As you've probably heard or read by now, Vikings' defensive end Ray Edwards is going to be making his professional boxing debut in a couple of weeks at the Grand Casino in Hinckley. Specifically, he will be fighting on May 20 at 7:30 PM. His opponent, former kickboxer T.J. Gibson, is a full eight inches shorter than Edwards is.
Maybe it's been a while since I watched boxing. . .but doesn't boxing have weight classes? Because seriously, if Ray Edwards and this Gibson fellow are fighting when Edwards is 6'5" and Gibson is 5'9". . .eh, it just doesn't seem right to me.
But more surprising is how the fight is being promoted. Check out this piece of advertising from the Midwest Sports Council.
Edwards is already being billed as "Former Minnesota Viking" Ray Edwards. Which is weird, since the last time I checked, if the 2010 league rules go into effect (which is expected to happen if the current lockout is lifted), that guy isn't an unrestricted free agent. He's a restricted free agent that has been tendered at the first-round level by the Minnesota Vikings.
So, if the 2010 rules go into effect, unless some NFL team is willing to part with a whole lot of cash and their first-round draft choice, Ray Edwards won't be a "former" Viking until 2012 at the earliest.