Toney. The fight really doesn't appeal to me with these two for some reason. I think it would be ****
Martinez struggled to beat B-C level fighters............................ Forget James "Lights Out" Toney, Jermall Charlo would KO him. Martinez was an exciting fighter just leave it at that. The Martinez nut hugging has to stop.
Not the best style match up for Toney with Sergio's movement and southpaw stance. But there are levels and while Martinez is a very good fighter he's not on Toney's level. He probably out boxes Toney for spells when Toney is less active but eventually Toney breaks him down with body shots and his counter right hand and stops him.
Wouldn't be full of fireworks but would be fascinating IMO. Toney catches him, late TKO. People forget he was called "Lights Out" for a reason at middleweight, and carried his power late and had no trouble landing on mobile southpaws (ask Michael Nunn on both counts).
This, Sergio eventually.............always gets hit clean in fights. James is an excellent finisher. If he gets someone in trouble he goes for the kill.
Martinez was too flawed defensively. Unless Toney shows up in the type of shape he did against Tiberi, I think he wins. Not easy though. Toney loved guys that came at him, and Martinez was agile and used the ring well. But he would leave so many openings that Toney would take advantage of. Toney was dropped and hurt by Reggie Johnson, but came back to win 8 rounds on my card. It would be something like that, 7-5, 8-4 for Toney. Sergio did have quite a bit of a pro experience edge on Toney.
Toney has an iron chin. He didn't even flinch when his opponents hit him cleanly. So amazing. Martinez would become tired and exhausted after hitting Toney with hundreds of punches but could not stop him then the former would be taken out by the latter in the late round.