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I'll start out by saying: I don't see how anyone can dislike what James Toney does in the ring, and call themselves a boxing fan. And what Toney does in the ring is showcase technique and skill that's virtually uparalleled in the sport of boxing today.
Everyone knows that Toney's a former middleweight and pound for pound fighter who's won titles at 160, 168 and Cruiser, but there's been ongoing criticism about his tenure at Heavyweight.
From accusations of fighting poor opposition (laughable when you look at who the "title" holders have been fighting) to talk of him being a steroid monkey or a fatso.
The bottom line is that James Toney is a Hall of Fame fighter who's right in the thick of things in the current Heavyweight division.
After delivering Evander Holyfield a one sided and calculated beating, Toney has suffered from some bad injuries, but had returned to beat down and shut out previously undefeated Rydell Booker, and on 5 weeks notice humiliated and out pointed the limited yet ever present John Ruiz. After being stripped of his title because the medication he was on for his arm injury produced an illegal substance when he agreed to fight Ruiz on 5 weeks notice, Toney eyed a return to the ring in early October. With almost no top Heavyweight being available, Toney targeted the durable yet limited Guinn. As poor as Guinn had looked in losses to Barrett and Lyakhovich and a lackluster draw against Friday Ahunanya, he was always in those fights and very competitive. It wasn't long before that that the destruction of Michael Grant and thumping the mammoth Duncan Dokiwari had a lot of buzz around Guinn.
But in the ring against James Toney, a much naturally smaller and older man who gave up height, power and reach, Guinn was taken to school and humiliated.
In a lackluster Heavyweight division that's universally recognized as one of the low spots in it's history, James Toney put on a clinic of inside fighting, counter punching, and made a durable and hard hitting Heavyweight look like a sparring partner.
The bottom line is that if you have anything to say about a 37 year old future hall of famer James Toney campaigning at Heavyweight that's anything short of bewilderment and admiration, you're an idiot and not a true fan of the sport.
How would Toney fair against the likes of the Klitschko’s or Valuev giving away an almost ridiculous figures in height and reach? I don’t know, but having never seen Toney in any trouble, knowing his ability to slip and counter, and knowing he’s a fighter who’s strongest in rounds 10-12, I wouldn’t right him off in any of those fights.
As fat and old as James Toney is, he's unequivocally a top five Heavyweight at present, and a credible and top money fight for anyone in the division.
He’s called out Chris Byrd and Vitali Klitschko, and there’s no reason those fights can’t happen next.
So in conclusion, show some respect and give some props bitches. I shutter to think there was a bunch of idiots calling Archie Moore a fat “non Heavyweight” in the 1950’s. You’re watching a future hall of famer impressing and excelling at the end of his historic career.
Everyone knows that Toney's a former middleweight and pound for pound fighter who's won titles at 160, 168 and Cruiser, but there's been ongoing criticism about his tenure at Heavyweight.
From accusations of fighting poor opposition (laughable when you look at who the "title" holders have been fighting) to talk of him being a steroid monkey or a fatso.
The bottom line is that James Toney is a Hall of Fame fighter who's right in the thick of things in the current Heavyweight division.
After delivering Evander Holyfield a one sided and calculated beating, Toney has suffered from some bad injuries, but had returned to beat down and shut out previously undefeated Rydell Booker, and on 5 weeks notice humiliated and out pointed the limited yet ever present John Ruiz. After being stripped of his title because the medication he was on for his arm injury produced an illegal substance when he agreed to fight Ruiz on 5 weeks notice, Toney eyed a return to the ring in early October. With almost no top Heavyweight being available, Toney targeted the durable yet limited Guinn. As poor as Guinn had looked in losses to Barrett and Lyakhovich and a lackluster draw against Friday Ahunanya, he was always in those fights and very competitive. It wasn't long before that that the destruction of Michael Grant and thumping the mammoth Duncan Dokiwari had a lot of buzz around Guinn.
But in the ring against James Toney, a much naturally smaller and older man who gave up height, power and reach, Guinn was taken to school and humiliated.
In a lackluster Heavyweight division that's universally recognized as one of the low spots in it's history, James Toney put on a clinic of inside fighting, counter punching, and made a durable and hard hitting Heavyweight look like a sparring partner.
The bottom line is that if you have anything to say about a 37 year old future hall of famer James Toney campaigning at Heavyweight that's anything short of bewilderment and admiration, you're an idiot and not a true fan of the sport.
How would Toney fair against the likes of the Klitschko’s or Valuev giving away an almost ridiculous figures in height and reach? I don’t know, but having never seen Toney in any trouble, knowing his ability to slip and counter, and knowing he’s a fighter who’s strongest in rounds 10-12, I wouldn’t right him off in any of those fights.
As fat and old as James Toney is, he's unequivocally a top five Heavyweight at present, and a credible and top money fight for anyone in the division.
He’s called out Chris Byrd and Vitali Klitschko, and there’s no reason those fights can’t happen next.
So in conclusion, show some respect and give some props bitches. I shutter to think there was a bunch of idiots calling Archie Moore a fat “non Heavyweight” in the 1950’s. You’re watching a future hall of famer impressing and excelling at the end of his historic career.
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