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New James Toney Interview!
Exclusive Interview: James "Lights Out" Toney
By Ace Freeman and Joe Bruiser
Ace Freeman and Joe Bruiser caught up with the legendary James “Lights Out” Toney outside a conditioning training session in LA. Watch the future Hall-of-Famer discuss his amateur days, the earlier part of his career, and his favorite delivered beatdowns. You don’t want to miss this one, only on FightFan.com!
November 24, 2006
FF: James “Lights Out” Toney…
JT: FightFan.com! How you doin?
FF: First question: Are you the greatest fighter in the world?
JT: Yes sir.
FF: I guess that goes without saying…
JT: Hands down because ain’t nobody done what I’ve done. I’ve gone from 157lbs when I turned pro to 236lbs and I handle these guys no problem.
FF: Can you tell us a little bit about your amateur career?
JT: I had a brief amateur career, I was 31-2 with 29 KO’s. I won the Michigan state Golden Gloves title, and I would have won the (inaudible) too, but once again I was the victim of a home town decision. I beat the guy dropped him three times and I still lost.
FF: Even in the amateurs..
JT: Even in the amateurs. That deterred me from going to the games and I turned pro and did my thing.
FF: Did you play football?
JT: I played football, I was a defensive back and quarterback in high school.
FF: Were you a pretty big guy in high school?
JT: I was 205 lbs to be exact.
FF: So you were a heavyweight in football…
JT: And then I turned pro (boxing) at 157 lbs.
FF: We heard some kind of rumors about a scuffle you had with Deon Sanders, can you set that straight?
JT: Man everybody says that. It wasn’t much of a scuffle. We were in football camp, it was a Michigan camp, one of the biggest in the country. But it wasn’t much of a scuffle. It was two hits, me hitting him and him hitting the floor.
FF: Lights out I guess, huh?
JT: Yes sir.
FF: What was the most important fight in the earlier stages of your career?
JT: Most important fight for me was when I fought Sanderline Williams. He was a guy who had fought all the tough guys and no one had dropped him and I wanted to get out there and fight all the top opposition… (cut off)
[Interrupting background voice: Hey Mr. Toney!]
JT: (to unnamed person) What up baby boy! Hey you know how we do! How bout those Broncos of yours… they suck! (laughs)
Anyway, I wanted to fight this guy to show that I belong with the upper echelon fighters, so I fought him and it was a ten round draw but I fought with the chicken pox and I should have even fought while I was sick. But back then it goes to show – a lot of people get sick and make excuses… I wasn’t going to put it off. I fought and would have got him out of there in five rounds, but after five my energy level just wasn’t there.
FF: Who would you say got the worst beating out of all the guys you ever fought? Who got the worst of it out of everybody?
JT: I’d say Iran Barkley. Iran’s from New York, he was talking about Bronx this and Bronx that, all this crazy ****, he’s talking about gang **** with me, but we in my neck of the woods! We talking real stuff here, you know what I’m sayin?
I’m supposed to be scared? I’m not African, I’m not from Haiti, I’m not a scary guy. So you know what I did? I put an *** whooping on him for nine plus rounds.
FF: What about the most satisfying beating of your career? The one that gave you the most satisfaction personally…
JT: Holyfield because everybody thought I was going to lose. People said he was too big and hit too hard. Man I whooped his *** bad.
FF: What about the (Montell) Griffin fights. Why were those such bull ****?
JT: He knows he didn’t beat me. Everybody knows he didn’t beat me. It was another instance of people thinking James Toney’s getting too big so they gotta try to keep me down. I’m not a kiss *** fighter. I don’t kiss no one’s ***. I don’t kiss the promoter’s ***, I don’t kiss the referee’s ***. I just fight the fight like it’s supposed to be. Old School.
FF: From very early on in your career you had to deal with being victim to questionable decisions. Is that something you’ve just come to accept as part of the game? I mean you love the sport, but…
JT: I don’t accept none of it as part of the game. I just feel like guys are trying to keep me out of it and they can’t do it. I ain’t going nowhere, I’m 38 years old and I feel like I’m 28. I feel better than ever and I ain’t going nowhere for a while. I’m not going nowhere until I’m ready to go.
FF: Tell us about the Jirov fight. What do you have to say about that fight?
JT: Jirov was a great fight. Everyone thought I was going to get beat down and hurt, bruised up… I kicked his ***.
FF: What about that 12th round man?
JT: The 12th round was a classic. I beat him down. I hit him with a body shot and made him go "PBFFFT!".
FF: Did you have to dig pretty deep to do that? How were you feeling at that point?
JT: I was in great shape. I could have gone 15 rounds. 15 or 20 rounds if I’d had to. I was in condition to do more than 15 rounds.
FF: We saw a pretty funny clip a while back of you on TV talking to Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. You were sitting with Mickey Rourke. You remember that?
JT: (Smiles) Yep yep…
FF: What do you say about those guys, why did those great fights at 168 never come off?
JT: They was cowards. As a matter of fact, I’m going through the same thing now that I was back then. The Europeans are scared to fight me. Klitschkos, Valuev, Sergi Lack-a-saluev or whatever… All these punk bitches scared to fight me. They got titles but I’m making more money than them… What more can you say? I’m making more money than these chumps. Problem is they can’t beat me inside the ring so what do they do? They take it from me outside the ring with bull **** decisions. The judges… the commission don’t have the balls to do nothing about it.
FF: What makes Freddie Roach such a good trainer?
JT: That’s my man right there. The Road dog. Freddie’s a no nonsense trainer. You’re either going to do it or you’re not.
FF: We were there yesterday and he was yelling at some guys…
JT: That’s because they weren’t doing what they was supposed to do. When we’re in the ring, he’s not yelling. He yells in training to get the best out of you.
FF: What do you think about that Pacquiao kid?
JT: That’s my man right there. He’s a little piece of dynamite. He’s going to knock that dude out quick [Editors note: prophecy that came true]. He’s fast and he hits hard with both hands.
FF: What would you say is the most important punch in your arsenal?
JT: I got all of them. I can do everything. I’m a complete fighter. I can fight forwards, backwards, sideways. Not a lot of people can do that.
FF: Tell us about the old school fighters. What guys from boxing’s past are you a fan of?
JT: I love all of them. Ezzard Charrles, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ray Robinson...
FF: Archie Moore?
JT: Archie Moore, that’s the man… the Mongoose. I love to watch the old fighters. Then you got modern day fighters like Tommy Hearns, he’s like my godfather. Marvin Hagler… And you can’t forget about Jake Lamotta. Tough Son of a *****.
FF: Do you put yourself on the same level as guys like that?
JT: Yes sir. I can fight at any level. I ain’t afraid to take it, and I give a whole bunch. You know what I’m sayin?
FF: What about Emanuel Augustus man? You like that guy?
JT: Oh I love him. I really like watching him fight. You know he does that little dace like this (does his Augustus impersonation). He be doing his thing, you know? He’s kicking ***.
FF: He’s a good friend of ours and is always featured on our site. We’re hoping he gets that big fight he’s looking for.
JT: If anyone deserves a big fight, it’s him.
FF: James Toney thanks for taking the time to talk with FightFan.com man. It’s a real honor.
JT: FightFan.com! Tune in January 6th, James Toney’s back!!!
Exclusive Interview: James "Lights Out" Toney
By Ace Freeman and Joe Bruiser
Ace Freeman and Joe Bruiser caught up with the legendary James “Lights Out” Toney outside a conditioning training session in LA. Watch the future Hall-of-Famer discuss his amateur days, the earlier part of his career, and his favorite delivered beatdowns. You don’t want to miss this one, only on FightFan.com!
November 24, 2006
FF: James “Lights Out” Toney…
JT: FightFan.com! How you doin?
FF: First question: Are you the greatest fighter in the world?
JT: Yes sir.
FF: I guess that goes without saying…
JT: Hands down because ain’t nobody done what I’ve done. I’ve gone from 157lbs when I turned pro to 236lbs and I handle these guys no problem.
FF: Can you tell us a little bit about your amateur career?
JT: I had a brief amateur career, I was 31-2 with 29 KO’s. I won the Michigan state Golden Gloves title, and I would have won the (inaudible) too, but once again I was the victim of a home town decision. I beat the guy dropped him three times and I still lost.
FF: Even in the amateurs..
JT: Even in the amateurs. That deterred me from going to the games and I turned pro and did my thing.
FF: Did you play football?
JT: I played football, I was a defensive back and quarterback in high school.
FF: Were you a pretty big guy in high school?
JT: I was 205 lbs to be exact.
FF: So you were a heavyweight in football…
JT: And then I turned pro (boxing) at 157 lbs.
FF: We heard some kind of rumors about a scuffle you had with Deon Sanders, can you set that straight?
JT: Man everybody says that. It wasn’t much of a scuffle. We were in football camp, it was a Michigan camp, one of the biggest in the country. But it wasn’t much of a scuffle. It was two hits, me hitting him and him hitting the floor.
FF: Lights out I guess, huh?
JT: Yes sir.
FF: What was the most important fight in the earlier stages of your career?
JT: Most important fight for me was when I fought Sanderline Williams. He was a guy who had fought all the tough guys and no one had dropped him and I wanted to get out there and fight all the top opposition… (cut off)
[Interrupting background voice: Hey Mr. Toney!]
JT: (to unnamed person) What up baby boy! Hey you know how we do! How bout those Broncos of yours… they suck! (laughs)
Anyway, I wanted to fight this guy to show that I belong with the upper echelon fighters, so I fought him and it was a ten round draw but I fought with the chicken pox and I should have even fought while I was sick. But back then it goes to show – a lot of people get sick and make excuses… I wasn’t going to put it off. I fought and would have got him out of there in five rounds, but after five my energy level just wasn’t there.
FF: Who would you say got the worst beating out of all the guys you ever fought? Who got the worst of it out of everybody?
JT: I’d say Iran Barkley. Iran’s from New York, he was talking about Bronx this and Bronx that, all this crazy ****, he’s talking about gang **** with me, but we in my neck of the woods! We talking real stuff here, you know what I’m sayin?
I’m supposed to be scared? I’m not African, I’m not from Haiti, I’m not a scary guy. So you know what I did? I put an *** whooping on him for nine plus rounds.
FF: What about the most satisfying beating of your career? The one that gave you the most satisfaction personally…
JT: Holyfield because everybody thought I was going to lose. People said he was too big and hit too hard. Man I whooped his *** bad.
FF: What about the (Montell) Griffin fights. Why were those such bull ****?
JT: He knows he didn’t beat me. Everybody knows he didn’t beat me. It was another instance of people thinking James Toney’s getting too big so they gotta try to keep me down. I’m not a kiss *** fighter. I don’t kiss no one’s ***. I don’t kiss the promoter’s ***, I don’t kiss the referee’s ***. I just fight the fight like it’s supposed to be. Old School.
FF: From very early on in your career you had to deal with being victim to questionable decisions. Is that something you’ve just come to accept as part of the game? I mean you love the sport, but…
JT: I don’t accept none of it as part of the game. I just feel like guys are trying to keep me out of it and they can’t do it. I ain’t going nowhere, I’m 38 years old and I feel like I’m 28. I feel better than ever and I ain’t going nowhere for a while. I’m not going nowhere until I’m ready to go.
FF: Tell us about the Jirov fight. What do you have to say about that fight?
JT: Jirov was a great fight. Everyone thought I was going to get beat down and hurt, bruised up… I kicked his ***.
FF: What about that 12th round man?
JT: The 12th round was a classic. I beat him down. I hit him with a body shot and made him go "PBFFFT!".
FF: Did you have to dig pretty deep to do that? How were you feeling at that point?
JT: I was in great shape. I could have gone 15 rounds. 15 or 20 rounds if I’d had to. I was in condition to do more than 15 rounds.
FF: We saw a pretty funny clip a while back of you on TV talking to Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank. You were sitting with Mickey Rourke. You remember that?
JT: (Smiles) Yep yep…
FF: What do you say about those guys, why did those great fights at 168 never come off?
JT: They was cowards. As a matter of fact, I’m going through the same thing now that I was back then. The Europeans are scared to fight me. Klitschkos, Valuev, Sergi Lack-a-saluev or whatever… All these punk bitches scared to fight me. They got titles but I’m making more money than them… What more can you say? I’m making more money than these chumps. Problem is they can’t beat me inside the ring so what do they do? They take it from me outside the ring with bull **** decisions. The judges… the commission don’t have the balls to do nothing about it.
FF: What makes Freddie Roach such a good trainer?
JT: That’s my man right there. The Road dog. Freddie’s a no nonsense trainer. You’re either going to do it or you’re not.
FF: We were there yesterday and he was yelling at some guys…
JT: That’s because they weren’t doing what they was supposed to do. When we’re in the ring, he’s not yelling. He yells in training to get the best out of you.
FF: What do you think about that Pacquiao kid?
JT: That’s my man right there. He’s a little piece of dynamite. He’s going to knock that dude out quick [Editors note: prophecy that came true]. He’s fast and he hits hard with both hands.
FF: What would you say is the most important punch in your arsenal?
JT: I got all of them. I can do everything. I’m a complete fighter. I can fight forwards, backwards, sideways. Not a lot of people can do that.
FF: Tell us about the old school fighters. What guys from boxing’s past are you a fan of?
JT: I love all of them. Ezzard Charrles, Jersey Joe Walcott, Ray Robinson...
FF: Archie Moore?
JT: Archie Moore, that’s the man… the Mongoose. I love to watch the old fighters. Then you got modern day fighters like Tommy Hearns, he’s like my godfather. Marvin Hagler… And you can’t forget about Jake Lamotta. Tough Son of a *****.
FF: Do you put yourself on the same level as guys like that?
JT: Yes sir. I can fight at any level. I ain’t afraid to take it, and I give a whole bunch. You know what I’m sayin?
FF: What about Emanuel Augustus man? You like that guy?
JT: Oh I love him. I really like watching him fight. You know he does that little dace like this (does his Augustus impersonation). He be doing his thing, you know? He’s kicking ***.
FF: He’s a good friend of ours and is always featured on our site. We’re hoping he gets that big fight he’s looking for.
JT: If anyone deserves a big fight, it’s him.
FF: James Toney thanks for taking the time to talk with FightFan.com man. It’s a real honor.
JT: FightFan.com! Tune in January 6th, James Toney’s back!!!
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