This is billed as Toney's final fight. The fight will take in Toney's hometown Michigan, at heavyweight. James Toney (76-10) vs Mike Sheppard (24-20) for the WBF title. Toney who lost last August to journeyman Ellis seems to have very little left.However, I think Toney can take a decision in this fight.
This might well be Toneys last hurrah... I just hope he can get his act together and win this fight somehow. Toneys career, and especially the HW part of it, has been such a waste of potential... The version of Toney that beat Holyfield, I think he would have a good shot at beating all these new guns like Wilder, Joshua, and certainly the very limited Parker.
Man, the Toney from only 10 years ago would have lined the current HW 'champions' up and kicked some serious butt... Well, this is not a bad fight, at least it's for one of the HW titles. Should Toney win this belt then he's just as much a 'champion' as Wilder or Parker is... meaning he's not THE champ, but a paper champion. But nevermind... Even with Toneys reflexes and speed gone because of his age, he's still a tank - his toughness and physical strength alone still make him dangerous and should get him that final win. Toney still packs a punch, I see a knockout happening!
Toney should win this, but his opponent is very inconsistent. He's capable of being a spoiler. I think Toney stops him though.
So this is it, the final curtain for Toney: hometown crowd, below average opponent, everything seems to be in place for a w in toney's resume. let s hope that james - who had a very poor showing in his last outing against ellis- manages to pull it off. good luck james!
Sheppard stands in front of you and trades. That will play into Toney's hands who might still have enough inside game to pull out the W.
Some seem optimistic about a Toney win here... He's so dangerously shot that the regional level Shepherd actually has a good shot at winning this. Glad he's finally calling it a day regardless of the outcome, although it's probably 10-15 years too late.
If Toney wins this and looks somehow decent doing so, halfways in shape... then what about a HW titles unification with the Briggs-Oquendo winner? (that will hopefully be Briggs) Even if they all are way past their best, it would be interesting to watch these veterans going at it and they would earn some bucks too. With Chris Byrd as Briggs trainer, and Riddick Bowe and Holyfield somehow in the picture too, that would make for a fun nostalgia card. I believe they're all broke so why not step into the ring for a decent purse instead facing these nobodies like Ellis or Sheppard?