Wladimir Klitschko is DUCKING James Toney!

[Bozo_no no]

Are you telling me that you honestly believe that you think that Toney should be getting more money for his next fight then he got for Rahman, coming overweight 20 pounds and barely pulling a draw? Yes or no answer please, no pages of text to prove your point.

Did you loosen your training bra?

I really like how you waste your points changing my custom title but can't respond to the on topic post that upset you.

That's what makes you a *****. You keep me in your sig for a year, and dwell on me every chance you get like you just did with my title.

You couldn't be anymore of a little ***** if you tried.

[OptimusWolf]

I think its pretty ****** to give out this bad Karma, playground antics to be honest. I've given you good karma, not that it will have much effect. The only person to give me bad karma and a load of abuse is Bozo, and that says a lot.....

I don't agree on the thread though!

[monkeyboy]

Once again an interesting thread darkened by vitriol from school kids. Drives me crazy.
Some good points in here though.

Firstly, the fight is still being negotiated and until there is a date and contracts on the table I'm witholding judgement. And like life, you only get what you negotiate for.

Wlad holds a belt that others want. He also has a winning record of recent. He also has an air of beatability if anyone is willing to take punishment and hope to catch his chin. That's an attractive option for a confident fighter. Wlad's people will push for the best deal. Simple negotiation tactic. Wlad holds the goods, you want it, you have to take their terms.

Toney is a box office draw. However, he is badly in need of a career validation at this point. He needs to close up a long and exciting career on a high point. He has not fulfilled his goals at heavyweight. He is smart and may have to take a pay cut to get what he wants. If he commands a belt (even a weaker one) he can take a few big $$$, low risk fights and end in glory and pay days.

Result - Toney needs a belt. Toney is running out of time. He has to take a risk and all other fighters know this. They will push him into a cheap purse.

Has nothing to do with fear for either fighter. Those who think it does really need to grow up and stop watching 'Rocky' movies. Wlad is top dog for now. Toney NEEDS validation. Purely negotiations.

[leff]

Now I have red karma because of this thread. The Wlad lovers don't like opposing opinions.

nah, its more that people dont like bias statements like "wlad ducking toney".

[WestChester]

Wolf even as a Toney fan I cannot disagree that he does not "deserve" a shot. He really blew a great opportunity in March.

Nonetheless, does Briggs deserve anything? Brewster? Maskaev doesn't deserve an ESPN fight let alone a title shot.

Toney is a draw and he is a good fighter, and he gives the network rounds and comes to fight, even when not in shape to play a round of golf like against Rahman. he is a good tv fighter because of his mouth and because he is in good scraps and stands and fights.

[vB Martin]

Toney NEEDS validation.

You make some good points, but the validation works both ways. Little Klit nees validation as well. He has been KO'd 3 times by lesser fighters, 2 of the time were brutal.
In his "comeback run" since the Brewster fight he has looked good, but let's take a look at who he's beat, and how.

DaVarryl Williamson - A fight in which TOS ran around the ring in an attempt to exploit Little Klit's famous lack of conditioning. He got knocked down once, then won the fight on a technical decision. He probably would have won the fight, but Williamson is nobody in the division, and he knocked Wlad down.

Eliseo Castillo - A falsely touted "puncher" who basically stood still and let Little Klit pound him into submission. A true nobody in the division. In fact, he's not even in the division any more. He fights as a Cruiserweight now.
Also worth noting, even though Castillo was hyped as a puncher, therefore a threat, in this fight 10 of his 14 KOs at the time came as a Light Heavyweight and small Cruiserweight.

Samuel Peter - A kid with a possible future, but no real boxing skills as of yet. Peter, in my opinion, was rushed into this fight because his management wanted to cash in, and they thought that somehow Peter wouldbrute force his way inside and get a boost to his career. Wlad was KD'd 3 times in this fight.

Chris Byrd - A small heavyweight by today's standard, and an aging one, too, who tried to fight a big man's fight againsta big man. Little Klit had already beat him once, and no one really ever gave the aging Byrd much of a shot of winning. Byrd also lacked pop and popularity amongst fans of the sport. Even rabid fans.

Toney is by far a more popular and recognised name in the sport than anyone Wlad has faced in recent history. Some might argue that Toney is the most popular and recognised name Little Klit has fought in his entire career.
Even though many people, myself included, think that Toney has no business in the heavyweight division, he is a highly skilled fighter with a large following and will give Wlad some validation with the general public, though the true boxing fan should see what a mismatch this fight would be. In terms of validation, Wlad would get more and needs more than Toney does. Regardless of what happens in this fight, Toney is still a first ballot HOF inductee. Can Wlad say that?

[Super_Lightweight]

In terms of the heavyweight division, it is clearly Toney who needs the validation much more than Wlad does. He will never get it though, because he simply is not good enough at this weight and he is aging.

Toney should've stayed at cruiser.

[GunStar]

You make some good points, but the validation works both ways. Little Klit nees validation as well. He has been KO'd 3 times by lesser fighters, 2 of the time were brutal.
In his "comeback run" since the Brewster fight he has looked good, but let's take a look at who he's beat, and how.

DaVarryl Williamson - A fight in which TOS ran around the ring in an attempt to exploit Little Klit's famous lack of conditioning. He got knocked down once, then won the fight on a technical decision. He probably would have won the fight, but Williamson is nobody in the division, and he knocked Wlad down.

Eliseo Castillo - A falsely touted "puncher" who basically stood still and let Little Klit pound him into submission. A true nobody in the division. In fact, he's not even in the division any more. He fights as a Cruiserweight now.

Samuel Peter - A kid with a possible future, but no real boxing skills as of yet. Peter, in my opinion, was rushed into this fight because his management wanted to cash in, and they thought that somehow Peter wouldbrute force his way inside and get a boost to his career. Wlad was KD'd 3 times in this fight.

Chris Byrd - A small heavyweight by today's standard, and an aging one, too, who tried to fight a big man's fight againsta big man. Little Klit had already beat him once, and no one really ever gave the aging Byrd much of a shot of winning. Byrd also lacked pop and popularity amongst fans of the sport. Even rabid fans.

Toney is by far a more popular and recognised name in the sport than anyone Wlad has faced in recent history. Some might argue that Toney is the most popular and recognised name Little Klit has fought in his entire career.
Even though many people, myself included, think that Toney has no business in the heavyweight division, he is a highly skilled fighter with a large following and will give Wlad some validation with the general public, though the true boxing fan should see what a mismatch this fight would be. In terms of validation, Wlad would get more and needs more than Toney does. Regardless of what happens in this fight, Toney is still a first ballot HOF inductee. Can Wlad say that?

Wow that's an impressive list of fighters, Wlad nut-huggers make it sound like his resume is the best in the HW divison. Damn Toney's 5 fights in the HW division is better then this list. Holyfield, Booker, Ruiz, Guin & Rahman. 4 W O L 1 D.

[vB Martin]

In terms of the heavyweight division, it is clearly Toney who needs the validation much more than Wlad does. He will never get it though, because he simply is not good enough at this weight and he is aging.

Toney should've stayed at cruiser.

I would agree that Toney needs validation as a Heavyweight, but I don't think he will ever get it. If he somehow beat Wlad, it would give it to him, but I honestly don't see a way that can happen.
As a fighter, though, it's Wlad who needs the validation. Personally, I don't think such a mismatch would give it to him, but it would boost his recognition again.

[Super_Lightweight]

Yeah I wouldn't give Wlad much props for beating an old former middleweight. But, some people will have to with the way they hype Toney all the time as if he would easily crush Wlad.

If Toney beat Wlad, that'd be huge.