Do you think James Toney was skilled and talented?

[Weltschmerz]

From mw thru heavy with that same slick style moving and countering, you don't see it often, it's old school.

[New England]

james toney had success from middleweight to HW. in classics from 160 to 200 lbs. made a ton of money. was a potent offensive fighter in his day, and one of the trickiest guys in the sport.


so yes, he was incredibly talented especially when you consider that he didn't always train hard. and he had great skills. toney's only problem was that he didn't train hard or eat right all the time. it likely contributed to the issues he's had with his pituitary gland, along with all of that head trauma.

[New England]

Toney's shoulder roll isn't remotely close to Mayweather's.

Dude got hit a LOT. Like, by everyone. Fighters who couldn't touch Mayweather beat Toney's ass.

toney fought the kind of fighters that floyd mayweather avoided. i think everybody would see floyd mayweather as much more human if he'd fought the prime roy jones' of the world, the way james toney did.

[therealpugilist]

He didn't have the greatest career.

BUT do you think he was very skilled and very talented?

with more discipline he could have been considered an absolute legend. he had that kind of talent and skill set

he will make the hall though

[IronDanHamza]

toney fought the kind of fighters that floyd mayweather avoided. i think everybody would see floyd mayweather as much more human if he'd fought the prime roy jones' of the world, the way james toney did.

I don't think Mayweather would lose to Tiberi and Thadzi level fighters or struggle and sc**** victories over the likes of Merqui Sosa and Sanderline Williams.

[IronDanHamza]

james toney had success from middleweight to HW. in classics from 160 to 200 lbs. made a ton of money. was a potent offensive fighter in his day, and one of the trickiest guys in the sport.


so yes, he was incredibly talented especially when you consider that he didn't always train hard. and he had great skills. toney's only problem was that he didn't train hard or eat right all the time. it likely contributed to the issues he's had with his pituitary gland, along with all of that head trauma.

Except that wasn't his only problem.

The fact he has poor footwork was a problem.

The fact he can't fight off the backfoot was a problem.

The fact he can't cut off the ring was a problem.

The fact he can't make adjustments was a problem.

The fact he can't block a right hook to the body to save his life was a problem.

The fact he can't avoid a jab was a problem.

The fact he loads up on his punches was a problem often causing him to cross his feet over.

Toney was a flawed fighter, to act like the only reason he fell short was his lack of discipline is a nothing more than a bad joke.

[-PBP-]

This thread is ridiculous. You do realize James Toney started at 156 and then fought Samuel Peter who weighed in at 256. So James stood toe to toe with him for 24 rounds.

You can't be just tough to do that. Has anybody in the history of boxing made such a transition. From 156 to 256 and as shot as he is he still hasn't been put away. 100 fights almost fighting the best, never ducking, never holding, never clinching, hitting low, running or head butting.

James Toney is a legend. You'd be praising Bernard Hopkins but Bernard ain't old school like James is old school. Bernard ain't tough or skilled like James is.

Floyd does a shoulder roll but who was the best at it, that's right James Toney. Floyd doesn't really roll his shoulder either. Floyd can't do the shoulder roll properly against southpaws, he tries but it ain't working too much. James would do it against southpaws just as good.

James Toney is the toughest most skilled and talented natural born fighter that boxing has seen. No quit in him, no holding, no head butting, no running, no low blows, fighting everybody out of shape or in shape, beating most people up, fighting small guys, fighting big guys, it didn't matter, southpaws, orthodox fighters, mma fighters, it didn't matter, almost 100 fights, beating people in the Kronk gym, one of the best trash talkers, best chin, ruffed up Deion Sanders.

This post was so on the money and then you said the bold part. SMH.

[New England]

I don't think Mayweather would lose to Tiberi and Thadzi level fighters or struggle and sc**** victories over the likes of Merqui Sosa and Sanderline Williams.

i genuinely don't think floyd mayweather would even fight prime roy jones.

[IronDanHamza]

i genuinely don't think floyd mayweather would even fight prime roy jones.

Maybe he would maybe he wouldn't.

Doesn't matter because it didn't take a prime Roy Jones to make Toney look human. Roy Jones didn't make him look human he made him look like he'd never stepped in a boxing ring in his life.

Sosa and Williams made him look human. Two journeyman.

Tiberi and Thadzi beat him with relative ease. Two more journeyman.

Floyd ain't losing to no journeyman much less in his prime years.

[Ray Corso]

Toney is the closest talent and style these days to Archie Moore!
The shoulder roll was a big part of both fighters OFFENSE unlike Mayweather using it for defense and popping a straight counter right hand then running away.
Toney is one of the last old school students and soon enough the pro boxing landscape will be like the amateurs. Everything on the outside and nothing allowed inside! Refs for years now break fighters and shout "box" as they do in the amateur programs.

Fighters like Duran and Toney won't be seen because their trainers all around knowledge and teaching techniques are soon to be gone.
The few fighters that incorporate boxing forms with fighting are Roman Gonzales and GGG this kid Spence can and Crawford. Koval is in there but his form is still very stiff and awkward not the most fluid guy to watch.

Toney knows more about boxing than any current fighter and it's not close!
Ray