A week after they surfaced, James Toney is denying reports of potential fight being made against old cruiserweight foe Vasilly Jirov.

Toney, speaking Wednesday from San Jose, CA, says that neither he nor his publicist have heard anything concrete concerning the “Russian Tiger”.

“I’m fighting in July or maybe August against someone right now, I don’t know, but it’s not Jirov” said a cheerful Toney speaking to fans and reporters alike. “I don’t know where Jirov’s name came from, but I already beat him” remarked Toney in regards to a potential rematch of the 2003 Ring Magazine Fight of the Year. “I beat him, why do I want to fight him again?”

Toney, coming off two consecutive losses to Nigerian heavyweight Samuel Peter, spoke little about his future in the ring, but did talk about his career on screen.

“I got two movies to do right now so I’m getting ready for that” said Toney who played the role of Joe Frazier in the Hollywood smash “Ali.” “I got my taste in Ali and now I’m going back for some more.”

Toney, who was in San Jose to help promote Goosen-Tutor’s Thursday card at the HP Pavilion which features 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward competing in his 11th professional contest, spoke optimisticly about the Bay Area upstart’s future.

“Andre (Ward) is a fast guy, a Gold Medallist who will put on a show tomorrow” said Toney about Ward. “He has a future, he’ll be somewhere one day.”

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