James Toney: How will he be remembered?

[Ruthless-RKO]

James 'Lights Out' Toney



James Toney is a multi-division world champion and future Hall of Famer. He is known for his legendary "old-school" style, consisting of his shoulder roll (used to avoid punches), his ability to fight off the ropes, his slick body movements, and his infighting.

Toney's fighting weight has been as low as 157 lbs and as high as 257 lbs.

Has a record of 10-1-2 1NC (5 KOs) in World Title fights.
Has a record of 11-7-2 2NC (6 KOs) against former world titlists.
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Career Highlights
*Knocked out Michael Nunn in eleven rounds to win the IBF Middleweight Championship on May 10, 1991. Toney, a 20 to 1 underdog, was behind on all three official scorecards.

*In his first defense of the IBF Middleweight Championship, Toney defeated Reggie Johnson by a split decision on June 29, 1991.

*Retained the IBF Middleweight Championship with a draw against former WBA champion Mike McCallum on December 13, 1991. The fight was going to be a unification match, but the WBA stripped McCallum on December 4. They demanded he defend against Steve Collins, whom he decisively defeated the previous year.

*Retained the IBF Middleweight Championship with a controversial split decision against Dave Tiberi on February 8, 1992. Many people thought Tiberi was robbed, and the controversy led to an investigation by the United States Senate into corruption in boxing.

*In his last fight as a middleweight, Toney retained the IBF Middleweight Championship with a majority decision against Mike McCallum on August 29, 1992.

*Stopped Iran Barkley in nine rounds to win the IBF Super Middleweight Championship on February 13, 1992.

*Suffered his first defeat and lost the IBF Super Middleweight Championship to Roy Jones Jr. by a lopsided decision on November 18, 1994.

*Defeated Vassiliy Jirov by a unanimous decision to win the IBF Cruiserweight Championship on April 26, 2003. The bout was named Fight of the Year. by the Boxing Writers Association of America.

*Stopped Evander Holyfield in nine rounds on October 4, 2003.

*Defeated John Ruiz by a unanimous decision to win the WBA Heavyweight Championship on April 30, 2005. Toney became the third former World Middleweight Champion to capture a version of the World Heavyweight Championship, along with Roy Jones Jr. and Bob Fitzsimmons. However, on May 11, 2005, it was announced that Toney tested positive for the steroid Nandrolone, and his victory over Ruiz was changed to a no decision. He was also suspended for 90 days and fined $10,000. On May 17, 2005, Toney was stripped of the WBA title for his positive test, and the title was restored to Ruiz.

*Fought a draw with WBC Heavyweight Champion Hasim Rahman on March 18, 2006.

*Lost to Samuel Peter in back-to-back WBC heavyweight title eliminators. Toney lost by a split decision on September 2, 2006 and then lost by a lopsided decision on January 6, 2007.

*Defeated Danny Batchelder by a split decision on May 24, 2007. After the fight, Toney tested positive for boldenone and stanazolol, and Batchelder tested positive for stanazolol and oxandolone. Both were suspended for a year.

*Lost to interim WBA Cruiserweight Champion Denis Lebedev by a lopsided decision on November 4, 2011. Toney lost every round on all three official scorecards.
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Awards & Recognition

* Named The Ring Fighter of the Year for 1991 and 2003.
* Named the Boxing Writers Association of America Fighter of the Year for 1991 and 2003.
* Named The Ring Comeback of the Year fighter for 2003
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In 91 professional fights, he had fought 682 rounds. Won 76, with 46 coming inside the distance. Lost 10, never been stopped. Drawn 3.

Will he be remembered for what he did in the 90's? Winning the Middleweight title, defending it 7 times? Super-Middleweight title? His loss to Roy Jones Jr.? His 2 losses to Montell Griffin? Going up and winning the Cruiserweight title? Moving up to heavyweight and challenging contenders such as John Ruiz, Evander Holyfield, Hasim Rahman and Samuel Peter? Drug issues? His worst performance returning to cruiserweight against Denis Lebedev?

When should he have turned his 'lights out' if you had a say in his career? After his back to back Peter losses? After his worst performance against Lebedev? Failing to capture the world title against Rahman?

How will you remember 'Lights Out' James Toney?

Pre-2000
Post-2000
Former 3 weight world champion
Fighter of the Year in 1991 & 2003

[bnovelist]

Brash, loud, punch drunk hate to say it. How can we all sit here and say he had one of the best defenses when he has the worst case of punch drunk?

[Enlightened-One]

I think James Toney should have retired after his victory over Vassiliy Jirov, because that’s when he seemed to possess all of his mental faculties. Whilst he may have scored a few decent victories as a heavyweight, he didn’t achieve much in that weight class and retiring at that stage may have reduced or even avoided the symptoms of punch drunk syndrome.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Hof fighter, overrated middleweight, ped user.

[gilgamesh]

Brash, loud, punch drunk hate to say it. How can we all sit here and say he had one of the best defenses when he has the worst case of punch drunk?

Wilfred Benitez was punch drunk too, and he was dazzling defensively.

Toney has 2 or 3x as many fights as most fighters who reached his level these days, and he always preferred to spar in the gym rather than do roadwork and all kinds of other forms of training. That didn't do him any favors. Good defense or not.

[Keko]

He was great mw and smw .

[Cent0089]

i like his defense so much !!! The way how he beat Holyfield is something to admire

[gilgamesh]

He'll be remembered as a great fighter with a tremendous chin and excellent defense.

[davie]

A man that stopped Michael Nunn at 160lb in 91 and stopped Evander Holyfield at 217lbs in 03.
And did a lot of good stuff, in several divisions, in between.

As I always say about RJJ, what happened after he chose to fight on longer than he should, will have no bearing on how I assess his record or career.
Had Toney retired in 2003 he'd be an ATG hall of fame fighter. The next 12 years don't matter, if Floyd Mayweather fought on for the next decade, losing every second fight, would it tarnish what he did previously or would it just be a man not knowing when to walk away

[jamesmcdonnell]

His destruction of holyfield was an absolute masterclass.

[Like a Boss]

Wonderful fighter in his day.

But sadly some will probably remember him for all the wrong reasons, and I'm talking about his deteriorating career and condition here.

[jujigatame]

Great, great fighter, one of the few who truly had 2 peaks in his career. I bet there were some people calling for his retirement when he missed weight and lost to Drake Thadzi, but he rebuild himself as a top CW and ultimately a top HW.

I think the "win" against Danny Batchelder would have been a good time to stop.

[Ruthless-RKO]

His start to the HW started off good. He had 2 attempts to become world champion. 1 he won, but was later stripped due to drugs so it doesn't count. And the 2nd, he fights to a draw..

[ClivePatrickLyons]

In the hardest game in the world Toney was a LEGEND is almost always described as an old school fighter not quite on the level as a Archie Moore but all the same still considered old school a very resilient fighter with a great chin and an uncanny ability to make his opponent's miss with shifty footwork and a slight dip here and there and his shoulder roll would have made Floyd blush wasn't the most dedicated fighter out there and that was probably his biggest down fall the man would be a great teacher

[Lackeos]

Hall of famer that beat Nunn, McCallum, Barkley, Jirov, and slightly past-it Holyfield. Campaigned from middleweight to heavyweight. Tough as nails. Has a big mouth.

[ClivePatrickLyons]

I think James Toney should have retired after his victory over Vassiliy Jirov, because that’s when he seemed to possess all of his mental faculties. Whilst he may have scored a few decent victories as a heavyweight, he didn’t achieve much in that weight class and retiring at that stage may have reduced or even avoided the symptoms of punch drunk syndrome.

James Toney beat Jirov and in James very next fight he TKO'D FHOF Holyfield THE BIGGEST WIN OF HIS LIFE BUT YOU THINK HE SHOULD HAVE PACKED IT IN BEFORE HE GOT THE BIGGEST SCALP ON HIS LOG.

[Enlightened-One]

I think James Toney should have retired after his victory over Vassiliy Jirov, because that’s when he seemed to possess all of his mental faculties. Whilst he may have scored a few decent victories as a heavyweight, he didn’t achieve much in that weight class and retiring at that stage may have reduced or even avoided the symptoms of punch drunk syndrome.

James Toney beat Jirov and in James very next fight he TKO'D FHOF Holyfield THE BIGGEST WIN OF HIS LIFE BUT YOU THINK HE SHOULD HAVE PACKED IT IN BEFORE HE GOT THE BIGGEST SCALP ON HIS LOG.

I think I’ve upset you, haven’t I? I can tell, because you’ve resorted to using angry capital letters again.

I think that it would have been more appropriate for James Toney to have retired on the back of his last legitimate successful world title fight.

For sure, Toney could have also retired after the Holyfield fight, but in my mind, he wasn’t overly successful in that weight division and his physical capabilities above 200lbs will always be in question after failing two drug tests.

I feel compelled to question the legitimacy of his achievements when he was a heavyweight, because he didn’t get banned for using recreational drugs, he was suspended twice for using steroids, which severely undermines the value of his victory over Holyfield, since there’s a strong possibility that he could have been juicing in that fight also (but without getting caught).

To be perfectly honest with you, whilst James Toney is (stylistically-speaking) one of my favourite fighters ever, I flatly-refuse to recognise any of his sporting achievements when he campaigned as a heavyweight, because he was PED cheat, which severely and permanently tarnished his legacy.

[caldo2025]

James Toney wouldn't even get my vote for HOF. I've always thought that he was an overrated boxer and unfortunately for him, I think that he'll be remembered in the same way that we remember Meldrick Taylor. Another boxer that didn't know when to hang them up and lost his future well being chasing money inside the ring at the expense of his brain. Another boxer with the lack of loved ones to shelter him from himself.

Boxing should be held responsible for this. There should be some cognitive exam that a boxer must pass in order to get a license to stay in the ring. Cognitive tests should be kept for the life of a boxer and taking into account if signs appear to show a decrease in capacity. But the wrong people make the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons and it's all about the all mighty dollar. It's sad.

[Cutman Scabbers]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xl50iVr25R8

[Loynesy]

James Toney wouldn't even get my vote for HOF. I've always thought that he was an overrated boxer and unfortunately for him, I think that he'll be remembered in the same way that we remember Meldrick Taylor. Another boxer that didn't know when to hang them up and lost his future well being chasing money inside the ring at the expense of his brain. Another boxer with the lack of loved ones to shelter him from himself.

Boxing should be held responsible for this. There should be some cognitive exam that a boxer must pass in order to get a license to stay in the ring. Cognitive tests should be kept for the life of a boxer and taking into account if signs appear to show a decrease in capacity. But the wrong people make the wrong decisions for the wrong reasons and it's all about the all mighty dollar. It's sad.

If you don't think James Toney should be in the Hall of Fame you either (a) see it as the most exclusive of clubs, or (b) don't know much about boxing.

I actually agree with some of what you say re: him not knowing when to hang them up, but I can see no argument that he is not easily worthy of Hall of Fame.

[Dixonian]

I think James Toney should have retired after his victory over Vassiliy Jirov, because that’s when he seemed to possess all of his mental faculties. Whilst he may have scored a few decent victories as a heavyweight, he didn’t achieve much in that weight class and retiring at that stage may have reduced or even avoided the symptoms of punch drunk syndrome.

James Toney beat Jirov and in James very next fight he TKO'D FHOF Holyfield THE BIGGEST WIN OF HIS LIFE BUT YOU THINK HE SHOULD HAVE PACKED IT IN BEFORE HE GOT THE BIGGEST SCALP ON HIS LOG.

I think I’ve upset you, haven’t I? I can tell, because you’ve resorted to using angry capital letters again.

I think that it would have been more appropriate for James Toney to have retired on the back of his last legitimate successful world title fight.

For sure, Toney could have also retired after the Holyfield fight, but in my mind, he wasn’t overly successful in that weight division and his physical capabilities above 200lbs will always be in question after failing two drug tests.

I feel compelled to question the legitimacy of his achievements when he was a heavyweight, because he didn’t get banned for using recreational drugs, he was suspended twice for using steroids, which severely undermines the value of his victory over Holyfield, since there’s a strong possibility that he could have been juicing in that fight also (but without getting caught).

To be perfectly honest with you, whilst James Toney is (stylistically-speaking) one of my favourite fighters ever, I flatly-refuse to recognise any of his sporting achievements when he campaigned as a heavyweight, because he was PED cheat, which severely and permanently tarnished his legacy.

[Jip]

burger king

[Enlightened-One]

If you don't think James Toney should be in the Hall of Fame you either (a) see it as the most exclusive of clubs, or (b) don't know much about boxing.

Do you feel that fighters that were caught taking performance-enhancing drugs multiple times during their professional careers (as in, irrefutable evidence resulted in a suspension), should still be allowed to be inducted into the International Boxing Hall-of-Fame?

It’s been said that a fighter who uses PED’s, will subsequently increase the amount of risk their opponent faces (such as inflicted injuries being potentially lethal or life changing), so with that in mind, is this method of cheating comparable to someone using loaded gloves?

[Syntax Error]

It's funny, but despite all that Toney achieved in his career, the first thing that comes to mind whenever someone mentions him was the way the Roy Jones Jr came up from the weight class below & completely owned him.

However, he was a great fighter, but he ate too much & fought way too long.

[Sklar]

Not sure he will be, at least not widely. People are onto the next thing now, reminiscing isn't done unless it's contrived by marketeers.