honst people. That's bull****."
Most importantly Kimbo went on to state that "We were not bribed. Everything was legit" in regards to any pre fight bonuses. So it seems that there was no shady wheelings and dealings when it came to getting Kimbo to fight.
When asked about his next fight Kimbo seemed to be a bit behind the loop:
I would love to fight by next February, but Elite has to get their **** together.
The most surprising, and revealing part of the interview came through this tidbit:
I haven't mentioned to anybody. I'm thinking about boxing. Boxing is wide open right now. Hell yeah, I'm a fighter, I do it all.
