By Rick Reeno

Ever since James Toney made the move up to the heavyweight division and defeated Evander Holyfield, the boxing world was curious as to how Toney would fair against one of the heavyweight champions. The boxing world is about to find out. Toney gets a shot at the WBA heavyweight title when he steps into the ring against champion John Ruiz.

Both men tipped the scales weighing way beyond what most experts predicted. Some thought Toney would come trimmed down, instead James weighed a career high 233 pounds. Toney is 16 pounds heavier then when he stepped into the ring against Holyfield and 43 pounds heavier then when he fought Jirov. On the flipside, John Ruiz weighed 241 pounds, matching his previous career high. Ruiz only weighed 226 when he fought Roy Jones and most expected Ruiz to slim down in order to have better movement against Toney.

I can't see Toney being the same fighter we all know when he steps in the ring later tonight. The amount of weight Toney put on for this fight is massive for his bodyframe, 233 pounds is going to hurt his defense, stamina and movement. The Ruiz camp must be delighted after Toney tipped the scales at 233. The WBA belt is not the only thing on the line tonight, history is on the line. A win would place Toney in the boxing history books forever, he would become only the third man in boxing history to start his career as a middlweight and win the heavyweight championship of the world. The other two fighters to accomplish this feat are Bob Fitzsimmons and Roy Jones Jr.

It will be very interesting to see how this fight plays out. I personally picked Ruiz to decision Toney, but I anticipated a close fight. After Toney came in weighing 233 pounds, I don't see a close fight taking place. I Think Ruiz is going to win at least 8 rounds of this fight. 

Round By Round Coverage has officially started.

Norman Stone has stated that he will be very vocal in tonight's fight. James Toney shown in back and appears to be out of shape, decent belly showing on Toney.

Don King, Lennox Lewis and boxing writer Steve Springer are with Jim Lampley doing a round table discussion about the status of the heavyweight division.

King has said that today was the first time that he has spoken to Chris Byrd in a long time and hopefully they can set up a fight for him in the near future. Byrd is the only champion that does not have a fight set up for 2005.

Don King has stated that Vitali Klitschko cannot fight, his biggest win is a losing effort against Lennox Lewis on what King said was Lewis' worst fight. King said that he will match any of his champions against Klitschko without any options on the career of Klitschko. King said that he has offered Vitali fights with his champions and Vitali will not take them. King said that Vitali came to him and demanded a rematch clause in his upcoming bout with Hasim Rahman.

Jim Lampley seems to be hyping Sam Peter as the next big thing in the heavyweight division. King said that he will do everything in his power to match all of the heavyweight champions against eachother.

Roy Jones is giving his take on the fight since he fought them both. He said that James does not appear in shape, but if he happens to be in shape he should win the fight.

Larry Merchant said that if James Toney wins, he will be the shortest heavyweight champion in over 100 years. Toney is only 5'9.

James Toney is coming down to the ring and the crowd goes wild for Toney. John Ruiz is coming to the ring and seems to be getting a decent reaction from the fans. The New York State Athletic Commission tried to get Ruiz to shave his beard prior to the fight and the Ruiz camp refused.

Toney getting a decent reaction as he is introduced, heavy amount of boos for John Ruiz.

Round 1 - Ruiz already clinches Toney and the crowd boos. Ruiz seems to be jabbing and trying to box. Toney lands a right to the body. Ruiz lands a left to the shoulder of Toney. Ruiz clinch, double left hook by Toney. Left hook by Ruiz sends Toney into the ropes. Ruiz clinches and Toney works the body. Big right by Toney, Ruiz took it like it was nothing. Hard right by Toney, Ruiz trying to jab and Toney with a left. Toney showing his hand speed here. I give this round to Toney.

Round 2 - HBO gave the last round to Ruiz, hard left on top by Toney. Hard right by Toney, Ruiz clinches and the two hit eachother while holding. Ruiz jabbing, right by Toney. Ruiz grabs Toney and hits him three times behind the head, Ruiz get warned by ref Steve Smoger. Right hand by Toney, Ruiz has a bruise on his nose. Ruiz is jabbing and seems confused. Heavy bodyshots by Ruiz and Toney stumbles back. Toney loading up on a lot of shots and missing. Close round I give to Toney but could have went to Ruiz as his two bodyshots were the biggest shots landed in the round.

Round 3 - HBO gave the last round to Toney. Toney jabbing and lands a big right, Ruiz tries to counter. Good bodyshot by Ruiz. Big right by Toney and Ruiz lands a big left. The two of them start to trade shots and Ruiz landing some big shots. Ruiz jabbing and lands a few shots. Toney lands an uppercut. Hard right counter by Toney. Good round for John Ruiz.

Round 4 - HBO gave the last round to Ruiz. Toney trying to jab to the body. Big right hand by Toney and Ruiz holds on, ref breaks them. Bodyshot by Ruiz and hits Toney to the back of head, gets a warning. Left-right combo by Ruiz. Toney jabbing to the body. Toney lands a big counter right and then dances around for his corners approval on the shot, Ruiz lands a little left while Toney clows around. Ruiz with a huge bodyshot on Toney. Big right by Toney, Ruiz lands a left-right combo at the bell.  Close round for John Ruiz.

Round 5 - HBO gave the last round to Toney. Ruiz jabbing, Toney lands a hard right to the body of Ruiz. Ruiz with a good bodyshot. Overhand right by Toney. Toney just hurt Ruiz with a good left hook. Ruiz with a bodyshot, a right and Toney counters with a left. The two exchange punches. Bodyshot by Ruiz, left by Toney. Toney grabs the round on my card.

Round 6 - Norman Stone yelling at Ruiz for letting Toney get off with his right hand all the time. HBO gave the last round to Toney. Ruiz jabbing, combo by Ruiz. Right by Ruiz. Bodyshot by Ruiz. Combo by Toney. Ruiz clinches and Toney keeps tagging his body. Right by Toney. Ruiz is jabbing. Toney seemed to have taken this round off, Ruiz grabs it.

Round 7 - Huge combo by Toney and Ruiz is down on the canvas at the start of the round. Ruiz claims that Toney stepped on his foot. Ruiz gets up and now is getting back to his usual grab and hold style. Ruiz has welts around his body from Toney's bodyshots. Hard right hand by Toney. Left by Ruiz and right hand by Toney. Toney grabbing a huge 10-8 round.

Round 8 - HBO gave Toney a 10-8 round in round 7. Replay showed Toney stepping on Ruiz's foot. Ruiz missed a shot and went flying across the ring to the floor. Ruled a slip. Blood coming from the nose of Ruiz. Huge right hand by Toney. Ruiz clinches and Toney is working the body. Both men are jabbing. The mouth of Toney is bleeding, right hand by Toney. Toney gets a close round and Ruiz appears to be fading.

Round 9 - HBO gave the last round to Toney. Ruiz jabbing and Toney hits the body. A clash of heads as they both come in, nobody seems hurt. Bodyshot by Ruiz. Ruiz jabbing, right by Ruiz. Bodyshots by Toney and Toney jabs to the body. Clinch by Ruiz. Toney jabbing up and down. Close round for Toney.

Round 10 - HBO gave the last round to Ruiz. Toney with a big right, crowd cheers big. Ruiz keeping his distance and jabbing. Right by Ruiz and Toney counters with his own right hand. Bodyshot by Ruiz. Bodyshot by Toney. Both men appear to be winded in this round. Big bodyshot by Ruiz on Toney against the ropes. Toney with a huge right hand, Ruiz jabs and Toney lands another huge right hand. Toney stole the round on my card with the two big shots at the end, but it was close.

Round 11 - HBO gave the last round to Toney. The two men are jabbing and Toney lands a right. Crowd starts a huge Toney chant. Massive right hand by Toney and Ruiz is wobbling. Ruiz just grabbing and Toney lands punches on the inside. Another big right by Toney on the inside. Bodyshot by Ruiz. Another round for Toney. Final round coming up.

Round 12 - Ruiz needs a KO on my card and on the card of HBO to win this fight. HBO gave the last round to Toney. Ruiz just clinchin and holding so far. Right hand backs up Toney. Bodyshot by Ruiz. Combo to the body by Toney and Ruiz missing his counters. Ruiz clinch and Toney hits to the body. Toney taps him with a right and Ruiz misses his two big right hand counters. They tarde right hands. Huge right hand by Toney at the bell. I gave Toney the last round and the fight. HBO has Toney winning the fight. Official Scores are coming up. HBO and my card has Toney winning 116-111.

Toney is making me eat my words with an awesome performance tonight, even at 233 pounds, the highest of Toney's career. 

Here comes the scores: 116-111, 116-111 and 115-112 for the winner and NEW WBA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD JAMES LIGHTS OUT TONEY.

James Toney becomes only the third man in boxing history to start his career as a middleweight and win the heavyweight title. Toney also becomes the shortest heavyweight to win the heavyweight title in over 100 years.

Final punchstat numbers show Toney landing almost 50% of his punches.