James Toney. Under-rated?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by impacted, Aug 19, 2016.


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  1. impacted

    impacted Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Way too harshly judged on his weight-crash disaster against Roy Jones. Jesus Christ though, look at the guys in his 'W' column!

    Mega underdog against the then P4P contender Micheal Nunn. Clubbed him inside the distance. Cut to shreds vs Tim Littles, flattened him before the doc could stop him.

    Have you seen a better exhibition of stationery boxing than you'll see on YouTube versus Iran Barkley? His weight problems looked like they'd destroyed him against guys like Griifin and Thadzi. James then rose from the ashes with perhaps his best ever performance against the bigger, fresher Vassily Jirov.

    Outclassing Holyfield and Ruiz at heavyweight? Never stopped, even after fighting 15 years past his peak? Toney cracks the top 10 pound-4-pound of the last 30 years for me.
     
    impacted, Aug 19, 2016
    impacted, Aug 19, 2016
    #1
  2. Saad54

    Saad54 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The Nunn upset was great. Beating McCallum was very good.

    Jones easily beat him. It's his own fault that he couldn't stay away from McDonald's for such an important fight.

    Littles was ordinary

    Holyfield was shot

    Ruiz was way overrated

    I think Toney is not underrated.
     
    Saad54, Aug 19, 2016
    Saad54, Aug 19, 2016
    #2
  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I don't think he's underrated either. I think he gets his due in a broad sense. He's regarded as great p4p without being great in any given weight class which is about right.
     
    McGrain, Aug 19, 2016
    McGrain, Aug 19, 2016
    #3
  4. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

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    He's overrated.
     
    Unforgiven, Aug 19, 2016
    Unforgiven, Aug 19, 2016
    #4
  5. HerolGee

    HerolGee Loyal Member banned Full Member

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    shot himself inthe foot though with the PED abuse.
     
    HerolGee, Aug 19, 2016
    HerolGee, Aug 19, 2016
    #5
  6. impacted

    impacted Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Fair points about Holyfield and Littles, although Holyfield wasn't stopped by anybody else afterwards. Engaging Charles Williams in a phone box shoot-out and flattening him after 30 minutes of gruelling fighting? The Jirov performance shouldn't be glossed over either.

    I think if he were around today Golovkin would encounter a stylistic nightmare, as would a volume puncher like Calzaghe. Slow, face first brawlers like Carl Froch? Humiliated. How would Andre Ward react when he found a guy better than him on the inside, with legit power too?
     
    impacted, Aug 19, 2016
    impacted, Aug 19, 2016
    #6
  7. THE BLADE 2

    THE BLADE 2 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    To me he is underrated.Cause you do not see any middleweights competing with world class heavyweights on a regular basis.

    He could have been one of the greatest had it not been for his light heavyweight career.He got robbed twice against Griffin and badly advised by fighting for the littled recognized WBU title which kept him out of the major bodies rankings.

    Had he been managed like PBF or Canelo, he would have been one of the greatest.
     
    THE BLADE 2, Aug 19, 2016
    THE BLADE 2, Aug 19, 2016
    #7
  8. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

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    True fans know how talanted Toney was not to mention how much better he could have been if not so overweight most of the time.
     
    robert ungurean, Aug 19, 2016
    robert ungurean, Aug 19, 2016
    #8
  9. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

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    A bit off topic but...

    Imagine his fights with the up and coming young lions if he stayed at 160-168 in the mid 90's:

    Nigel Benn
    Gerald McClellan
    Julian Jackson
    Chris Eubank
    Steve Collins
    Lamar Parks
    Terry Norris
     
    Sangria, Aug 19, 2016
    Sangria, Aug 19, 2016
    #9
  10. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He had all the skills, but his motivation was the problem with him. Skill wise he's an ATG.But the reality is not so much. Like Camacho sr. What should have been.
     
    Flash24, Aug 19, 2016
    Flash24, Aug 19, 2016
    #10
  11. Sangria

    Sangria You bleed like Mylee Full Member

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    Well he did a helluva lot more than most at 160 & 168.

    Michael Nunn
    Reggie Johnson
    Mike McCallum
    Glenn Wolfe
    Doug DeWitt
    Iran Barkley
    Tony Thornton
    Anthony Hembrick
    Tim Littles
    Prince Charles Williams
     
    Sangria, Aug 19, 2016
    Sangria, Aug 19, 2016
    #11
  12. Curtis Lowe

    Curtis Lowe Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I agree.
     
    Curtis Lowe, Aug 19, 2016
    Curtis Lowe, Aug 19, 2016
    #12
  13. Curtis Lowe

    Curtis Lowe Boxing Addict Full Member

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    You left out the Dave Tiberi win, or was that really a loss?
     
    Curtis Lowe, Aug 19, 2016
    Curtis Lowe, Aug 19, 2016
    #13
  14. Flash24

    Flash24 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The only fighter I'd consider an ATG on your list is Mccallum, who was beyond his prime. Everyone else. Maybe above average at best, nothing special.
     
    Flash24, Aug 19, 2016
    Flash24, Aug 19, 2016
    #14
  15. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Just to want to make sure that you missed Michael Nunn's name when you wrote that last comment.
     
    mrkoolkevin, Aug 19, 2016
    mrkoolkevin, Aug 19, 2016
    #15
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