By Steve Edwards: My chronic insomnia and YouTube addiction led me to review the James Toney – Evander Holyfield fight from 2003, a fight I remember enjoying but had not seen in many years. Toney was entering the fight coming off of a victory over Vassiliy Jirov, taking Jirov’s IBF cruiserweight title in the process. Toney was not lacking in experience, entering the contest with a staggering 72 pro fights under his belt (66-4-2), and holding wins over the likes of Jirov, Mike McCallum, Iran Barkley, and Michael Nunn. Holyfield’s heavyweight resume, of course, reads like a who’s who: Riddick Bowe, Michael Moorer, Hasim Rahman, George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and two wins over Mike Tyson.
Questions were raised about both men. Could Toney handle the heavyweight division? He certainly was not tiptoeing into the higher weight class, taking on a significant challenge in his heavyweight debut. Questions such as these often leave fans with baited breath, seeing whether or not a fighter can rise to the next level. Questions about Holyfield were a little more serious. Along with his Hall of Fame wins, he had shown marked decline. He fought Lennox Lewis to a draw and a decision loss, went 1-1-1 with John Ruiz (hardly anyone’s idea of top competition), and prior to the Toney fight, lost a UD to Chris Byrd. To add fuel to the fire, Evander Holyfield was 40 years old, an age which certainly does not invoke the idea of vitality..
The first two rounds went to Holyfield. Looking light on his toes, he was able to utilize his height and reach, and used his jab to win the rounds. Toney began to take over in round 3. Evander again led with his jab, but Toney, perhaps sufficiently warmed up, utilized his defense effectively, turning the tables on his opponent and backing him up at times, landing combinations on the inside.
The turning point came in round 4. Toney clipped Evander on the chin and staggered him, forcing him to clinch. Evander’s punches became either wild or pawing, and Toney showed some of his best moments against the ropes, masterfully slipping and countering. Evander seemed a bit desperate and even fatigued at the conclusion of the round. Round 5 showed more of the same, with Evander curiously abandoning his range-fighting which had brought him success early in the fight to go inside and fighting Toney’s fight. Round 6 showed a much more aggressive (and effective) Toney, with most of Evander’s punches looking comically cocked-back and “loaded up”. Evander spent much of this round on the ropes, poorly imitating Toney’s slick defense. Holyfield was not making productive adjustments. Rounds 7 and 8 were more of the same, with Evander practically cowering under Toney’s effective and clean offense. Between rounds 8 and 9, Holyfield’s corner instructed him to be wary of Toney’s right hand and take charge, warning him that they would stop the fight if the situation didn’t improve.
Toney continues to land his overhand right in Round 9, and drops Holyfield with a series of punches ending in a glancing hook to the body. Holyfield beat the count, but his corner waves the white flag, resulting in a TKO victory for Toney and placing him alongside Riddick Bowe as the only men to stop Holyfield.
Both men moved forward and had opportunity. Toney “won” a wide decision over John Ruiz to claim the WBA heavyweight championship, but lost the title due to a positive steroids test (not his last), two losses to Sam Peter, a no-contest with Hasim Rahman, and a few victories over C and D level fighters. Toney can beat the Klitschkos and Haye in his mind, but his recent performances suggest otherwise. Holyfield, despite a hotly disputed points loss to then-champion Nicolai Valuev, has been earning his paychecks beating has-beens and fringe contenders.
Both men have accomplished a great deal prior to the fight, not so much following the fight, yet both believe they will become champions again. Both men, in the opinion of this writer and most others, feel that their best days are long behind them. Still, for a brief time, Toney looked like he may have been a force to be reckoned with in the division, and while I feel he would not have beaten either Klitschko, I think he could have held a respectable reign as heavyweight champion.