Toney Says Rahman Might Get KTFO
By Michael Woods August 8th, 2006Lights Out says Maskaev just might put Rahman down
James “Lights Out” Toney weighed in with his gut instinct call for the outcome of the Aug. 12 heavyweight showdown between Hasim Rahman and Oleg Maskaev on a conference call to hype his Sept. 2 tussle with Sam Peter.
“Rahman might get knocked out,” said the loquacious throwback, after he spent ample time insulting Peter’s Nigerian accent. “Maskaev knocked him out before in 1999 and that’s in the back of his mind. It might happen again. If Maskaev is in great shape, Rahman ain’t got the best ticker and whiskers in the game.”
Toney and Rahman fought to a draw on March 18 in Atlantic City, in a fight Toney still says he won despite his being at “40%” capacity because of a pre-fight flu….
August 8th, 2006 at 3:20 pm
I used to be the biggest fan of James Toney. I would have even bet my first born that he was going to win against RJJ.
I still find him to be entertaining (in a train wreck sense) but he is bordering WWF status and the stuff he says most of the times is absurd. I don’t think he beat Rahman and was lucky to get a draw, yet he continues to make excuses regarding the fight. Bottom line is he eats too much and doesn’t do any traditional cardio. I know that he is one of the best ring technicians ever, but come on- this is professional boxing, not toughman. You cant eat 10 Nathans hotdogs an hour before a fight or while your training.
August 8th, 2006 at 4:03 pm
James Toney has never won a meaningful fight against a real opponent. He is the biggest fraud in boxing. Since winning the middleweight crown from Michael Nunn on a lucky punch( watch the tape, he was taking a BEATING) he hasn’t done anything against a credible opponent! This is the same guy who lost TWICE to Montell “Where’d that left come from, Mr. Jones?” Griffin, and needed steroids to beat John” Please Let Me Retire in Peace” Ruiz! Name another fighter of note( and don’t you DARE say Evander Holyfield) that he holds a victory over. Did he even land a punch against Roy Jones? This guy is a bad joke that has ceased to be funny and need not comment about ANYTHING!
August 8th, 2006 at 5:21 pm
Diggy, I see where you are coming from. However, Toney has beaten guys that are respectable- and no I definitely won’t name Holy. A prime Holy would have taken Toneys heart a stomped all over it, Cruiser or Heavy.
I think his career defining win is against Jirov. The funny thing is that I thought Jirov did enough to win or at least get a draw. Great fight though…
He is definitely on the cookoo side and should take his meds….
August 8th, 2006 at 8:45 pm
Christian, you seem to be pretty intelligent when it comes to the fight game, so I have to ask……….WHO THE HELL IS VASILY JIROV? If the reason you can justify calling him one of the best ring technicians EVER is a win over Jirov, you are furthering my argument! This guy is very over-rated and his record against the top fighters in his division/era proves it! He has ZERO wins versus several losses and controversial draws. The only clear victory came against Michael Nunn(yes, I was there and saw the job Nunn did on Toney before he got lucky). If James Toney fought Bernard Hopkins after THAT we wouldn’t be havung a discussion about him because he’d have been exposed by now.
August 8th, 2006 at 10:58 pm
I’m as frustrated as anyone with James Toney’s lack of dedication to his training but he fought three absolute wars vs. Mike McCallum, who was a much tougher fighter than Michael Nunn. I have tapes of all these fights so I know what I’m talking about. I was the biggest Michael Nunn fans as well and I don’t consider it lucky to knock out a defending world champion in the 11th round of a championship fight. Toney landed the punch after he slipped one – that’s skill not luck. Remember, Donald Curry was a great fighter and he got spanked by Nunn. Also, no matter what you think of him, it takes serious balls (and skills) for a 5′9″ heavyweight to take on Samuel Peter. He’s no Ike Ibeabuchi but he is the biggest banger in the division. You have to admit, the division is a snooze-fest right now and James Toney makes it a lot more interesting. Be honest, is there any other heavyweight fight scheduled that you’d like to see more? I didn’t think so.
August 9th, 2006 at 9:00 am
Right Vincent, the division is a snoozefest. However , Toney won’t last much longer and is definitely not one of the greatest heavyweights. There is a big list of fighters in recent years would would have easily kicked his butt. I think he gets away with a lot of bull because it is so common to say the division is so weak.
Lennox would have destroyed Toney as would even Vitali Klitschko. I even think Toney stands little chance against Wlad who has a pretty good offensive game.
I think Toney has the skills to beat Peter; it is an interesting matchup, Peter cannot afford to loose this one.
August 9th, 2006 at 9:08 am
Dig,
At the time James Toney fought Vasily Jirov, Jirov was the Ring Cruiser Weight Champ of the world. He was 31-0 and was just a beast at cruiser. The win really put Toney back in the mix of things and the fight was considered the fight of the year for 03. The thing that makes it even more amazing is that Toney was actually in decent shape for the fight.
Jirov’s only loses were to Toney (who I think he edged out because he did enough in the early rounds), Mesi ( who he incidentally knocked down like 4 times in the last two rounds and was probably the one who gave Baby Joe the brain issues) and Michael Moorer (who he was beating until Moorer threw a “lucky Foreman” punch that caught Jirov).
BTW, His wins against respectable guys were Johnson,Nunn (albeit lucky), Reggie Johnson, Jirov, Tim Littles, Barkley, Merqui Sosa
I disagree that he is overrated, however I do think his career could have been a better one and a motivated in shape Toney could hang with anyone.
August 9th, 2006 at 12:41 pm
Vincent, Mike McCallum’s claim to fame was that HEARNS, LEONARD, DURAN, and HAGLER ducked him! According to my clock that makes him about a THOUSAND years old! Where’s the credibility in THAT?
You have a tape of the Nunn fight, I was THERE!!!!Slipping punches is what boxers do, you learn that in Silver Gloves! How many of those did he eat before he suddenly remembered to slip one? Again you further my point, that this clown is NOT oneof the best technical fighters in the game. He’s overrated, pure and simple. He beat a couple of good guys, but lost to or ducked the great ones. Why did the Chris Byrd fight never happen? Because Byrd would have danced circles around him and he KNOWS it. Byrd can’t take a heavy-weight punch, but Toney doesn’t have one of those, he has decent power at cruiser, but that’s where it stops! He’d have to depend on that technical skill(lol) and that’s what Byrd has more than any other big guy south of Lennox Lewis! As for my pal Christian, REGGIE JOHNSON? TIM LITTLES, IRAN BARKLEY(whom Nunn damn near KILLED), MERQUI SOSA(ok, ok he DID beat Nunn, but so what?) That HARDLY qualifies Toney for the Hall of Fame. You get there by beating the GREATS and “Lights Out” simply hasn’t done that.
August 9th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
JT beat Vassily Jirov (excuse the spelling) in an awesome fight. When they fought Jirov was undefeated and a punching machine like no other. I dont know if he can whip Peter or not, but I think it will be agood fight. Based on Peters lack of skills, James will have many chances to hit the guy. If James wins, it will be by decision, if he loses, it will be by KO. Hey JT, keep doin what your doin and good luck in the fight!
August 9th, 2006 at 2:22 pm
James Toney is a light heavyweight who is too lazy to train. Bottome line. he keeps saying hes always been a heavyweight. but really he just got lazy and said you know what “im not gonna run anymore, let myself blow up and fight heavyweight” watching heavyweight boxing just saddens my heart these days really. it al beccause the big athletic people are goin into other sports. We need someone liek a Lebron come on to boxing at a early age. Thats when the division will be back where it used to be, hell maybe even better. but bigger athletic kids arent boxing anymore. there parents are making them track stars, football players, and bball players. SO we are stuck with just big sloppy guys who are trying to fight lol. its kinda sad. Toney, Rahman, Peter……who cares?
August 9th, 2006 at 2:27 pm
Digster,
Reggie Johnson Wins: Steve Collins (who beat both Nigel Benn and Chris Eubank twice each
Losses: SD Tarver and UD12 to RJJ
-My point he’s respectable
Tim Littles: TKO of Merqui Sosa and UD Frankie Liles (who beat Michael Nunn and Merqui Sosa)
Hear me out, I’m not saying he’s fought the best around, but lets look at the super middleweight division of the late 80’s, not necessarily the golden era. But he did fight most of the top guys. Overrated?? Who is claiming he is the best thing since sliced bread? Not me. He’s not even in most peoples top 25 P4P. At this point, I’m hoping Peter KTFO! He does have P4P chin though!
August 10th, 2006 at 8:51 am
This discussion is ridiculous…. I an era of boxing when everybody above Welter’s avoids the best fighters available JT was the opposite. Like him or hate him he made big fights (rjj and hopkins were a joke at avoiding fights) Yes reggie johnson was a very good fighter, barkley, prince Williams, McCallum, Jirov, Sosa, Barkley… Now at heavyweight he fought champ ruiz, Rahman, Overthehill holyfield. He is a big time hall of famer. You dont have to root for him, but recognize that he is exactly what the heavy’s need because he makes things happen. Digster, you sound stupid when you question his resume because there is nobody active over 147 that has a resume that even comes close to comparing to his!!!
August 10th, 2006 at 10:01 am
I’ll say this Toney does not duck anyone. Fighting Peter is insane IMO. There is no way physically he can handle Peter, that’s why Toney has been quoted as wanting to come in @ 260! The reason why Vlad beat Peter is that he used the “Jawny Louise” style of fighting of grabbing and holding. Vlad is a big man and probably the strongest HW out there. Toney doesn’t fight that way and if he stands in front of Peter- we’ll see just how good his beard is!
August 10th, 2006 at 11:54 am
Queen Gloria, My comments about James Toney were centered around Christian’s misguided statement that Toney is one of the best rigng techicians ever!!! Yes, he makes things happen, because he’s the only heavyweight with a mouth! None of the guys you named (other than Over-the-hill-field as you call him) will ever be mentioned as an all-time great, except maybe, and I do mean MAYBE Michael Nunn and/or Mike McCallum, and I question both of them. Also, RJJ made EVERY fight possible and beat every fighter available, including your beloved JT as well as everyone’s darling(and I love him, too) Bernard Hopkins. He made guys you THOUGHT were good look like BUMS. Jones beat the snot outta McCallum and Toney had to fight him 3 times to determine who was better. You also completely avoided the subject of Toney DUCKING Chris Byrd! Some resume!! Step Your knowledge of the game up.
August 10th, 2006 at 2:55 pm
Dig, saying that JT is ducking Chris Byrd is absurd. Jones beat a green Hopkins and an emaciated Toney and an over the hill McCallum too.
Poor RJJ, I still can’t get the image out of my head of him being KTFO TWICE!!! Against Glenn Johnson, I was sick to my stomach cuz I thought he died.
August 10th, 2006 at 2:56 pm
EVERYBODY PLEASE! TONEY IS THE BEST THING IN BOXING RIGHT BESIDES MAYWEATHER. ALL YALL SHUT UP AND BUY HIS PPV AGAINST SAMMY. YALL KNOW YALL GONNA BUY IT!
August 10th, 2006 at 4:16 pm
William it’s on SHO for free if you subscibe to SHO.
August 10th, 2006 at 4:54 pm
Jones was just as green as BHOP, Toney was a World Champ at the time, and he beat the Holy Hell outta McCallum, so what are you saying? Yes, he got knocked out twice, but that was because he fought THE BEST his divisions had to offer. And beat them convincingly in most cases.Toney lost to Griffin TWICE and had to fight McCallum 3 times to determine who was better. Chris Byrd challenged “Slim Slow” to a fight and James turned him down. Where I come from, that’s called ducking!