James Kirkland's Return Coming Together For 2011 Run

By Lem Satterfield

According to boxing manager Cameron Dunkin, plans are being put together for the anticipated ring return of junior middleweight prospect James Kirkland (25-0, 22 KOs). The 26-year-old unbeaten southpaw, who is promoted by Golden Boy Promotions, was released from Bastrop Federal Prison, in Bastrop, Tex., in September after having pled guilty to a charge of gun possession in April of 2009. Kirkland has not fought since March, 2009 when he stopped Joel Julio in the sixth round.

Kirkland spent time in an Austin, Tex., halfway house, but was pulled out of potential spot on the under card of an HBO televised Dec. 11, main event that featured WBA junior welterweight champ Amir Khan of England scoring a unanimous over WBA interim titlist Marcos Rene Maidana of Argentina in Las Vegas. Kirkland's violation was the result of his probation officer having made an unannounced visit to the Austin gym where Kirkland was to have been training only to discover that the fighter was not there.

"James has been training on his own just right outside of Austin. He's taking care of himself. He's had a great holiday season. He's doing what he's supposed to be doing and showing up on time. James is ready to and to come here and hopefully get into Las Vegas by the end of the month. That's what we're working on," said Dunkin.

"We will definitely be trying to get him out to Las Vegas to relocate him and get him working with [trainer] Ken Adams, who is waiting for him. We don't have any set date for him to fight again. I don't want to make any promises. We want to keep him training and then evaluate him from there," said Dunkin.

"[Kirkland's attorney] Michael Miller is working on that, and then, we will let Kenny Adams evaluate James and determine when he's ready to return to the ring."

Lem Satterfield is the boxing editor at AOL FanHouse and the news editor at BoxingScene.com. To read more from Lem Satterfield, go to AOL FanHouse by Clicking Here .