by James Slater – James “Lights Out” Toney said he would be back in a boxing ring in October, defending his IBA heavyweight title, whether he won or lost his MMA debut against Randy “The Natural” Couture. Well, Toney lost last night, and he lost in less than four minutes of the very first round of his “Boxing Vs. MMA” bout against the 47-year-old Couture. In stealing a line Ring magazine wrote about Ricky Hatton after he’d stuggled in his welterweight debut and was urged to run, not walk back down to 140-pounds, I express how Toney must now surely entertain no further thoughts of participating in any other combat sport but The Sweet Science!
The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer never really had too much of a chance going into last night’s curiosity bout in Boston, yet some fans, myself included, expected him to at least last past the 1st-round and maybe, just maybe, test Couture’s chin in the process.. Instead, as many feared, the fight was an embarrassment, and Couture barely broke a sweat in getting the win he was always quietly assured of getting. The question is, will Toney feel suitably humbled and realise his future is in the boxing ring? it really would be a travestey if Toney’s stubborness/pride forced him to take another MMA fight to “prove a point.”
Then again, I think we’re safe from that scenario, seeing as how no reputable promoter of UFC would invite him onto a card. Still, you never know for sure! Last night’s fight sure made a ton of money.
Another, more valid question, is what has Toney got left to offer the sport of boxing? Despite the hefty pay day he’ll have recieved last night, Toney WILL fight again. Not wanting to go out on a loss is half of the reason, having nothing else to do is the other half. Still feeling he has the beating of a David Haye and maybe even a Klitschko (though no-one believes him), Toney, though he has little chance of landing such a big fight, will box on in hope of getting one. October may be a little too soon for “Lights Out,” who was stopped for the first time in a helluva lot of fights last night (he remains unstopped in his real sport, of course), to have licked his wounds and regrouped, but don’t be shocked if he does fight again this year.
Toney is a natural fighter, he knows nothing else to do, and though he lost badly last night, he did at least give it a shot. For that he probablty desrves credit. Let’s now hope, though, that no desperate bid for revenge ensues, with Toney and his promoter persisting with that idea of Couture coming over to boxing for a rematch! I think both sports, boxing and MMA, have had quite enough of crossover matches for the time being!