On April 30, James Lights-Out Toney (68-4-2, 43) will challenge John Ruiz (4-5-1, 28) for the WBA Heavyweight Championship of the world at the sacred alter of pugilism, “the Garden” (Madison Square Garden) … and the Mighty Moe will be glued to the television.
This will be the second time Big John Ruiz will have to defend his title against a former middleweight champion, having dropped a decision to Roy Jones in 2003. But let’s face it; fans won’t be tuning in to see Ruiz, they’ll be tuning in to see the brash and loquacious James Toney.
When James Toney won the middleweight title with his 11th round destruction of Michael Nunn, fans understood there was something special about Toney. His list of victories looked like a list of who’s who in the middleweight division. But all that started to fall apart for the then pound-per-pound king as Toney kept having trouble making weight, and culminated in to consecutive losses.
Fans were frustrated and angry as they watched an out of shape James Toney drop another two more losses. Even his lack luster victories seemed to confirm in everyone’s opinion, it was all over for Toney. It seemed as though James Toney had eaten his way out of the greatness that most fans believed he was destined to achieve.
A couple years back James started to take his training serious, and a showdown was set for Vassiliy Jirov’s IBF Cruiserweight title. Toney was sensational, he fought the undefeated champion in a toe-to-toe battle that would earn him a unanimous decision … and the honor of knocking the champion off his feet in the last and final round.
With the momentum set, James turned his attention towards the heavyweight division and called out one its greats, Evander Holyfield. With his 9th round TKO destruction over the “Real Deal,” James Toney has made believers out of the harshest of skeptics.
Now the table has been set once again … and I’m a believer. As long as James Lights-Out Toney stays motivated, I think he is one of the most formidable fighters in the game today. Tough and durable, his boxing skills are recognized by fight fans as old-school.
I believe Toney will win a unanimous decision over a gutsy performance by John Ruiz.
--The Mighty Moe
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