As the title goes - 2 guys who have fought over the same period of time, are only a few years apart in age and have both gone through the weights - why did this fight never come off? There would have been interest in it, Hopkins v Toney would have definitely sold. In fact even now, if Toney went on a few more jogs, laid of the burgers and could make a catch weight it would drum up interest. - Why was this fight never made over the years? - In your opinion, who would have won? - Finally, let's imagine a 200 pound catch-weight is agreed and this fight happens now - who comes out on top?
That is an easy one. After the Toney win over Jirov fight in 2003, a Hopkins-Toney fight at cruiserweight was almost a done deal. But then at the last moment, Hopkins declined and Toney went on to fight Holyfield. Yeah, if Toney does a a decent prize fighter tournament next month, a Hopkins-Toney fight would even now generate some interest. however that is a big if!
Toney left 160 in 1993, before Hop had achieved much, and Hop stayed at that weight until 2006. By the time Hop moved up to 175, Toney couldn't even make the CW limit. Their paths have never really crossed.
By the time Hopkins won a title at middleweight in 95 Toney was campaigning at 175lbs. Hopkins was under rated during most of his reign at 160lbs so there was little demand for him to jump up 2 weights to fight a then unmotivated and seemingly lost Toney at light heavy who had lost to Jones Jr and Montell Griffin. In 2003 the fight was signed and set to take place in August. But Don King the promoter over priced the fight believing HBO would pay more for the fight than they wanted to so tried to reduce the purses of both fighters. Toney agreed but Hopkins refused to drop the contractually agreed purse to jump 3 weight divisions and fight Toney. Hopkins has had a history of being screwed by promoters so probably believed this was another scam by King to screw him out of his purse.
