James Toney vs Beterbiev at 175

Stylistically speaking Beterbiev is made to order for Toney but Toney didn't do that mcuh at light heavyweight so I'd favor Beterbiev




Off topic but could you imagine the hellish beating Samuel Peter would give Beterbiev

 

Toney isn't knocking Beterbiev out.

 

I cannot see Beterbiev losing to Tiberi or Thadzi. Toney's chin is a mystery. Reggie Johnson hurt him badly but he ate bigger punches too.

 

Thats why i favor Beterbiev at light heavyweight. But Toney put on tons of weight beyond 175 and extra pounds can cushion the force of a punch. Punch resistance is also sometimes wonky anyway

 

More importantly Beterbiev isn't knocking Toney out. Toney UD.

Jirov vs. Beterbiev is a lot more compelling.

 

Toney's chin is a WHAT?!!?

 

Toney was knocked down and hurt by Reggie Johnson (look at the video, he was clinging to Johnson). But somehow he took punches from Peter.

Thus, his chin is a mystery.

 

I think the more mass you add, especially around your neck, the more punch resistance you gain. Toney gained a lot of mass in his heavyweight fights, it helped his punch resistance. Otherwise a middleweight or lightheavy weight version of Toney would have gotten sparked by Samuel Peter.

 

It is true to a degree but Toney jumped several weight classes. No matter how much fat he added his neck and skull are still that of a LHW.

 

If Toney from the Jirov fight shows up, he wins in a great fight. But based on how Toney looked at LHW, gotta give the edge to Beterbiev.

 

tbf I think that Toney is an example of someone who's chin was probably better as he went up the divisions...he was probably having to lose alot of weight each camp for his fights at middleweight and that must have had an effect on his punch resistance.

 

Toney had pretty disappointing run at light heavy, losing close decisions to Thadzi and Griffin twice, close decisions but hey Toney got a few close decisions that went his way in his career as well. I feel like once he hooked up with the Goosens promotion he was less of a rudderless ship and had more focus (also started training with Roach).

On the Beterbiev vs Jones thread I have Jones winning a wide UD, here I think Beterbiev beats Toney in a close fight at light heavy, though a Toney win also wouldn't surprise me as I suspect Toney would love Beterbievs style presenting his counter punching opportunities.

On a separate note, I'm going back and reviewing Beterbiev fights to make a more complete assessment of him which I'll be posting in the classic section when I get a chance.

 

The eye test doesn't seem reliable. He seems slow and stiff with nothing standing out beyond his power and stamina. Yet he keeps beating people up.

Toney and Canelo have certain similarities. Would be interesting to see how Beterbiev fights him, if that fight happens at all in the next year.

 

What else am I supposed to go by? He's obviously talented, but He only has 17 pro fights in which to evaluate him and is almost 37.