BoxRec

James Toney is the WBA Heavyweight Champion of the World. He knocked Johhny Ruiz down in the 7th, whilst en route to a comfortable points win. I want him to fight Vitali. Many people would expect him to get destroyed, but that would not happen. James is too good a boxer to get destroyed by anyone. It would be an amazing battle of wits.

Klichko-Toney could be interesting, but I'm sure it won't happen for quite a while if it does. I'd reckon we might see Toney-Valuev before to long. (Oh, and not forgetting Toney-Skelton/Williams )

I live to see it, but I can't see him beating VK. He'd struggle to get past VK's reach in my opinion.

I'd pick the pure talent of Toney over anyone in this division

Great result for Toney and opens up a few interesting matches at Heavyweight, something the division badly needs. However can Toney remain injury free long enough to capitalise on his big win?

Also Toney must be one of the oldest Heavyweights ever to win the title for the first time at 36?

Walcott was older at 37
Bruno was about 35.

Just a thought.

This is like the Danny Williams - Tyson fight for me: got the roundage right but not the winner. I had went with Ruiz to win 6 rounds to 4 with 2 close. As it turns out that is probably the exact strata that accumulated Toney's points win. I was interested to read of a bogus knockdown in one of the rounds (which Ruiz, it was mentioned, got the better of). That is a three point swing and if two of the judges had went with 115-112 it could have made it a draw (MD).

Who cares though, because Ruiz has apparently retired. I might actually watch the heavyweight round robin now.

The knockdown wasn't bogus... Not the cleanest of knockdowns, but not quite bogus.

Toney roughed him up, and Ruiz went flailing into the ropes and his gloves hit the canvas.

Tantum wrote:The knockdown wasn't bogus... Not the cleanest of knockdowns, but not quite bogus.

Toney roughed him up, and Ruiz went flailing into the ropes and his gloves hit the canvas.

Sorry, had no way of knowing, I haven't seen the fight yet.

Just out of interest: did Ruiz do his usual run to the ring?

No, but he ran out of the ring so that his tears wouldn't be on camera.

Tantum wrote:No, but he ran out of the ring so that his tears wouldn't be on camera.

I think he might have done something similar in the Jones fight? Haven't watched it since it was live, but I'm sure I remember him angrily rushing through the crowd out the ring.

I was almost gonna put a big bet on Ruiz. What bullshit, he really is THAT bad. Appartenly he done his usual clinch act and threw weak jabs.

I convinced myself that it would be a draw or Ruiz on points. I was hoping for the bookies to be a little more generous in such a way that covering the draw, Ruiz on points and Toney on points would leave me in profit so long as one of these 3 outcomes happened. I had a nagging feeling that Toney's competition at heavyweight and injuries would give Ruiz the edge.

Anyway, what's the betting that the WBA make Toney their 'Super Champion Erimeteas' or whatever they call it and Ruiz comes out of retirement to beat, oh I don't know, say a German or UK opponent for the WBA belt to become a 3 time 'world heavyweight champ'!!??

Just watched the fight, scored it 117/112 (and that's without counting the knockdown). It's well worth watching and is better than some of the doodles have made out, gives a good show of what Toney has at heavy (or at least when he's fat). Anybody who wants to get this and doesn't know where, pm me and I'll send the link (best to keep these sites relatively quiet considering what happened to boxing-torrents don'tcha think?).

if he's gonna challenge klit's ,he could do with losing 20/25lbs imo

I feel sad for Ruiz though.

pasty_spud wrote:if he's gonna challenge klit's ,he could do with losing 20/25lbs imo

I'm not to sure if I agree with this, I think if his stamina is good at the current weight (and from I have been told he was fairly busy throughout) then perhaps he needs the bulk. He will need to be big so that he can hang in there when he goes through a rough patch.

I disagree entirely. I see no way in which carrying an extra 20 lbs of flab around the ring improves stamina or makes it easier to ride a rough patch. The thing James will need against the likes of Klitshko is movement, angles, and fast hands, because Vitali has pretty good hand speed for a big man, due to him being an arm puncher, he can get a lot of shots off.

Beating Ruiz and beating Vitali are to very different propositions. Toney had every advantage bar size going into that fight, skills, movement, handspeed, workrate, everything but size and strength, which don't count for a lot in boxing unless most other things are equal.

Vitali is a smart fighter, courageous, has a fantastic chin, and despite his size, fights at a pretty frenetic pace. Vitali throws more shots in fights than any heavyweight champ apart from Byrd, and with a lot more power.

Toney will have to get inside the reach, burrow away, and keep Vitali backed up.

I think they will put on a good battle, but Vitali will eventually stop Toney after giving him a gradual but almighty beating.

Wlad Klitchko imo batters Toney worse than big bro would. He's ten times the offensive fighter of his brother and really would hammer Toney. Stamina would not come into play. I really would put the house on this fight and it would be suicide for Toney to take it.

Even though I dislike Toney he did the division a favour. I hope he fights VK next.