Here Comes the Payne 01.25.10: The Gifted One

Posted by Michael Payne on 01.25.2010

With the long awaited return of Here Comes the Payne, I am looking back at the life of one of the greatest ever talents in British boxing. His name is Kirkland ‘The Gifted One’ Laing.

Kirkland Laing

43 (24KO) – 12 – 1
Home Town – Nottingham, England
Honors – 1972 ABA featherweight champion
British welterweight champion
European welterweight champion
Pro Career – 1975 - 1994

The Man

If you don't already know who Kirkland Laing is you may be thinking right now that his record does not look like one of a man I have referred to as one of the greatest ever boxing talents to come from the UK. He has 12 losses on his record and he didn't win a world title. Many other Brits have achieved much more than Laing, but the truth is Laing is widely regarded as the best ever British fighter not to win a world title. He also has a fascinating story which I am hoping to cover at least some of today.

When looking for a reason for his lack of success at world level an old Muhammad Ali quote springs to mind "Champions have to have the skill and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill." Kirkland certainly had the skill. He was fast, naturally gifted at boxing and had decent power. The nickname ‘The gifted one' was given to him for very good reason. It was what Ali in his quote calls the will. Kirkland was so laid back, he loved to party and he also enjoyed smoking lots of cannabis. It has been said that he enjoyed smoking it before a lot of his biggest fights. So Kirkland didn't train properly, if at all. He would disappear for long periods of time and ultimately just didn't dedicate himself enough. If he did I am sure he would have been a world champion and would not have losses on his record against fighters who should not have had a chance of beating him.



The Fighter

In the ring Laing would adopt a hands-down by his side style, similar to how Roy Jones Jr. fought in his prime. He would make opponents miss and punish them with counter punches. When he was at his best and had trained he looked phenomenal. When he hadn't trained properly this got him in trouble, being caught by lesser opponents when his reflex's were not so good. If the stories of him getting stoned before some fights are true then this would easily explain why this happened.

Laing started his pro career in 1975 and was set to last 19 years until he was 40. He remained unbeaten until he fought Colin Jones for the British title in 1980 and 1981, on both occasions Jones won by TKO in the 9th round. In the first of their fights Laing was easily out boxing his opponent. Jones a good quality fighter with a big punch but for most of the fight couldn't get near Laing. Then in the ninth round Laing got lazy and caught with a few of Jones' biggest shots and was all of a sudden in major trouble before the referee stepped in to call a halt to the punishment. The rematch was held a year later for the British and Commonwealth titles. The fight went just like the first. Laing was beating him with his footwork and speed, staying out of range and counter punching until the 9th when Jones caught up with him again and the fight got stopped in Jones' favor.

The Upset

Kirkland Laing then lost again in 1982 to Reggie Ford before a win and then came the biggest chance of his career, a chance to fight the great Roberto Duran in America. Duran was coming off a loss to Wilfred Benitez. He ideally wanted to get a win under his belt against someone who would not pose too much of a threat, then move up a weight in search of further world titles. Laing had different ideas; for once he trained hard and was well prepared for what was coming. When the fight came about Laing did very little in the first two rounds, he kept out of Duran's way and it looked as if it would only be a matter of time before Duran caught him and knocked him out. After the second round Laing was told by his trainer to throw more punches and he did exactly that and the fight got going in the 3rd. Laing's confidence increased round after round beating Duran to the punch and catching him with good shots. Duran caught Laing with a big right hook in the 6th round but Laing was able to weather the storm. Duran continued to have times when he caught Laing with big shots but was not able to make them count. By the latter rounds Laing looked in no way intimidated by the great Duran and was pushing him around beating him to the punch with his faster hand speed. After the fight one judge scored it 96 – 95 to Duran, with the other two having it 96 – 94 to Laing. The fight was voted 1982 upset of the year by Ring Magazine. The is a case to be made that Duran was a little disillusioned with boxing at this time and didn't train hard enough for this fight, but regardless of this it showed that Laing could mix it with the best in the world when he committed himself.

The Aftermath

The year that followed the fight was a vast difference from the focused committed fighter we witnessed in the ring against Duran. With his nice purse in his hand Laing disappeared for a year partying. Manager Micky Duff attempted to find him but had no success. Obviously Laing was in demand after this fight and could easily have found himself fighting for the world title but instead he disappeared to drink and take drugs. In the same year Duran fought 4 times, winning the light middleweight title and reportedly earning $6million. When Laing did finally turn up he had varying degrees of success. Losing to guys who were obviously less gifted than him and beating other guys and winning the British and European welterweight titles along the way, but he rarely showed the true level of his abilities again. He finally called it a day when he was 40 in 1994 when he got TKO'd in 5 rounds by Glenn Catley.

Since hanging up his gloves for good Laing has gone back to his old ways with drink and drugs in Hackney in London. British boxing pundit made a short video about him in 2003, in which he tracked down Laing to discuss old times. Laing looked like a very different figure to the one that beat Duran all those years ago but he still showed the charm he has when he was discussing old times. Shortly after the film was made Laing fell from his balcony at was seriously injured in an incident which is still unexplained. Lucky Laing survived and made a recovery and has now moved back to his home town of Nottingham to be close to his family and children.

Watch the video below to see The Gifted One at his best.