How much did toneys heavyweight stint help his legacy?

Going through as many bouts, weights, good fighters and years in age as James Toney did without ever being stopped is very impressive to say the least. As for his participation at heavyweight? I don't know. He gave some hard fought efforts resulting in NOT DECISIVELY losing, but overall I'm not terribly impressed. It also took a bit of juicing to keep him there.

 

A former middleweight fighting at heavyweight is remarkable. Standing right in front of a heavyweight as he did rolling and countering was just ridiculous.

Toney really would fight anybody

 

exactly,
and any fighter stepping UP against the Top men, this should only add to their greatness & capability win or lose...

this was very much the way of the past among the top men, but equally in any era it's a fighting trait and superiority of skill that should be highly scored onto a fighters alltime ranking or placement!

 

Not as much as it should have done.

He had the talent to beat Ramhan and Peter in the key heavyweight fights, and he blew it due to his poor training ethic.

 

He's still going after the Klits

 

He wasn't even 5'10"; he was 5'9", the same height as David Tua. I think it's amazing that a former middleweight could move up and be competitive with the big guys like that. However, if, in fact, Toney was on the juice, well, then, his heavyweight career was suspect.

 

He was always a bigger guy cutting down.

Still not as big as Peter, don't get me wrong.

 

It was fun to watch, especially the Holyfield bout, but I think it would have been way better for his career if he stuck around at CW a little longer instead.

 

it solidified him as a great defenses fighter with a great chin. Moving up in weight does show us things about fighters. If a guy can still win a title and win fights against good fighters at higher weights he is the goods.

 

I think it propelled him from very good to great.

His MW stint has the names but not the performances. His SMW stint had the performances but not the names.

He then shared a series with Griffin, robbed v Thadzi and dropped off the map. At that point I'd say he was very good but not great.

From Jirov onwards he solidified his greatness imo.

 

It may have hurt him in the long run regarding how the newer fans view him.

What's sad is that he had the talent and the ability to actually make even more of an impact on the division despite being in his late 30's. The heavyweight division was pitiful in those times, with the likes of Ruiz, Briggs, Peter and Rahman as title holders. More than a few middleweights could conceivably beat those men.

 

The first Peter fight ruined him.Should have gotten the decision,but he took a shitload of clean,heavy shots in that fight.Very entertaining bout.