In 1994, I fought three title fights – including ‘Prince’ Charles Williams, the (IBF) light heavyweight champ, and Roy Jones – and two non-title bouts.” “ In 1993, I fought two title fights – including Iran Barkley, who had belts at light heavyweight and super middleweight – and five non-title bouts.
LIGHTS OUT TONEY FULL
“ In 1992, I fought three title fights – including my second fight with McCallum – and two non-title fights,” said Toney, who fought 12 times in 1989, his first full year as a pro, and 10 times in 1990. Toney, who turned 51 on August 24, is also proud of having been a fighting champion. “After I beat Nunn, I fought Reggie Johnson – the No. “ I fought Michael Nunn and Mike McCallum in the same year,” continued the Michigan native, who earned The Ring’s 1991 Fighter of the Year award on the strength of those two performances (the McCallum fight ended in a split draw). “ I always wanted to fight the best, and I never avoided anyone in my whole career,” Toney told The Ring during a one-on-one interview in August at Buddy McGirt’s Gym in Northridge, California. He’s proud of the quality of his opposition, especially early in his pro career, which began in October 1988 and was kicked into high gear when, as a 20-to-1 underdog, he got a shot at IBF middleweight titleholder Michael Nunn in May 1991 and beat the pound-for-pound-rated southpaw with a dramatic come-from-behind 11th-round stoppage. Toney would fight anyone, anywhere, anytime. James Toney was both a throwback fighter and one of the faces of a brash new era in the sport.Īlthough Toney was part of the next wave of boxing stars that defined the 1990s along with Riddick Bowe, Oscar De La Hoya, Felix Trinidad, Terry Norris, Shane Mosley and his hated rival, Roy Jones Jr., his boxing mentality was decidedly old school. THE CONSUMMATE THROWBACK FIGHTER RECALLS SIX ‘LIGHTS OUT’ PERFORMANCES DURING A LEGENDARY CAREER THAT SPANNED TWO DECADES AND FIVE WEIGHT CLASSES Editor’s Note: This feature originally appeared in the November 2019 issue of The Ring Magazine.
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