Fantasy Fight: James Toney vs Andre Ward who would have won prime for prime?

Don't think so personally. Certainly not when he didn't have a height and reach advantage. Ward was a defensively responsible fighter who offered his opponents very few clean hits. Nunn was naturally gifted and a very tall MW, but he held his hands low and chin high. Things that catch up with you sooner or later.

 

What does "so sure" come from? I rarely feel that way in these kinds of match-ups.

Let's put it this way, Ward had one close fight in his career. That was when he moved up after a long inactivity and faced the top dog of that division and then won the rematch by KO. Everyone else he beat comfortably. No one of them was very similar to Toney, but he beat what was put in front of him.

Toney on the other hand struggled against Reggie Johnson, who was similar to Ward but not as good. He beat Nunn, but was behind and I think he lost the rematch to an aging McCallum.

So the question is really, whom did Toney beat convincingly enough to make him favourite over Ward?

 

Toney actually beat Mc Callum by UD the 2nd time.I can see your point but I do think Toney peaked at 168 pounds.

 

Nunn was 6'3" middleweight. He almost always did. James Toney had better overall defense than Ward. James was just a far more active fighter in every sense of the word. Low hands help protect the body and disguise offense but you are asking for it if you don't move your head. Nunn was near impossible to get a hand on early in a fight.

Nunn was number 3 lb for lb at the time James Ko'ed him. Nunn is a better win than any Ward has on his resume.

 

I tried to find out why they banned you, as I believe it was NWO-related but "The Man" would not ever tell me. Same with Morlocks.

 

Nunn held height and reach advantages over most of his opponents.

He was very elusive unless he was really pressured.

 

I don't really see how Reggie was like Ward.

Reggie was a fast, elusive southpaw.

Most fighters struggled with Reggie and his movement.

I love Andre, but he never fought a southpaw like Nunn or Reggie.

I was a fan of Chad's, but he had huge trouble losing muscle for that fight.

Andre also didn't fight anyone as technically good as Mike McCallum.

James definitely fought a bigger array of styles.

If they were both at their best, fighting to their full capabilities, I can't pick a winner. All I can say is that Andre was a more dedicated professional.

 

I know why I got banned. It's annoying but whatever.

 

No way would Ward have a fight with Toney. He'd steal a decision by every wiseguy, negative tactic in the book. We'd be climbing the walls watching this !

 

Something like that.

 

Yes, Nunn was bigger than most, until he moved up at least, but he relied more on size for his defense which makes him less defensively good. In short, Ward wouldn't have been caught with that left hook like that.

Toney had better head movement, but not as good movement on his feet, so not sure I'd call him better defensively over all. More active? Ward was never outworked to decision losses to fighters like Griffin.

I think Kovalev is a better win than any Toney has, since Ward moved up in weight. Not much in it, though.

 

Yeah, I know he was given the decision (and MD, I think, not an UD), but I just don't agree with it.

That could be, but he lacks quality wins at that weight. Barkley was good, but probably past his best and drained.

 

Kovalev is not a better win than Jirov, Nunn, Barkley.

 

Fair enough.It is more the way he looked in those fights.I think Barkley, Williams and Littles were quality wins though.I think Ward would have a lot trouble with Williams, not so sure who would win this one.An underrated win in my opinion.That is based on Ward fight with Bika.

 

Good point. Son Of God tallks with respect to everyone, yet has more than a few questionable tactics.

Toney the consummate trash talker...I can't think of one foul in all his fights I've seen not one.


But I may go Ward here simply because we have to use Toney (when he is motivated). Ward stayed in shape and stayed focus. I loathe to have to say (IF) fighter X comes in shape or on his game he wins.

With Ward I don't have to do that, he came focused from beginning to end.