I honestly don't know if anyone under heavyweight could do it. Maybe someone like a Hagler, spinks or archie Moore but I say that with no real conviction. Even above 200 lbs it would take a pretty good puncher to pull it off like a Joe Louis.
I can see Hagler stopping him late in a 15 round war. And, although he would have been a slight favorite over Julian Jackson back in the early 90s, Toney very clearly ducked that fight. There was a series of fights where Julian Jackson called out Toney to unify the belts. (Each one had a share of the middleweight title). Toney (who is no wallflower when it comes to talking trash) would name lots of potential opponents (all less deserving than the murderous punching Jackson) but would never utter Jackson's name. Not even once. After each fight Jackson would yell out "Toney, I want James Toney. He is like a chicken out there running away from The Hawk." Although Jackson would go on lose to Gerald McClellan a few years later, at the time he was knocking everybody senseless. And Toney was struggling with the likes of Dave Tiberi. Toney went on to become an even better boxer, but, there is no question he ducked Jackson. Which leads me to believe he thought Jackson had a chance to put his lights out.
God people overrate the hell out of Hagler. Hagler would have trouble just landing punches much less stopping him
I think excellent competition is a huge stretch. The most accomplished MWs he fought are Vito Antuofermo and Mustafa Hamsho. Any way the best defensive fighter Hagler fought was an old blown up Roberto Duran and he made Hagler look slow and basic. Yet he's going to stop an even better defensive fighter who's actually bigger than him, has an ATG chin and in his prime?
@ Hagler stopping Toney Maybe if Jones was told he needed a KO to win and he committed to a body attack. Even Jones missed allot against Toney.
I was always under the impression it was the other way around, Bert? Bert, who would you have favoured had they met, and why? Could Julian KO Toney? Classic case of ferocious puncher meets cast-iron chin.
I won't name anybody. There might well be people who could do it, but his record doesn't justify favouring somebody!
That doesn't seem right to me. Aside from the fact Jackson only had 5 fights at Middle from winning the title from Graham to getting destroyed by McClellan. You haven't explained why Toney was willing to go in with the first guy to destroy Jackson in 2 rounds in 86, but you claim he avoided JJ. Doesn't add up.