By James Slater: I always enjoy reading the “Best I’ve Faced” articles that appear on Ring Magazine’s website. The latest issue is a feature on the great Mike McCallum and interestingly, McCallum lists James Toney as the best overall fighter he ever fought.
Having the chance to speak with “Lights Out” recently, as he prepares for his latest bout – another MMA adventure, this one against veteran Ken Shamrock – I asked him some questions regarding the best fighters he ever faced. I also quizzed the future Hall of Famer on the subject of how he gets himself ready for a big fight, who he rates as the best trainer he’s ever worked with and some other things.
Toney says a combination of his natural talents, his learning from watching endless footage of the old-school masters and his incredible mental strength make him the fighter he is. At times in fights, Toney has appeared to know exactly what his opponent was going to do, what punch he was going to throw even before he threw it. In his prime, the 42-year-old really did make it look all too easy. But how did Toney put on such masterful displays? And which of his many great performances does James list as his best-ever?
J.S: It’s great to be able to speak with you again, Champ. First of all; of all your great fights, which would you say were your top-three best-ever performances?
J.T: Well, firstly, the absolute best is still to come; I ain’t anywhere near done yet and I aim to put on a few more masterpieces as a heavyweight – if any of these bitches will fight me, that is! But for now, hmm (pauses) – I’d have to say my win over Evander Holyfield ( TKO 9, 2003). I said I was gonna stop him and I did; no-one believed me beforehand. And the ass-kicking I put on Iran Barkley (a 9th-round retirement win in ’93) and the beating I gave Tim Littles (a 4th-round TKO win in ‘94). I was perfect in each of those fights; especially against Barkley. Every punch was on target against Iran. The reason I was so sharp was because of all the big talk he was giving me ahead of the fight. I couldn’t wait to get my hands on him. I made that fight look easy.
J.S: When you went into camp for that fight, were you thinking about Barkley instantly, from day one in training?
James Toney: As soon as he put his name down on that dotted line, on the contract, then I knew he belonged to me! I knew he was in big trouble.
J.S: What would you say is the most important aspect of training for a fight?
J.T: The most important thing, a hundred-percent, is the mental side of the game – getting mentally focused and ready. In the past I made a couple of mistakes getting ready for fights and wasn’t 100-percent ready in my mind and I slipped up. That will never happen again. Mental preparation, and mental strength, are the main elements to winning any fight.
J.S: Who would you say you trained hardest for during your long career? Your best-ever camp?
J.T: Without a doubt, the fight with Iran Barkley. He talked so much shit. I couldn’t wait to get hold of him. I made sure he paid the price for making me so mad, for making me work so hard for all those weeks in camp.
J.S: You seemed to be able to anticipate every punch he threw at you that night. Barkley barely landed a glove on you apart from a few body shots.
J.T: That’s because I’m old-school. I’m a natural. I also spend a lot of quality time watching the greats: guys like Sugar Ray [Robinson], Ezzard Charles and Archie Moore. And I also learnt so much from the great trainers I worked with; guys who worked with the all-time greats. But you can only teach so much. I have natural heart and skill. It’s instinct to me. What I do can’t be taught. I can do it all – fight coming forwards, fight going back, take a punch and land one. Everything.
J.S: Of all the great trainers you’ve worked with, who was the best?
J.T: There’s two that I can‘t really separate, and that’s Bill Miller and Freddie Roach. No-one else comes close. Back when I was with those guys, I really set the sport of boxing alight Nobody could touch me, man.
J.S: Do you work the same way for every fight today? Are you still as determined, still as hungry?
J.T: I train hardest for the really big fights. When it’s a big fight I can’t wait. And I want more big fights this year and next year. I’m gonna get busy against the so-called best heavyweights out there. I want to get my hands on David Gay, and the two Bitschko sisters. I wanna do to them what I did to Barkley. But they don’t have the guts to fight me. That’s gonna be the biggest problem, the biggest issue – getting ‘em in the damn ring! If they do agree to face me, you’ll see me prove again how great, how old-school I am. All three of ‘em [Haye, Wladimir and Vitali] must go to sleep! It’s lights out, baby!