Ezzard Charles Vs James Toney

I find this alot more interesting and close than most would think. Gotta think about it.

 

I pick Charles via decision win

 

The heavier they both are, the better Toney's chance becomes, as his at times pedestrian work rate becomes less of an issue and the weight disparity might play into his hands if he's weighing in over 200. In fact, I might be inclined to favour Toney if he's coming in the same size as he did when he had his stint at heavyweight. Cruiser, Light-heavy or Middleweight I'm taking Charles to outwork him to a close decision.

 

The only problem with this logic is toney was usually a better fighter when he actually stayed in shape. Heavyweight was one of his worst divisions performance wise, he became lazy and that was also when his reflexes and timing had decreased significantly.

Seriously, his best peformances at hw were a washed up holyfield and ruiz which became a NC after popping dirty. He lost to Rahman and even got outboxed by Samuel Peter of all people. Not the most stellar record.

 

Wasn’t Toney a lighter punching version of Archie Moore in style and quality? Both used same cross arm defense with sharpshooting counters. Except Moore could hit much harder.

Charles went 3-0 against Moore. Have to heavily favor Charles here against that type of style

 

So the Toney who tested positive for steroids vs Charles? That’s real fair for Charles

 

Watch Toney and Moore on film. Both had the same style. Cross armed, shoulder roll...upper body movement with sharpshooting counters. Difference being Moore hit like a ton of bricks and Toney didn’t.

We all know how the Charles Moore series went

 

Nah Toney didn't fight like Moore. Toney was so much more slicker tighter with his punches better defense. They fought nothing alike to me

 

Yeah don’t see toney being slicker at all...watch Moore in the early 50s he was as slick with upper body movement as you get. His counter punching was as tight and accurate as toney

Watch Moore vs Bivins slade and Maxim. Moore at his peak made these very good boxers miss a ton.

Both fought turtle shell crab shoulder roll defense. Very similar in speed and slickness at their best.

Moore unequivocally punches much harder, put combinations together better, and finished better. Better at jabbing, and also had a much better resume and never cheated and took steroids in his late 30s.

I don’t see toney having the better D than Moore. Toney got hit a lot by inferior fighters. Toney in his prime barely escaped tiberi, Johnson and lost to thazdi. He also got hit a lot by Jirov and nunn

 

The Charles of 1948 probably pulls a Roy jones on toney except Toney would be in danger of getting stopped

Just two different levels of fighters here

Charles is a consensus top 10 p4p fighter of all time and head to head monster at 175 in 1948...

While toney isn’t even a consensus top 50 p4p all time who at his peak lost to thazdi and nearly lost to Tiberi Johnson jirov and nunn

Sorry James you don’t have a chance here

 

Watch a prime focused Toney in the McCallum series then talk to me. Please dont talk to me about Toney I've studied the man his entire career have you? Or are you a casual Toney observer.
Dont just pick out poor performances because that's what you always do ALWAYS. Every fighter has bad performances and I'm well aware of Toneys issues with conditioning most of his career but his talant is undeniable. Besides were talking Toney vs Charles here so please dont turn it into your own agenda.

 

Oddly, Toney didn't gas out so much when he was a tuboflard but rather when he had to make weight. I think this fight is very close. The latter Charles' heavy period (Marciano I & II) is ripe for Toney to pick. The earlier version that beat Walcott and Louis presents a great match-up. I will take Ezz by a razor thin margin.

 

Prince Charles by UD.

 

I am a huge James Toney fan and feel at his best he was an exceptional fighter .. Charles was better. I see great fights w Charles having an edge.