Scott Mallon: Toney will spank Rahman
By TSS Predictions March 16th, 2006There’s an episode of Seinfeld in which George Costanza decides he’s been making the wrong choices in life because he always says and does what he thinks. When he chooses opposite of what he normally would choose, he has amazing success. My heart tells me a decent heavyweight should blow through a decent middleweight, possibly even knocking him out alaJohnson-Ketchel. Hasim Rahman may be a chronic underachiever but should still be able to take James Toney, however the George Costanza in me tells me Toney just might beat up the larger Rahman, showing us all why sometimes it pays not to mess with bullies. Sometimes bullies are bullies not because they’re full of bravado but because they enjoy beating people up. Toney will taunt, confuse and spank Rahman en route to a unanimous decision via the Fatman factor.
Scott Mallon is the Far East correspondent for The Sweet Science. To read more of his work
March 16th, 2006 at 6:09 pm
Difficult fight to select a winner, difficult for me to choose sides.
People say Hasim Rahman has underachieved - perhaps he’s over-achieved, and his best moment will remain his one punch starching of Lennox Lewis.
James Toney is yet to achieve in the heavyweight division, notwithstanding his points decision over the limited John Ruiz.
Tony is playing villain, but he’s nowhere near as intimidating as George Foreman, Mike Tyson or Sonny Liston.
Neither is Rahman.
Nor is Rahman as limited as Ruiz, despite losing a shocker to the boring mauler.
There’s no doubt Rahman hits harder.
There’s no doubt Toney is better skilled.
Rahman has been knocked out or stopped inside the distance four times, while Toney hasn’t lost in sixteen fights.
I’m going to pick Toney by decision if he’s happy to coast on the coat-tails of his skills, or by knockout if he’s really serious about putting on a show.
It’s unlikely Rahman can outbox Toney and unlikely he’ll land a big bomb to the slick, fat little man’s head.
Sorry Hasim, looks like your dreams of riches will have to wait.
March 17th, 2006 at 10:56 am
James Toney is one the best pound for pound fighters of all-time. The only setbacks he has had was losses against Jones Jr. and Montell Griffin. Both are good fighters not great but good. Great fighters do not get beat by the same fighter twice.
While moving on James Toney has done what no middleweight done in years, you have to give him his props. Overall between the fighters he has lost to he still has done better than them. He is not intimidating but he is and always will be a villain in the boxing world.
Rahman is not a hall-of-famer, he’s not good and he will be beat.
March 17th, 2006 at 1:56 pm
Can you smell what Lights Out is cookin?! I can, it’s a can of wupass with some hot dogs on the side! I dont see JT winning by KO but from a completely lopsided decision. He hits hard but doesnt completely commit to his punches(works well for Winky). Lets hear it for the Michigan Fighters, best in the world.
TSS ROCKS!!! Keep the articles coming.
March 18th, 2006 at 1:15 pm
To me Rahman’s biggest problem is that he is not a smart fighter. Rarely will you see him adapt and change his strategy in the fight. While JT will adapt and change his style by the punch. Outside of lady luck, I don’t see much else landing on the chin of JT. JT wins easy.
March 18th, 2006 at 8:29 pm
There isn’t a more technically skilled fighter than James Toney. That said, he won’t be able to beat up Rahman like he did Evander Holyfield. There are going to be some difficult moments for Toney due to Rahman’s strength and more importanly, his occasionally-accurate, right-hand bomb. Rahman’s big weakness is his poor balance, especially after throwing the right hand. That’s where I see Toney landing his own torso-twist, counter-right. Land enough of those and he may pound out a late KO. I’m predicting a close decision win.
March 20th, 2006 at 10:17 am
Well guys - Toney is definitely skilled but he seems to have taken some lessons from the Bernard Hopkins - how to fight 20 seconds per round and not get hit. Skilled, yes…fat, ok…being fat isn’t always detrimental to a fighter (it is most of the time though), but fat AND lazy is a combination that doesn’t normally work well for anyone, fighters included.