I gave Tony a slight edge, but it was very close. I don't think the establishment really wanted an older, fat, bald, loud mouth Toney moving up from middleweight and sticking around at HW making the contenders look bad with his cagey defensive style.
I remember that match very well and in my opinion the verdict was controversial. Toney had clearly won the fight by 2 - 3 points, he landing the most precise and numerous shots. I also remember the rematch well, in which James showed clear signs of decline and was knocked down on a jab from Peter. Here Peter's victory was large and fair.
Peter continuously overcommitted on the attack foolishly believing as the larger man he would bang out the smaller Toney easily. This led him to being vulnerable over and over again to the durable Toney’s counter pull right. In the rematch Peter must of learned in the gym not to be over aggressive and stayed behind this jab and really gave James a beatdown. Toney was never the same after that bout.
What I recall about this fight was a lowered opinion of Peter, letting an overweight middleweight waddle around him to go the distance
I had Toney winning by a point but I don't think it was robbery since it was close. I think Judges had it too wide for Peter though.
I think I had Toney by a point or two when I watched it live (on TV) and then scored it again a year or two ago and had it maybe a draw. The robbery cries and just due to the popularity contest. It’s hard to score rounds for Toney when he gets rocked, and that happened a decent amount in this fight.
It could have gone either way. I had Toney by a point though. It's crazy how Toney was able to take those punches and Peter hits like a truck.
Toney gave him a boxing lesson. It's as clear as day. Peter was not good. HW version of Jeff Lacy. Roy Jones boxed Lacy silly while he was talking to people at ringside. Similarly Toney out boxed Peters while laying on the ropes. WK going life and death with peters says far more about his flaws than it does about Peters strengths . Even Bermane Stiverne would've battered Peters based on his wins over Arroela