By Vitali Shaposhnikov: “No. James is a good friend of mine, but he doesn’t have the ground game, and is not that big a puncher. I think the UFC is using him just to show that he can be beat by one of their guys, and that they have a better sport than we do. They are just using him as a stepping stone. I wish James wouldn’t do it. But boxing is a very important part of UFC. Nobody likes the ground game; everyone wants to see a fight. I do understand that there is a lot to the ground fight, but I am just not a big fan. I think their sport is gearing more toward stand-up rather than ground game. I have worked with most of the greats in UFC, and more are calling me for help. Best part of UFC is when they are striking.”
This was Freddie Roach’s response to me asking him if James Toney has the potential to win a decent UFC fight. Freddie felt very strong about this issue, and constantly came back to saying that he truly wished James never signed up for anything like this. No matter what anyone thinks, and no matter what our personal opinions are, Roach’s thoughts simply cannot be dismissed or overlooked in any way.
Meanwhile, James Toney sings a different tune, saying:”I’m not even thinking about losing, I’m the best fighter Randy has ever fought. I’m not worried about what Randy can do. I’m winning, hands down – I’m knocking him out.” On August 28th, James “Lights out” Toney will step inside the octagon with Randy “The Natural” Couture. Can James win this fight? Would winning this fight prove anything for the boxing community?
The public knows James as a trash talker. He is undoubtedly good at it, and markets himself beautifully. The main problem with James’s promises: they never end up coming true. Time has the tendency to age people without being too selective. Time has shown no mercy for James, making him considerably weaker, slower, and much less involved in what he does. In his last few boxing fights, Toney looked like he was in the wrong place and definitely at the wrong time. He looked awkward, inactive, and unexciting. So what can potentially change for Toney when facing a UFC fighter?
In my personal opinion, the only thing that can change is James will no longer be standing at the end of the fight. No matter how I re-think this scenario, almost every time James ends up on the canvas. He is certainly no puncher, thus his chance of knocking out a UFC fighter is slim at most. His footwork used to be good back in the day, when Roy Jones Jr. had some trouble getting to young Toney. Unfortunately lately, he is simply stationary during his fights. His weight and defensive style prevented him from keeping up with movement. This will be Toney’s biggest problem. Not only is he uneducated in ground work and lower body offense, he will be right there for Randy to use his own. James should be prepared for an overwhelming barrage of offensive moves coming for every possible angle using all four limbs.
Maybe Freddie is right, and UFC is out to prove something. And if so, maybe Toney is the wrong person to represent the sport of boxing in this game. What I am afraid of, is of course the ultimate emotional price that James may end up paying. Once an excellent boxer with world champion skills is now swimming in dangerous waters looking for another bite at fame. I love James, and wish him all the best. I hope for him to succeed, and most importantly to avoid getting seriously hurt.