Should James "Lights Out" Toney go into the IBHOF?

[Slip Stream]

Do you think James Toney after he finally retires should be admitted into the IBHOF?

He was twice caught using PEDs.

(this came up in Dan Rafael's chat today).

Toney was one of my favorite fighters back in the day, he had a lot of skills and he's done a lot for the sport, I'd vote him right this second if I had the opportunity. He's made a lot mistakes over the course of his career but I haven't walked in his shoes nor would I want to because I know the path he's walked has been filled with a lot of pain.

You honor a Gladiator, even if he's flawed, Toney has earned that much at least. He's given his body and in many ways his future for our entertainment, can we at least try to reciprocate some act of generosity in return?

In athletics today there are performance enhancing drugs, but later its going to be genetic manipulation to achieve the desired result. So scientist will be building the perfect athlete from the DNA up. Should such an athlete be barred from recognition? This is the age we've created, now we have find out how we're going to live in it.

[{Pito}]

Toney was one of my favorite fighters back in the day, he had a lot of skills and he's done a lot for the sport, I'd vote him right this second if I had the opportunity. He's made a lot mistakes over the course of his career but I haven't walked in his shoes nor would I want to because I know the path he's walked has been filled with a lot of pain.

You honor a Gladiator, even if he's flawed, Toney has earned that much at least. He's given his body and in many ways his future for our entertainment, can we at least try to reciprocate some act of generosity in return?

In athletics today there are performance enhancing drugs, but later its going to be genetic manipulation to achieve the desired result. So scientist will be building the perfect athlete from the DNA up. Should such an athlete be barred from recognition? This is the age we've created, now we have find out how we're going to live in it.

GREAT post

[bojangles1987]

Absolutely.

[Jr7492]

The comparisons to bonds and Clemens is not as valid only because they got even better with the performance-enhancing drugs they took. Well James did get caught doing drugs it didn't take him to an even higher level of skill than he already had Clemens and Bonds were great players they had their best years of their careers on the performance-enhancing drugs. Now that doesn't excuse the drug use but James Toney best years were clean.

[hhs661]

The comparisons to bonds and Clemens is not as valid only because they got even better with the performance-enhancing drugs they took. Well James did get caught doing drugs it didn't take him to an even higher level of skill than he already had Clemens and Bonds were great players they had their best years of their careers on the performance-enhancing drugs. Now that doesn't excuse the drug use but James Toney best years were clean.

I'd agree if it as a one time thing, but it wasn't. With most cases like this, when they get caught it typically means they were on it for quite some time prior to getting busted. As big as a fan of his that I am - even til this day - I have to sit back and not reward a guy that got caught cheating on multiple occasions. To me, that puts his entire career in question. You say it didn't take him to a higher level, which might be correct, but it probably helped him from falling off naturally. Maybe he tried to maintain as much as he could because he was in a downhill slide.

So in essence, it did keep him at a higher level. A level that a fighter like Toney wouldn't have been in at that point in his career without steroids. IDK, though. It looks like I'm the only one voting no, but I can't reward a guy who got caught on numerous occasions

[fight_professor]

Toney is a great fighter with a great track record. However, his indiscretions are a black mark.

[New England]

great fighter, and a hall of famer. he did have some bad nights along the rout to canastota, though.

[Elotero]

Yes, He was a grey good boxer during his prime, and he beat some quality fighters.

Grey Goose on your mind?

James Toney one of the best boxers of all time..

[The Hammer]

There was also the robbery over Tiberi.

[r.burgundy]

james toney is a 1st ballot hof and 1 of the best fighters of a generation.he got caught using nandrolone which shouldnt even be a ped in the 1st place.