Heavyweight contender James Toney, 69-4-2, 43 KOs, 1 NC, has scrapped his upcoming bout with Rob Calloway, which was set to air live on The Best Damn Sports Show Period on December 15. According to his promoter Dan Goosen, the fight was canceled in favor of the prospect of facing newly crowned WBC heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman, 41-5-1, 33 KOs, sometime in early 2006. Rahman's future will be decided by the WBC as they decide who he shall face next. Oleg Maskaev, who recently won the number one position in the WBC, Toney, and Wladimir Klitschko are candidates for Rahman's first defense. The BDSSP telecast will now feature the rematch between WBA lightweight champ Juan Diaz and former champ Lavka Sim, and possibly Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward.
HOORAH!!!! :D :D :D :boxing:
When Toney was busted for roids wasn't he banned from holding the WBA title for a few years? This would make it rather hard for him to unify...
2 years.. i believe i heard ruiz say so
Glad to hear that Toney might get himself a shot at Rahman, I hope he does and wins in great fasion. And hell nah, Tarver would get himself embarrassed by James.
Toney could def. outbox rock and he may win a decision, but all it would take is one shot from the rock and toneys knocked out. I dont think Toney can KO any of the top hw, or take many of their shots to his chin. I think this would be the difference if he fight a guy like wlad., peters, or maybe brewster. He may get by rock with his inside tactics, but he'll have some tough fights ahead if he really does take on other good fighters.
Just a question, what if Tarver moves up to heavyweight, you think Tarver will be able to beat Toney?
Tarver will be the Undisputed Heavyweight Champ of the World!!!
Then Johnson rubber matches him and Glen Johnson becomes Undisputed Heavyweight Champ of the World!!!
toney by easy ud.
thats for sure, id bet 10 grand on it and not even be worried, i hope the odds are good, i dare a bookkeeper to make toney the underdog.
A fight with Rahman would not be as easy as Toney's fight with Ruiz..
Ruiz is a hug master and Toney is a superb counter puncher.. even though Ruiz decided to box with less hugging, he was still easily outclassed on the inside.
The key is, Rahman fights from the distance.. has a great reach/jab and Toney might have a problem countering that, or even reaching. Of course that is if Rahman fights a very smart and cautious fight.
But Rahman does have the chance to beat Toney simply because of his style and the pure size, reach advantage.
I get your point, but I wish there was some sense of urgency in the heavyweight division.
i think that's something we can all agree on. hopefully 2006 can be a "rebuilding" year for the heavyweight division. *fingers crossed*
well, and it's a good point.. but the main point here is, Toney's been working back towards higher competition.. he will fight other top heavies (such as Briggs, Brock, etc) as long as contracts can get signed. Based on how tough it's been recently, i'll be surprised if they get Toney/Rahman signed very soon. It's not that he can't, it's that he's still on the path towards the top.
Just put it in perspective. Toney just fought Ruiz in April of THIS YEAR. Then, in the last 7 months, he fought Guinn in October, a month ago. Now, he's looking to fight again, at first it was whoever the hell, but now, he wants to make Rahman his next target. He's not going to just jump right up to top-tier competition after coming back from an injury. He'll make the fight with Rahman and then if it's the "Lights Out" Toney i know, he'll have no problem facing other top heavyweights (if you can call them that) in the division.. it's just that these things can't happen overnight. if yall would look at it, he's only been back for maybe a year and a half since his injury.
I get your point, but I wish there was some sense of urgency in the heavyweight division.
Why should Toney get a shot at the heavyweight title? Who has he fought and beaten as a heavyweight that makes him deserving of a title shot?
I would like to see Toney first, beat someone worth mentioning. Guinn, Booker, and a shot Holyfield just doesn't cut it for me.
Toney should have to prove himself against some mid-top tier competition like Brock, Briggs, Wlad, Peter, Williams, Harrison, etc.
he absolutly dominated ruiz, just a totally one sided fight
Why can't Toney step up against some upper-level competition? After the steroid-gate match, he's fought Guinn and was scheduled to fight some no-name. Put him against Shannon Briggs or Calvin Brock and see how good he does.
well, and it's a good point.. but the main point here is, Toney's been working back towards higher competition.. he will fight other top heavies (such as Briggs, Brock, etc) as long as contracts can get signed. Based on how tough it's been recently, i'll be surprised if they get Toney/Rahman signed very soon. It's not that he can't, it's that he's still on the path towards the top.
Just put it in perspective. Toney just fought Ruiz in April of THIS YEAR. Then, in the last 7 months, he fought Guinn in October, a month ago. Now, he's looking to fight again, at first it was whoever the hell, but now, he wants to make Rahman his next target. He's not going to just jump right up to top-tier competition after coming back from an injury. He'll make the fight with Rahman and then if it's the "Lights Out" Toney i know, he'll have no problem facing other top heavyweights (if you can call them that) in the division.. it's just that these things can't happen overnight. if yall would look at it, he's only been back for maybe a year and a half since his injury.
the problem i c with toney is hes always saying he sthe best HW fighter today. but he has to fight sum1 to prove that, even though lots of ppl believe he is
Why can't Toney step up against some upper-level competition? After the steroid-gate match, he's fought Guinn and was scheduled to fight some no-name. Put him against Shannon Briggs or Calvin Brock and see how good he does.
he will step up to them when he defends his title that he takes from rahman. and he will beat them, then he beats byrd and ruiz again. toney cleans up the division just like he has done in other divisions in the past. 69 and 4. compare that record to the rest of the hw or other divisions for that matter. toney is old school and he is just that good.
Why can't Toney step up against some upper-level competition? After the steroid-gate match, he's fought Guinn and was scheduled to fight some no-name. Put him against Shannon Briggs or Calvin Brock and see how good he does.
Toney = next unified heavyweight champion. There's not a heavyweight alive Toney can't beat.
That's certainly taking it way too far, but Toney beats Rahman and Byrd.