The humour of James Toney

dondada · Post by **dondada** » 17 Mar 2004, 16:56

I know this isn't a British matter but I would like your views on Lights Out. I think he gets funnier with every passing interview. Check this out:

GL: What’s your take on Joe Mesi and would you fight him in Buffalo?

JT: He’s a bum. We’d have to do it in Detroit, because if I come to Buffalo, I’m coming with guns. And they’re not going to like that. But if they come with the money, I’d fight him in Buffalo. And I’d talk about him, and everyone else in Buffalo. Buffalo is the city of losers! Their football team went to the Super Bowl four times and they got beat every damn time. They ain’t never had a world champion out of boxing, so what makes them think it’s going to happen now?

From an interview at:

http://www.boxingtalk.net/pages/leon897.htm

I read another interview with him directed from a thread on Current Scene and he is just hilarious. With a picture of him flexing in a jacuzzi whilst smoking a huge cigar. Funny as feck.

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 17 Mar 2004, 17:02

I must admit I used to despise the guy, exactly because of these kind of comments, but as the years roll by and Goz mellows out I'm seeing the funny side....

adamiw · Post by **adamiw** » 17 Mar 2004, 17:15

sometimes he's too arrogant for my liking, but i cant help but laugh at some of his comments. And after the Holyfield fight when he was telling showtime's Jim Grey that he didn't like him...hilarious.

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 17 Mar 2004, 17:22

Goz wrote:I must admit I used to despise the guy, exactly because of these kind of comments, but as the years roll by and Goz mellows out I'm seeing the funny side....

I know what you mean, it's taken many years but I'm actually starting to warm to the guy a little.

bennie · Post by **bennie** » 17 Mar 2004, 17:32

Yeah, he's walking the walk nowadays, so you have to enjoy his rhetorich. It wasn't so funny in the dark years of the post-Roy Jones defeat.

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 17 Mar 2004, 18:16

James Toney is the best character in boxing right now.

The sport needs him. Can you imagine how good he would be as a commentator?

His no nonsense style would appeal to casual fans.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Mar 2004, 05:40

Toney is the main man, he's such a badass I wouldn't put it past him to beat anyone out there.

Look at the hell he gave Jirov and Oldyfield, and yet look at how Mesi struggled with Jirov.

Toney is funny, and probably the best all round figther around today...

Kilburn · Post by **Kilburn** » 18 Mar 2004, 05:44

I just hope we get Jones v Toney II at heavyweight some time within the next 12 months.

I wouldn't know who to pick and I never, ever thought I'd be saying that.

J · Post by J » 18 Mar 2004, 05:48

Kilburn wrote:I just hope we get Jones v Toney II at heavyweight some time within the next 12 months.

I wouldn't know who to pick and I never, ever thought I'd be saying that.

i agree I think his tongue in cheek wit is brilliant, if you take him at face value of course he is gonna annoy, but he is on a total wind up with his trash talk, I think he is great and Kilburn mate, yeah I wish they would get it on, personally I think Toney has the means to exact revenge.

be wicked to find out ..heres hoping.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 18 Mar 2004, 06:33

James Toney is just brilliant. He's got the best line in talk since the days of Ali - though he's a bit more raw than Ali in his comments sometimes, but I love the way he's so completely un PC. ( there's no way he could ever be a commentator ).
He once grabbed hold of crusty old Mike Katz and yanked that neck brace off he's been wearing for years ( since the Bowe/Golota riot I think ).
The only man I've ever seen Toney give any respect to is Holyfield.

Compared to De La Hoya's fake nice guy routine he's a breath of fresh air.

Toney fans should read "Dark Trade" by Donald McRae. He's actualy a real softy outside the ring when the cameras are off, and believe it or not he's described as quite shy!

J · Post by J » 18 Mar 2004, 06:38

Cheers M.W. its nice to know that Toney is more of a showman when it comes to his comments, I mean as long as its taken that way, why not but more interest gained and a colourful personality. Good to see that he isnt like that away form the business unliek some other ganster fighters who have been in the press recently. Cheers. 8)

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Mar 2004, 07:32

I think Jones knows that at heavyweight Toney will be giving him hell. Toney was badly weight drained the first time they fought, and Jones knows only too well now how much difference that makes.

At heavyweight, I don't see Jones having that many advantages over Toney. The handspeed doesn't look much different to me at that weight, and Jones doesnt move as much as he used to any more. Jones also seems to be becomingn more and more of a potshotter rather than the combination puncher he was in his early career.

At heavyweight Toney is the more devastating puncher, as he's the more natural heavyweight, he isn't a one punch KO artist, but he places his punches beautifully, and throws fast and hard combinations. He took Holyfield apart like a kid pulling wings off a fly.

Jones won't fight Toney, no way.

Loftgroov · Post by **Loftgroov** » 18 Mar 2004, 07:34

MightyWarrior wrote:.

Toney fans should read "Dark Trade" by Donald McRae. He's actualy a real softy outside the ring when the cameras are off, and believe it or not he's described as quite shy!

Yeah, it's a very good book. Offers an interesting insight into quite a few fighters eh. Toney definitely comes across as quite shy in it, but its also clear just how driven he is. I like his no nonsense style, and hes technically one of the best boxers over the past decade.

It makes for a pleasant change to see someone happy to gob off a bit, and not say the usual "it'll be a good tough fight..I'm looking forward to it" etc...

Hardhitters11 · Post by **Hardhitters11** » 18 Mar 2004, 09:12

Toney has always been a big favourite of mine..THe guys is an excellent fighter and definately has what it takes to beat Jones.

The guys is hilarious and a genuine badass....He has all the skills and its a shame he wasted so many years..

HH

J · Post by J » 18 Mar 2004, 11:02

jamesmcdonnell wrote:I think Jones knows that at heavyweight Toney will be giving him hell. Toney was badly weight drained the first time they fought, and Jones knows only too well now how much difference that makes.

At heavyweight, I don't see Jones having that many advantages over Toney. The handspeed doesn't look much different to me at that weight, and Jones doesnt move as much as he used to any more. Jones also seems to be becomingn more and more of a potshotter rather than the combination puncher he was in his early career.

At heavyweight Toney is the more devastating puncher, as he's the more natural heavyweight, he isn't a one punch KO artist, but he places his punches beautifully, and throws fast and hard combinations. He took Holyfield apart like a kid pulling wings off a fly.

Jones won't fight Toney, no way.

Yeah I reckon Toney would turn Jones over even if they made it a cruiserweight bout, it s massive fight and one most fans would love to see, shame it wont happen then..

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:08

MightyWarrior wrote: there's no way he could ever be a commentator

he was commentating on a fight between Wayne Braithwaite and someone last year, Ravea Springs I think, and he was classic...
he said they were both bums and that he'd do them both easily.
he was also saying he was weighing about 230lbs.... this was before the Jirov fight and he looked in tremendous shape..joker

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:21

knockout wrote:
MightyWarrior wrote: there's no way he could ever be a commentator
he was commentating on a fight between Wayne Braithwaite and someone last year, Ravea Springs I think, and he was classic...
he said they were both bums and that he'd do them both easily.
he was also saying he was weighing about 230lbs.... this was before the Jirov fight and he looked in tremendous shape..joker

Yeah, but Wyane Braithwaite is no bum - Braithwaite vs Toney would have been a cracker.

knockout · Post by **knockout** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:34

stujones wrote:
knockout wrote:
MightyWarrior wrote: there's no way he could ever be a commentator
he was commentating on a fight between Wayne Braithwaite and someone last year, Ravea Springs I think, and he was classic...
he said they were both bums and that he'd do them both easily.
he was also saying he was weighing about 230lbs.... this was before the Jirov fight and he looked in tremendous shape..joker
Yeah, but Wyane Braithwaite is no bum - Braithwaite vs Toney would have been a cracker.

its all relative i guess..... when you have been one of the best fighters in the world for 11 years you can call most people BUMS

and personally i reckon Toney would have humiliated the plodding predictable Braithwaite

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:40

knockout wrote: and personally i reckon Toney would have humiliated the plodding predictable Braithwaite

Too right, old Wayne would be beaten like a rented mule!

Anyway, Toney calls everyone a bum.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:46

Out of interest, how many people here think Toney struggled with Jirov.

Personally I thought he beat his ass into a cocked hat, and was in control almost every round of the fight.

Jirov might have looked like he was troubling Toney, but he only landed 30% of his shots and Toney outlanded him despite throwing less.

Anyone here have a different (read wrong) opinion?

Southpaw Stylist · Post by **Southpaw Stylist** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:57

Yea, Jirov got hammered.

Toney's style befuddled the Soviet.

mrbassie · Post by **mrbassie** » 18 Mar 2004, 11:58

I'm of the same opinion JM, Toney was ahead even before the kd. some people think it was closer than the judges had it but I actually thought the scoring was spot on

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 18 Mar 2004, 12:11

jamesmcdonnell wrote:Out of interest, how many people here think Toney struggled with Jirov.

Personally I thought he beat his ass into a cocked hat, and was in control almost every round of the fight.

Jirov might have looked like he was troubling Toney, but he only landed 30% of his shots and Toney outlanded him despite throwing less.

Anyone here have a different (read wrong) opinion?

No, I have been hearing reports the Mesi vs Jirov was a bad fight for Toney fans cause (according to reports) Mesi was beating Jirov more convincingly than Toney did.

I didn't think you could get much more of a convincing boxing lesson. I struggled to give Jirov a round.

However, Wayne Braithwaite was an entirely different fighter - that Riveria Springs is good (and has a great name) but Braithwaite outclassed him.

jamesmcdonnell · Post by **jamesmcdonnell** » 18 Mar 2004, 12:15

It's very interesting to hear you say that, I have come to the conclusion that American boxing writers have an inability to look beyond punch output and hard punches being thrown.

Many of the guys at max thought the fight was close, and that it was the hardest fight of Toney's career, and then you have people like Michael Katz who thought Mosley deserved a draw against

Most UK writers I spoke with thought that Oscar beat shane pretty easily (on second watching it was closer than I thought, but Oscar still won by 3 clear rounds for me),

They always say that American referees prefer aggression, but it seems that American pundits feel the same way, coming forward, even when your shots are being smothered, blocked and deflected wins you rounds in the eyes of most US writers.

The one exception I have found to this consistently is Jason Probst on maxboxing, who seems to have a much more european view.