Tweet
BE WARY OF THE FAT GUY, IF HE ARRIVES IN SHAPE!
by
Squarecircle
If you're a betting man, it would be an intelligent move to put a little money down on James Toney to pull off a unanimous decision when he goes up against Samuel Peter tonight. To the average fan that doesn't know the deal, let me break it down for you in layman's terms. These two guys already fought not too long ago, and in this fight James Toney's chin was thoroughly tested by Peter, who's regarded as an ugly puncher that hits extremely hard, the truth of the matter is that he really ain't all that, and he's built up on hype because of how brutally he knocked out a ham-n-egger named Jeremy Williams who's known for having a glass chin...
Peter is just not a very smart fighter, he isn't adaptable, all he tries to do is land a big looping right hand and when that fails, he'll clinch in and attempt to land illegal blows to the back of the head...not too much unlike Jeff Lacy. In Samuel Peter, you have a guy, who lacks ring intelligence, has a good chin and alot of power, but ugly technique. Peter's best tools are wide, winging, looping shots...Now, the reason I'm so confident Toney will win this fight, is, well, there's a couple reasons. Let's start with how the last fight between them played out. Peter was able to catch Toney a couple times flush on the chin with his best punches, granted, Toney was making small defensive movements to lessen the impact of the blows, i.e. he didn't walk into a power punch from Samuel Peter, but he absorbed the best of what Peter brought to the table, and came back firing, and was never visibly hurt.
Everyone regards Toney as having a superhuman chin after that fight, but the truth is, is that he just didn't walk into anything, had Toney been circling to his left, and ate a big right hook in doing so, there's no doubt in my mind he would've been out on his feet, no human being can stand up to power like that while they're moving into it. Toney cleverly avoids this by moving to his left as little as possible, because moving to his left would be moving towards Peter's power, and that is risky business, my friend. Just ask Jeremy Williams how risky that kind of business is. What Toney will do is cover up and stay on the inside, anticipating the wide looping punch that always comes from Peter, and before that punch even gets close to him, Toney will throw an extremely short, compact, but somewhat powerful counter right hook, right over the top, and it gets to the target every single time against Samuel Peter. Every. Single. Time. You can't just inject defensive skills into a fighter in three months. Peter is going to eat that counter over the top right hook all night, every time he tries to load up and hit Toney with something big on the inside, Toney will land that shot and not only prevent the haymaker from getting close but prevent Peter from getting set to throw a combination of haymakers even if Toney blocks the first one.
Now, factor in how Toney has the style advantage, then take a look at the weigh in pics. James Toney is a man who loves food, the guy loves to eat, just like I do. When a man who really loves to eat, puts down the fork and loses the weight, and it's obvious that he's serious about fighting, that is a force to truly contend with.
I hope Sam Peter knows this, and is wary of James Toney showing up in shape the way he did at the weigh-in. Toney was a complete fatass the last time he fought Peter, and he showed up in-shape and looked very focused yesterday. I know the look when I see it, there's no way in hell James Toney will lose this fight tonight. He has the edge on Peter in all categories except power. Toney has a superior chin, superior technique and form, better stamina, more experience, more championship rounds, the stylistic advantage; but what makes Toney so great and unique, is how he melds his slick, old-school throwback defense with offensive combinations that rival the fluidity of Sugar Shane Mosley's, on the inside. The guy will just sit there, on the inside, using a combination of defensive techniques, unlike other fighters on the world level such as Winky Wright, who's defense revolves around a guard, rather than head and abdominal movement. Well Toney prefers the old school defense, he likes the shoulder roll, but he'll utilize the guard as well, and when he makes you miss, he makes you pay. Toney will make you miss and then bop you with one of those compact over the top right hook counterpunches, then while you're thinking whether or not you wanna try that again, he'll lunge in before Peter has a chance to get set and let off a combination of his own. Then, Toney will, reset, back up, prepared to do it all over again.
If you're a Boxing fan, you better be tuned in to Showtime tonight, I mean, otherwise you're only cheating yourself. If you don't drink liquor at all, and you're sitting in Ruth Chris's, and someone offers you a glass of some Krug...You're a fool if you don't just sit back and enjoy that glass of Krug, just like you're a fool if you, considering yourself a true Boxing fan, decide to miss this fight for whatever reason. Don't let some bull**** social gathering deter you from witnessing history. When Toney beats this guy, he's going after Klitschko, and that is going to be a hell of a fight to see, because you have Klitschko, a pretty good straight puncher who will most likely nail Toney a few times with jabs and straight rights, along with his sneaky left hook, yet he has the curse of a weak beard; I guarantee you, if Toney connects on Klitschko with his counter over the top right hook, even a soft shot, he'll be hurt. I have this mental image of Toney getting past Samuel and then getting a fight with Klitschko, and nobody giving Toney a chance in hell to win. At least, until, that looping right hand over the top lands on Klitschko's chin, flush, much like Cory Sanders' straight left hand did. Keep in mind, Sanders was an old fighter when he knocked out the current Heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko. There's no reason Toney can't do it, I'm behind him 100%, the guy is good for Boxing, (and so is Wlad, Wlad is exciting...guy with a questionable chin who knows how to get guys outta there is always interesting, because you wind up asking yourself before every fight of his, 'Will he get knocked out, or knock the other guy out?'
Toney's old school defense is a joy for me to watch, I learn something new every time I watch the guy fight. Anyway, before I ramble on too much more, I just want to say one more thing in hopes of more people tuning into Boxing tonight. Because Boxing is a dying sport, and not only will this excellent Heavyweight main event be broadcasted, but also Jose Antonio Rivera is going up against an undefeated cat by the name of Travis Simms, they're fighting for the WBA title, this should be a very action-packed middleweight title bout.
Fight night is among us. Can't you feel it in the air? The fighters definately can, even a veteran like James Toney still has butterflies in his stomach, because he in his mind knows that if he makes a single mistake and allows Peter to take advantage of an opening and land something big, who knows what could happen. There have been many tragic endings in Boxing, and all fighters know this. James Toney has children with a beautiful wife, and he's risking all of that, risking spending next christmas with his children and wife, to do what he loves, even if it means putting his well-being and life on the line. Anyone who breathes the same air that I do, should give him respect for doing it, especially at his age.
There is a certain gloominess, or should I say, dark buzz, on fight night when a certain fight is taking place, where it's known both guys are physically and stylistically built to slaughter each other in slugfest fashion, based upon two variables. Their power, and their style.. A great example of this feeling was witnessed by many who attended McClellan vs Benn, a tragic bout that I really don't even feel like getting into right now. But everyone knew their styles, they knew both guys were come forward, aggressive, kill you with one or two shot type of fighters, with phenominal punching power. But they pitted them against each other, and while the crowd may love fights like that because more blood is shed, I appreciate seeing what Boxing is really supposed to be about, and that, is when the biggest puncher in the division of the last decade, goes up the best technician, some believe, that the sport has ever seen. Those are the beautiful kinds of fights for me to see, I appreciate watching a skilled technician frustrate a guy who relies on power. Now, things get real interesting when you have a match with a guy who relies on power, but also ring intelligence, and going up against a technician. That's what isn't going to happen tonight, because Peter lacks that ring intelligence that Foreman had when he took out Moorer back in November of '94 with that right hand that he chose to reveal in the championship rounds of the fight. Foreman hid his best tools until Moorer thought he had him figured out and decided, 'hey, I'm going to stand in front of this old guy because he's already tried to hit me with all he has,' little did he know, Foreman was thinking 'I'm gonna throw this lazy jab at him all night and then in the tenth round, unleash a secret weapon, the right hand I haven't thrown until that tenth round, and it'll hit him, because he won't be expecting it.' This is a great mentality to have in this sport, never show your opponent your best weapon until he least expects it, if you throw it early he'll identify the angle it's coming from and be prepared to block it, or be moving away from it.
Unfortunately for Samuel Peter, he doesn't fight like that, and here in a few hours, we should see Toney win an easy decision because of that.
by
Squarecircle
If you're a betting man, it would be an intelligent move to put a little money down on James Toney to pull off a unanimous decision when he goes up against Samuel Peter tonight. To the average fan that doesn't know the deal, let me break it down for you in layman's terms. These two guys already fought not too long ago, and in this fight James Toney's chin was thoroughly tested by Peter, who's regarded as an ugly puncher that hits extremely hard, the truth of the matter is that he really ain't all that, and he's built up on hype because of how brutally he knocked out a ham-n-egger named Jeremy Williams who's known for having a glass chin...
Peter is just not a very smart fighter, he isn't adaptable, all he tries to do is land a big looping right hand and when that fails, he'll clinch in and attempt to land illegal blows to the back of the head...not too much unlike Jeff Lacy. In Samuel Peter, you have a guy, who lacks ring intelligence, has a good chin and alot of power, but ugly technique. Peter's best tools are wide, winging, looping shots...Now, the reason I'm so confident Toney will win this fight, is, well, there's a couple reasons. Let's start with how the last fight between them played out. Peter was able to catch Toney a couple times flush on the chin with his best punches, granted, Toney was making small defensive movements to lessen the impact of the blows, i.e. he didn't walk into a power punch from Samuel Peter, but he absorbed the best of what Peter brought to the table, and came back firing, and was never visibly hurt.
Everyone regards Toney as having a superhuman chin after that fight, but the truth is, is that he just didn't walk into anything, had Toney been circling to his left, and ate a big right hook in doing so, there's no doubt in my mind he would've been out on his feet, no human being can stand up to power like that while they're moving into it. Toney cleverly avoids this by moving to his left as little as possible, because moving to his left would be moving towards Peter's power, and that is risky business, my friend. Just ask Jeremy Williams how risky that kind of business is. What Toney will do is cover up and stay on the inside, anticipating the wide looping punch that always comes from Peter, and before that punch even gets close to him, Toney will throw an extremely short, compact, but somewhat powerful counter right hook, right over the top, and it gets to the target every single time against Samuel Peter. Every. Single. Time. You can't just inject defensive skills into a fighter in three months. Peter is going to eat that counter over the top right hook all night, every time he tries to load up and hit Toney with something big on the inside, Toney will land that shot and not only prevent the haymaker from getting close but prevent Peter from getting set to throw a combination of haymakers even if Toney blocks the first one.
Now, factor in how Toney has the style advantage, then take a look at the weigh in pics. James Toney is a man who loves food, the guy loves to eat, just like I do. When a man who really loves to eat, puts down the fork and loses the weight, and it's obvious that he's serious about fighting, that is a force to truly contend with.
I hope Sam Peter knows this, and is wary of James Toney showing up in shape the way he did at the weigh-in. Toney was a complete fatass the last time he fought Peter, and he showed up in-shape and looked very focused yesterday. I know the look when I see it, there's no way in hell James Toney will lose this fight tonight. He has the edge on Peter in all categories except power. Toney has a superior chin, superior technique and form, better stamina, more experience, more championship rounds, the stylistic advantage; but what makes Toney so great and unique, is how he melds his slick, old-school throwback defense with offensive combinations that rival the fluidity of Sugar Shane Mosley's, on the inside. The guy will just sit there, on the inside, using a combination of defensive techniques, unlike other fighters on the world level such as Winky Wright, who's defense revolves around a guard, rather than head and abdominal movement. Well Toney prefers the old school defense, he likes the shoulder roll, but he'll utilize the guard as well, and when he makes you miss, he makes you pay. Toney will make you miss and then bop you with one of those compact over the top right hook counterpunches, then while you're thinking whether or not you wanna try that again, he'll lunge in before Peter has a chance to get set and let off a combination of his own. Then, Toney will, reset, back up, prepared to do it all over again.
If you're a Boxing fan, you better be tuned in to Showtime tonight, I mean, otherwise you're only cheating yourself. If you don't drink liquor at all, and you're sitting in Ruth Chris's, and someone offers you a glass of some Krug...You're a fool if you don't just sit back and enjoy that glass of Krug, just like you're a fool if you, considering yourself a true Boxing fan, decide to miss this fight for whatever reason. Don't let some bull**** social gathering deter you from witnessing history. When Toney beats this guy, he's going after Klitschko, and that is going to be a hell of a fight to see, because you have Klitschko, a pretty good straight puncher who will most likely nail Toney a few times with jabs and straight rights, along with his sneaky left hook, yet he has the curse of a weak beard; I guarantee you, if Toney connects on Klitschko with his counter over the top right hook, even a soft shot, he'll be hurt. I have this mental image of Toney getting past Samuel and then getting a fight with Klitschko, and nobody giving Toney a chance in hell to win. At least, until, that looping right hand over the top lands on Klitschko's chin, flush, much like Cory Sanders' straight left hand did. Keep in mind, Sanders was an old fighter when he knocked out the current Heavyweight champion, Wladimir Klitschko. There's no reason Toney can't do it, I'm behind him 100%, the guy is good for Boxing, (and so is Wlad, Wlad is exciting...guy with a questionable chin who knows how to get guys outta there is always interesting, because you wind up asking yourself before every fight of his, 'Will he get knocked out, or knock the other guy out?'
Toney's old school defense is a joy for me to watch, I learn something new every time I watch the guy fight. Anyway, before I ramble on too much more, I just want to say one more thing in hopes of more people tuning into Boxing tonight. Because Boxing is a dying sport, and not only will this excellent Heavyweight main event be broadcasted, but also Jose Antonio Rivera is going up against an undefeated cat by the name of Travis Simms, they're fighting for the WBA title, this should be a very action-packed middleweight title bout.
Fight night is among us. Can't you feel it in the air? The fighters definately can, even a veteran like James Toney still has butterflies in his stomach, because he in his mind knows that if he makes a single mistake and allows Peter to take advantage of an opening and land something big, who knows what could happen. There have been many tragic endings in Boxing, and all fighters know this. James Toney has children with a beautiful wife, and he's risking all of that, risking spending next christmas with his children and wife, to do what he loves, even if it means putting his well-being and life on the line. Anyone who breathes the same air that I do, should give him respect for doing it, especially at his age.
There is a certain gloominess, or should I say, dark buzz, on fight night when a certain fight is taking place, where it's known both guys are physically and stylistically built to slaughter each other in slugfest fashion, based upon two variables. Their power, and their style.. A great example of this feeling was witnessed by many who attended McClellan vs Benn, a tragic bout that I really don't even feel like getting into right now. But everyone knew their styles, they knew both guys were come forward, aggressive, kill you with one or two shot type of fighters, with phenominal punching power. But they pitted them against each other, and while the crowd may love fights like that because more blood is shed, I appreciate seeing what Boxing is really supposed to be about, and that, is when the biggest puncher in the division of the last decade, goes up the best technician, some believe, that the sport has ever seen. Those are the beautiful kinds of fights for me to see, I appreciate watching a skilled technician frustrate a guy who relies on power. Now, things get real interesting when you have a match with a guy who relies on power, but also ring intelligence, and going up against a technician. That's what isn't going to happen tonight, because Peter lacks that ring intelligence that Foreman had when he took out Moorer back in November of '94 with that right hand that he chose to reveal in the championship rounds of the fight. Foreman hid his best tools until Moorer thought he had him figured out and decided, 'hey, I'm going to stand in front of this old guy because he's already tried to hit me with all he has,' little did he know, Foreman was thinking 'I'm gonna throw this lazy jab at him all night and then in the tenth round, unleash a secret weapon, the right hand I haven't thrown until that tenth round, and it'll hit him, because he won't be expecting it.' This is a great mentality to have in this sport, never show your opponent your best weapon until he least expects it, if you throw it early he'll identify the angle it's coming from and be prepared to block it, or be moving away from it.
Unfortunately for Samuel Peter, he doesn't fight like that, and here in a few hours, we should see Toney win an easy decision because of that.
Comment