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I have to confess I've only ever seen two of Toney's fights over here - the Holyfield one and last Saturday's.
Now, while I enjoyed them both and admired Toney immensely, I couldn't shake a slight nagging feeling that there's a large difference between the way Toney is selling himself and the product he's actually selling.
Toney's way above the tedium of fighters like Hopkins, but he's still a fighter who would appeal more to followers of the sport rather than a mainstream audience. Granted, that chin of his will give some thrills to a depleted public audience hooked on the visceral aspect of the sport, but Toney is more of a tactician. His style of fighting is almost the definition of "negative", as his offense is not the driving factor in his bouts, but an experienced, intelligent countering. Despite the red welts on Ruiz's side, Toney was largely content to be held when Ruiz did grab, and allow the referee to do his work in separating them. Despite his verbosity he's very much a thinking man's fighter, a professor of the science behind it rather than an out-and-out brawler.
Which is why I always feel slightly let down by a Toney fight. His style is fascinating - more impressive than a straightfoward puncher's, certainly - but Toney always sells himself as a jive-talking psychotic. To see him step between the ropes and emerge as a professional who favours ring generalship over seeking a first-round KO always feels like you're being sold short... but only because Toney never fulfills his own self-imposed remit.
Now, while I enjoyed them both and admired Toney immensely, I couldn't shake a slight nagging feeling that there's a large difference between the way Toney is selling himself and the product he's actually selling.
Toney's way above the tedium of fighters like Hopkins, but he's still a fighter who would appeal more to followers of the sport rather than a mainstream audience. Granted, that chin of his will give some thrills to a depleted public audience hooked on the visceral aspect of the sport, but Toney is more of a tactician. His style of fighting is almost the definition of "negative", as his offense is not the driving factor in his bouts, but an experienced, intelligent countering. Despite the red welts on Ruiz's side, Toney was largely content to be held when Ruiz did grab, and allow the referee to do his work in separating them. Despite his verbosity he's very much a thinking man's fighter, a professor of the science behind it rather than an out-and-out brawler.
Which is why I always feel slightly let down by a Toney fight. His style is fascinating - more impressive than a straightfoward puncher's, certainly - but Toney always sells himself as a jive-talking psychotic. To see him step between the ropes and emerge as a professional who favours ring generalship over seeking a first-round KO always feels like you're being sold short... but only because Toney never fulfills his own self-imposed remit.
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