Re: What if James Toney campaigned only as a heavyweight?
Toney is notorious for hating roadwork more than Max Kellerman hates silence... Low stamina makes holding up a heavyweights that like to lean on you for 12 rounds, a tall order. Long rangey jabs and one-twos at the body Toney offers up to bait opponents with the shoulder roll. Lots of long nights for James at heavyweight.
At middle and cruiser where could still kind of see James's neck. He was faster and slicker than most of his opponents and knew how to pick his shots. At heavy many of those shots don't have the range or leverage when your punching up and out on a heavy with some reach.
Re: What if James Toney campaigned only as a heavyweight?
I think the better question is how would he have faired if he fought at light heavyweight or cruiser. He just wasn’t naturally big enough for heavyweight.
Re: What if James Toney campaigned only as a heavyweight?
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ykdadamaja
Too short and not enough power. I don't see him putting a hurt on the big guys.
True, but at around 210-220 pounds Toney had speed and movement and was lightning compared to most HW's. He didn't really win his fights with power. He won by landing more and landing the flashier blows. Even against Peter at 38 he was steadily out boxing the much bigger man with a jab and the occasional dazzling lead despite being past it and way too heavy.
Toney only really looked average when FAT or when genuinely just too old. At his best I could see him giving someone like Wlad fits too. Remember how small Toney could crouch and the way his upper body and head moved. I have no doubt he could get inside and being so quick would do work before octopus man tried his thing. There are rumors they sparred once and they wanted none of that again, but I cannot say that is true.
On his day Toney can beat anyone IMO. I just don't think he was a natural HW in the way Wlad or Bruno was. They could not physically boil down like Toney was able to. Great fighter was Toney and I will always re-watch his fights.
Re: What if James Toney campaigned only as a heavyweight?
Apparently it was Vitali he sparred and Toney has said again and again it was easy work.
Re: What if James Toney campaigned only as a heavyweight?
Toney at heavyweight his whole career would have been a very different boxer because, had all his bouts been against heavies, he wouldn't have learned how to fight. His success at the weight came because he learned/was taught how to fight.
Just like Archie Moore was a top contender into his 40s because of lessons learned fighting Eddie Booker and Charley Burley years before. Just like Billy Conn had to learn from Zivic, Apostoli, Kreiger, and Yarosz to stay in the ring with Louis.