I was a huge Spinks fan(Michael Spinks that is),and I dislike Toney,as much as I appreciate his skills,which is A LOT.But Toney must be given credit as a very good fighter.I remember the night it all started for me,like most up & coming fighters,Toney had been feasting on journeymen,but the night he surprised the highly skilled M.Nunn,I hoped it was a fluke.But he kept plugging along,notching win after win,and even though he may have appeared sluggish,and uninspired on more than one occasion,he seemed to rise to the challenge.I think Spinks would out-box him,and use the natural height & reach advantages,much as he did against Braxton.It may end up being a dull fight,but I think Spinks would outpoint him for the decision.I think Spinks jab would play a big role,and possibly his left hook,since Toney is so adept at rolling with the rights.Spinks may score a knockdown,but I don't see him knocking Toney out,he definitely has the power,BUT,Toney has a good chin,and I don't think one shot would do it,and even if stunned,would roll,or clinch his way out of a K.O. Spinks by unanimous decision
zuru
Michael Spinks vs James Toney@175lbs(in their primes)
Toney could not win this fight. If they fought 5 times I'd pick Spnks every time. Toney is a top 20 Middle but Spinks is a top 5 LH and I don't see any style issues which play in Toney's favour. It would have taken a very special LH to beat Spinks. IMO I'd pick Charles, Moore and Tunney. I think Foster-Spinks is 50-50.
I went back and looked at Spinks record for good measure and recalled alot of his fights, and when I considered Lopez KO 7, Marvin Johnson KO 4, Mustafa Muhammad W 15 (what a beating) and others, and compare it with Toney's 3 losses at LHW, I've got to say that as I visualize it, Michael Spinks would beat Toney like a rented mule till about the 10th when the fight would be stopped.
Decagon, what are you taking? Tysopn starve himself down to 160Decagon wrote:This isn't the sort of fight you can call by looking up the guys' records on Boxrec. Toney was the type of guy who'd throw 1000+ punches in a fight and land 300 or 400. He had serious trouble making weight, but when he showed up in shape, he was damn hard to beat. Watch his fights against Iran Barkley or Prince Charles Williams.
I often like to compare James Toney to Mike Tyson. Mike Tyson could have starved himself down to 160 and 168 if he'd really wanted to, but he was so good that he went straight after the World Heavyweight Championship. James Toney wasn't as good as Mike Tyson. Then again, few people are. But, I digress.