Kirkland Laing

Many years ago l can remember watching a boxer who produced two of the greatest fights l have ever seen. That boxer was Kirkland Laing and his battles with Colin Jones will live long in the memory.

In all honesty he should and could have been one of boxing's greats.

Maybe reading this story goes a long way as to why he never reached those heights.





ANYONE searching for the best British boxers who never won world titles will have no trouble finding suitable contenders.
Dave Charnley, Herol Graham and Colin Jones, who made seven failed attempts between them, certainly qualify.

But for me Kirkland Laing, former British and European welterweight champion, is by far the outstanding candidate.

I've not seen anyone from this island in the last half-century who possessed as much natural talent as Laing.

Many of his fellow pros from the 1970s and 80s agree. Dave "Boy" Green said unequivocally: "He is as close to Sugar Ray Leonard as anyone in this country has ever been."

Trying to land a punch on him was like trying to catch smoke in a bottle.

Charlie Magri, Maurice Hope and the other world champions who trained at the Royal Oak gym, Canning Town, couldn't lay a glove on him.

So why didn't he make it to the top of the mountain?

The answer can be found in The Gifted One, published this month by Oliver Jarrett of the British Boxing Board of Control.

Jarrett reveals that nearly every time Laing climbed through the ropes he was STONED.

Kirkland arrived in Nottingham from Jamaica when he was nine and, as a Rastafarian, smoked cannabis every day.

Magri once stopped him leaving the changing room for a gym session because he'd forgotten he still had a spliff behind his ear.

Unbelievably, hours before he went into the ring, even before some of the most important fights of his 20-year career, he was puffing on pot.

Which is why Laing was so laid back he made Des Lynam appear hyper-active.

But manager Terry Lawless and others were driven to distraction by his unconventional lifestyle and lack of dedication.

Terry lost patience and released Laing from his contract, which Mickey Duff picked up.

It was Duff who led Kirkland to his biggest triumph.

He outpointed Roberto Duran over 10 rounds in Detroit in 1982 - nine months before the Panamanian legend won the world light-middleweight crown.

It was a sensational victory and as a result Duff received three lucrative world title offers for his man.

But there was one major snag. Laing went partying and disappeared off the face of the earth.

Duff didn't find Kirkland again until a year later.

Unfortunately the marijuana almost killed him. Five years ago he was at a party in Hackney and fell from a fourth-floor balcony, suffering severe head injuries.

Now Kirkland, 55, is back in Nottingham being cared for by three of his children and his mischievous grin is no longer seen in public.

Joe Ryan, his last trainer, said: "If he hadn't taken drugs he would never have got beat."

Not that Kirkland cares. He was simply happy

By Colin Hart.

The Gifted One: Kirkland Laing