James Toney: The Best I Faced

I think his best performances was 1: Curry 2: Jackson 3: McCrory Whatever. McCallum was still a very capable fighter when he fought Toney. I wouldn't consider him prime, but of course that's debateable and you are entitled to your opinion. I find his fights with Kalambay, second one, McCrory, Collins and Watson to be great. The Herol Graham fight was really good too as he was about the only guy that looked good still while beating Graham. Yeah, I'm not sure I'd call him past prime in the first fight. Well, maybe he wasn't at his true physical peak but he was at that stage in which all his experience, skill and toughness come together to create a ****ing amazing fighter. He still had great speed, combinations, stamina, defense etc. He was past it big time for the Jones and last Toney fights but he was still right there for the first two Toney's fights, especially the first one. He was only 34/5 at most for that fight, not 37 as that other guy said. Hagler didn't duck him either. He was at 154 when Hagler was fighting all the big names at 160 and Steward got Lee in to fight instead of McCallum when he (The Kronk gym and both McCallum and Lee were able to fight Hagler) was offered a fight with Hagler so it had nothing to do with Hagler and everything to do with Steward. That's why McCallum blames Steward for a lot of the **** that kept his career back for so long. He didn't move up to 160 until after Hagler had retired and had only just fought his first big name in Jackson as Hagler was getting ready for the fight with Leonard, so it was all about the timing at that point. That fight was probably never going to happen. Great fighter that's still underrated by most fans...If they even know who he is! At least he is recognised by the HOF for what he is.

Wow, he is name from the past. I remember when he beat Michael Watson and herol graham and that is about all. When he beat Michael watson i was thinking man, Watson couldnt even beat Mike McCallum and he just beat nigel benn.

my dad used to tell me that Hagler...yes, the great MARVELOUS MARVIN ducked Mike McCallum....he told me Hagler wanted no parts of Mike back in the days....I'm starting to get the picture now....I see James thinks VERY high of Mike. This is basically true IMHO..........

James Toney enters his 20th year in professional boxing with Saturday’s non-televised bout against Matthew Greer on the undercard of Showtime’s Andre Ward-Shelby Pudwill offering. Who knows how far Toney will get in what has to be the last hurrah of his hall-of-fame career but he certainly has a lot to look back on, which the former three-division titleholder did recently with RingTV.com. In what will become a regular blog item featuring the most accomplished fighter’s of our generation, Toney lists the best he faced in 10 important categories. Best fighter: Mike McCallum -- That’s an easy choice, right off the top of my head it’s the Body Snatcher. He was the best fighter I fought at middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight. Out of all the fighters I fought, I respect him the most because he made me think about everything I tried to do. Before McCallum I was just runnin’ in on everyone, but he made me slow down and think for the first time. Best Boxer: McCallum -- Yup, it’s him again. It’s between McCallum and Michael Nunn, but I gotta go with McCallum because he was a master boxer who wasn’t afraid to stand his ground. Nunn was mostly fast. I admit that he outboxed me for about nine rounds, but my body shots slowed him down. I told him during the fight ‘I’m gonna catch you!’ And I did. Best puncher: Merqui Sosa -- Sam Peter is the hardest puncher I’ve fought, but pound-for-pound it’s Sosa because he hurt me the most. I’ll never forget that fight, we fought on an ESPN show in Atlantic City on a Sunday. I went at him like I did everyone back then and that mother f_____ hit me so hard in the third round I was seeing triple for the next three rounds. He knew how to hit and he was so awkward that I couldn’t time him and he caught me high on the head. Quickest hands: Roy Jones -- He was fast. I’ll give him that, but that’s all I’ll give him. I would have knocked him out if I wasn’t drained from losing 44 pounds in six weeks. I went in (that fight) like a fool and wasn’t properly prepared. Quickest feet: Nunn -- He had some fast-ass feet (laughing), didn’t he? He was an escape artist for nine or 10 rounds, ‘til I caught up to him. Best defense: McCallum: He was right there in front of me, but I had a hard time hitting him with clean punches. I basically came into my own by fighting him. I learned how to be elusive without running around the ring by fighting Mike McCallum three times. Best chin: Tony Thornton: The punching postman from Philly! (laughs) I thought I was gonna knock him out easy. He was squared up with his chin right there for me to hit but I hit him with every punch I had and he wouldn’t budge. I hit him with my best left hook and he didn’t blink. Best jab: McCallum: Mike’s jab was like a piston. There were other guys I fought who had good jabs, like Nunn and Jones, but they just had speed and they just flicked it. Mike popped that jab with authority. He was an old-school fighter. Strongest: Samuel Peter: He was just a big-ass African with brute African strength. :lol1: Smartest: McCallum: Come on, who do you think it is? Who’s the one fighter I truly respect? You got it, the Body Snatcher, Mike McCallum. I fought my share of boxers who thought they were clever like Roy Jones, Michael Nunn, Montell Griffin, and Reggie Johnson, but they were all scared to really fight. McCallum boxed, he fought, he defended, and he didn’t run all over the ring. He could do all that because he was smart. Alot of respect shown for the body snatcher :) my dad used to tell me that Hagler...yes, the great MARVELOUS MARVIN ducked Mike McCallum....he told me Hagler wanted no parts of Mike back in the days....I'm starting to get the picture now....I see James thinks VERY high of Mike.

He may have been 35 (or, if the rumours are true, slightly older) but he was close to his prime. I hate when folk say someone is past his prime just because he is older. McCallum hadn't lost a step by the time he fought Toney, in fact he still had a tremendous workrate, handspeed, defence and ringcraft. I completely disagree with that assessment. His best performances were against Kalumbuy (rematch), Watson and Herol Graham. And I'd even list the first 2 Toney fights among his best performances, particularly considering Toney's ability. Was Hopkins past his prime when he fought Tito, aged 36? I think his best performances was 1: Curry 2: Jackson 3: McCrory Whatever. McCallum was still a very capable fighter when he fought Toney. I wouldn't consider him prime, but of course that's debateable and you are entitled to your opinion.

Strongest: Samuel Peter: He was just a big-ass African with brute African strength. LMAO!!!!!! yeah that made me LOL, I'm glad he gave him props. Who is conducting these interviews, they are good reads? I could read **** like this all day everyday b/c it make me want to re-watch those fights!!

Wow, he is name from the past. I remember when he beat Michael Watson and herol graham and that is about all. When he beat Michael watson i was thinking man, Watson couldnt even beat Mike McCallum and he just beat nigel benn.

I think toney is just mad at jones because he got embarassed. IMO jones shouldve mentioned more. He hit harder than those other guys, and had an awesome boxing IQ. A prime 160 pound toney was THE MAN though.

James is the mothafukkin' GOAT. :boxing:

He may have been 35 (or, if the rumours are true, slightly older) but he was close to his prime. I hate when folk say someone is past his prime just because he is older. McCallum hadn't lost a step by the time he fought Toney, in fact he still had a tremendous workrate, handspeed, defence and ringcraft. I completely disagree with that assessment. His best performances were against Kalumbuy (rematch), Watson and Herol Graham. And I'd even list the first 2 Toney fights among his best performances, particularly considering Toney's ability. Was Hopkins past his prime when he fought Tito, aged 36?

Nice article. McCallum was a masterful fighter and his trilogy of bouts with Toney was epic, though by the third McCallum had slowed up considerably and James beat him very convincingly. Fights one and two could've went either way. McCallum's jab was like a ramrod, Toney came close to knocking Mike senseless in the 12th round of their first fight. Great battles. Toney really showed his maturity in those fights, he was just 22 or 23 in the first fight and McCallum was as savvy and tough as they come. Toney was rough at the edges but learned a lot in those fights and went 1-0-1. The mark of a true champ Also remember that McCallum was past prime when facing Toney. It's rumoured that he is at least a couple of years older than what is stated on boxrec meaning he likely was 37 when facing Toney for the first time.

Nice article. McCallum was a masterful fighter and his trilogy of bouts with Toney was epic, though by the third McCallum had slowed up considerably and James beat him very convincingly. Fights one and two could've went either way. McCallum's jab was like a ramrod, Toney came close to knocking Mike senseless in the 12th round of their first fight. Great battles. Toney really showed his maturity in those fights, he was just 22 or 23 in the first fight and McCallum was as savvy and tough as they come. Toney was rough at the edges but learned a lot in those fights and went 1-0-1. The mark of a true champ

Strongest: Samuel Peter: He was just a big-ass African with brute African strength. LMAO!!!!!! this was the best thing about thier fights, aside form James schooling that ass in the first match

Thanks for this. Good read. You gotta love Mccallum avoided while he was active and somewhat underrated still.

Damn, imagine fighting Sam Peter. He's just so thick. :rofl: Peter is a ****in bear like in your avatar.

You it is a the worse excuse. You have a point about Roy Jones still beating him but do think the fight would have still been that one-sided if Toney was prepared? I imagine JT would have been quicker and sharper if he had been in shape, but he still wouldnt have been as quick and sharp as Roy.

I wasnt prepared is a worse excuse than just saying hes better than me. If JT had true discipline he would have been one of the greatest. Roy Jones probably still beats him in shape or not though. You it is a the worse excuse. You have a point about Roy Jones still beating him but do think the fight would have still been that one-sided if Toney was prepared?

I wasnt prepared is a worse excuse than just saying hes better than me. If JT had true discipline he would have been one of the greatest. Roy Jones probably still beats him in shape or not though.

James is something else. He says, "I fought my share of boxers who thought they were clever like Roy Jones, Michael Nunn, Montell Griffin, and Reggie Johnson, but they were all scared to really fight" :lol1:

I knew it was going to be the Body Snatcher. One of my all time favorites and one of the most underrated champions.