James Toney vs Michael Spinks @175

I got Spinks. This is a bad matchup for James.

 

Toney is overrated on this forum, to be quite honest. And once again, I'm saying this as a big Toney fan.

I actually agree that he won the Montell fights, but even the fact that those fights were close... Montell Griffin and Michael Spinks are world's apart.

I think you're saying that Toney was more skilled than Spinks PURELY because Toney had a smooth, aesthetically pleasing style, and Spinks had an ugly, herky jerky style... but it's not true.

Defensively, yes, Toney was more adept than Spinks.... offensively, no. Spinks had more tools.

The more skilled debate is a mute point though, as Spinks was just better.

Toney is FAARRRRR from being a top 20-25 all time great the way Spinks is.

 

Actually I agree with much you said.

 

Spinks by easy UD. Probably similar to the Mustafa Muhammad fight, but not as close. Toney was textbook, like Mustafa and fought too controlled with limited output. But, he had less punching power. Spinks also has advantages in movement, height and reach and a huge power advantage.

 

EMM would beat Toney clearly at 175, let alone Spinks.

 

Spinks had that herky jerky style that was a bad match up for a counter puncher .underrated defensive fighter

 

In what world is Toney—an incredibly skilled fighter by the way—‘more skilled’ than Mike Spinks?

 

I am talking pure skills here. Toney is a pound for pounder, old school. Went from 155 to fighting guys weighing 240 pounds-260 pounds, at the elite level while being not in top shape.You gotta to have have incredible skills to do that. I doubt Spinks could do the same.

 

Well, Spinks won an Olympic gold at middleweight and the lineal heavyweight championship.

Besides, just watch Spinks fight; he was incredibly skilled.

 

Blade sounds ignorant ass about Spinks. You'd think he was talking about Ricardo Mayorga the way he's disrespecting The Jinx.

Spinks accomplished more than Toney, beat better fighters, and did so more convincingly. He was a tier above Toney.

Toney was hardly more skilled.

 

Spinks was immensely skilled in his own way and style. As he developed he was one of the very best defensive fighters getting around but it escaped many.

 

Actually I rate Spinks as a Top 3 ATG light heavy.I rate Toney above him pound for pound though I also think Holmes beat Spinks twice

 

The 1st fight Spinks clearly won!! Go back and rewatch it..

The 2nd one is very close.

 

Correct. I believe Holmes edged the second.

 

It never happened for James at 175 for some reason. Spinks at 175 is about as hard to beat as any fighter in the last 30-40 years at that weight.

Spinks his UD in a good boxing match but too much work and Toney wouldn’t be able to get set enough in time.