Funny James Toney story before his loss against Drake Thadzi...

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Rui, Apr 6, 2008.


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  1. Rui

    Rui Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I found this on another website...

    I have a special place for the Thadzi-Toney fight. I promoted it when I was the Director of Boxing for the Foxwoods Resort/Casino.

    The fight was supposed to have been for the WBU light heavyweight crown. Toney swore to me he’d make the light heavyweight limit of 175 pounds. When he arrived at the hotel three days before the fight, he looked at least 10 pounds over that weight.

    “Don’t worry about me,” he told me. “My weight is fine.”

    The next morning, I watched him train in a rubber suit for over an hour. Most of his time was spent on a Stair Master. He also shadow-boxed and jumped rope. When he was finished, he returned to the locker room and peeled off the rubber suit. Water poured out. He stepped on the scale. It said 175 pounds.

    “I told you not to worry,” he said. “I’ll dry out tonight and weigh even less tomorrow.” Then he added, “I can fight at light heavyweight, I can fight at cruiserweight and I can even go up to heavyweight and be successful. Don’t doubt me. I’m telling you, I can be the heavyweight champion of the world!”

    That night, at around 11:00, I was sitting at the bar on the exclusive 8th Floor—where most of the casino’s “high-rollers” stayed—talking with a few sportswriters who were up to cover the bout. They were devouring plate after plate of jumbo shrimp and other goodies from the food bar directly behind us. As I looked in the mirror inside the bar area, Toney’s image behind me caught my eye. He had a suspicious look on his face, as if he was doing something wrong. I watched him. He was. He was breaking training.

    Only that morning, he trained incredibly hard in a rubber suit, killing himself to make weight, anxiously waiting to fight Thadzi. Now, there he was, fighting his junk food craving—and losing. I watched him take handfuls of chocolate and stuff them into his right pocket. Then he took another handful and stuffed them into his left pocket. I turned to face him.

    “James, what in the world are you doing?” I asked him.

    He was truly the kid caught with his hand in the cookie jar. In this case, it was on the dessert tray.

    “I, uh, I’m bringing these things to a few friends who are in my suite.”
    I glared at him.

    “Tell them they can come out here and take all they want,” I told him.

    “Uh, that’s, uh, okay,” he stammered. “I think they’re, uh, tired.

    I glared at him some more.

    “Hey, it’s your fight to win, James,” I told him. “It’s also your fight to lose.”

    “It don’t matter,” he said, waving his right hand. “I’m gonn’ kick his butt no matter what.

    Toney then disappeared into his suite and most likely had himself a chocolate party. A one-man chocolate party. The next night, he failed to make weight. Then he ran out of gas late in the fight and was outpointed by Drake. It remains the last time he lost.
     
    Rui, Apr 6, 2008
    Rui, Apr 6, 2008
    #1
  2. Illmatic

    Illmatic Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Peter L
    Peter L

    intersting story nonetheless thoughq
     
    Illmatic, Apr 6, 2008
    Illmatic, Apr 6, 2008
    #2
  3. C Money

    C Money Paul McCloskey Full Member

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    Conditioning has always been Toney's weakness. It says quite a bit that he can still fight guys even with all that. Unfortunately? It doesnt help him WIN.

    he lost 44 pounds in 6 weeks before RJJ:-( :-( :-(
     
    C Money, Apr 6, 2008
    C Money, Apr 6, 2008
    #3
  4. Rock0052

    Rock0052 Loyal Member Full Member

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    Looks like the original interview was from before the Peter fights, though.
     
    Rock0052, Apr 6, 2008
    Rock0052, Apr 6, 2008
    #4
  5. Bigcat

    Bigcat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Hey , i can beleive it, I remember before JT boxed Holyfield at heavyweight in 2003, i was in the Mandalay Bay Cafe.. Toney and some family members were having a pre fight meal, he was plainly overeating.. royally , not like a big man dining large, but like a monster feed at a zoo.. He was eating like his life depended on it , He ate desert alongside his steaks and spaghetti.. He just ate ****ing everything.. As i left i offered luck to James, he spoke to me with a full mouth, thanks man, take it easy. He had cake, gravy and pasta sauce around his mouth , it was obsene..
     
    Bigcat, Apr 6, 2008
    Bigcat, Apr 6, 2008
    #5
  6. pipe wrenched

    pipe wrenched ESB ELITE SQUAD Full Member

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    :rofl :lol: That's damn hillarious!! Thanks for the story, and to the OP too.
     
    pipe wrenched, Apr 6, 2008
    pipe wrenched, Apr 6, 2008
    #6
  7. oblate

    oblate Active Member Full Member

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    "one-man chocolate party" hahaha
     
    oblate, Apr 6, 2008
    oblate, Apr 6, 2008
    #7
  8. hitman_hatton1

    hitman_hatton1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    nothing surprises me with toney. :yep

    i was watching the barkley fight the other day.

    left uppercut counters off the ropes. :p

    what a talent. :bbb
     
    hitman_hatton1, Apr 6, 2008
    hitman_hatton1, Apr 6, 2008
    #8
  9. brooklyn1550

    brooklyn1550 Roberto Duran Full Member

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    Great read

    This just emphasizes that Toney's lack of self-control and discipline prevented him from accomplishing as much as he could have. If Toney would have lived the lifestyle of let's say, Bernard Hopkins, he would have beaten Drake Thadzi, Hasim Rahman, Samuel Peter, and Oleg Maskaev (since the first Peter fight was a title eliminator). He could have been the WBC and WBA heavyweight champion.

    Still, Toney should be remembered as an ATG. His old-school techniques, subtle skills, and ability to fight off the ropes were a sight to behold.
     
    brooklyn1550, Apr 6, 2008
    brooklyn1550, Apr 6, 2008
    #9
  10. Vantage_West

    Vantage_West ヒップホップ·プロデューサー Full Member

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    well you could say if he trained like hopkins he wouldnt be a heavywieght but i get what your saying
     
    Vantage_West, Apr 6, 2008
    Vantage_West, Apr 6, 2008
    #10
  11. brooklyn1550

    brooklyn1550 Roberto Duran Full Member

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    :lol: Good point
     
    brooklyn1550, Apr 6, 2008
    brooklyn1550, Apr 6, 2008
    #11
  12. PATSYS

    PATSYS Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    We all know/suspected that Toney had been doing this.
     
    PATSYS, Apr 6, 2008
    PATSYS, Apr 6, 2008
    #12
  13. marzblkman

    marzblkman Active Member Full Member

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    As echoed by guys here, this underscores whats been the main problem in James Toney's career. Save for the second Peter fight, I don't think we've EVER seen Toney "dominated". Point being his issue has always been conditioning.

    What surprises me about this story is I recently rented a video called "Shadow Boxer". IT's basically the story of Lucia Reijker and if you're a boxing fan I HIGHLY recommend it.

    In the piece, they're at this training compound thats ran by Michael Bent. Guess who else is there training with Lucia, none other than James Toney. In one of the clips his shirt is off and he looks fairly good.

    This footage ironically was leading into his fight with Drake Thazi. I'm a huge fan of Toney's but I honestly never saw that fight but everyone I talk to universally agrees he did indeed lose that one.

    James is still a hall of famer in my opinion but it's such a shame that weight has killed/diminished his career. He was supposed to fight Bernard Hopkins back in '94 but he couldn't make 160 which is what lead to the Barkley fight.

    I'm curious why the Nigel Benn or Eubanks fights never came to be.

    Great story nonetheless, too bad he's too stubborn to realize that he has a food addiction..
     
    marzblkman, Apr 6, 2008
    marzblkman, Apr 6, 2008
    #13
  14. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Fights don't start at the bell; they start months before.

    James was never good at the doing the latter. Go watch the Tiberi fight.
     
    Seamus, Apr 6, 2008
    Seamus, Apr 6, 2008
    #14
  15. Heavyrighthand

    Heavyrighthand Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    :lol:


    Go, Toney!
     
    Heavyrighthand, Apr 6, 2008
    Heavyrighthand, Apr 6, 2008
    #15
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