I used to think boxing was boring. Then in the beginning of this year I put on boxing gloves for the first time and began training multiple days per week. It has given me a new appreciation for the elite level of these monsters. The power, accuracy, speed and snap of those strikes. That footwork and head movement. You don't realize how much goes into it until you start training it yourself. Now I cant stop watching these guys.
Good for you bro. I started real young myself and if my body wasn't so fked up in my 30s, I would still be at the gym. One of my biggest regrets was that I didn't take boxing seriously enough in my teens lol. Idc what anyone says, boxing is the best form of exercise and def the most useful
Any man can throw a punch, but being able to move and punch is what boxing’s all about. I remember my first sparring session I got my ass kicked twice cuz I had terrible footwork. It’s always the footwork of these pros that impress me the most
And the fact that it is a huge sport with boxing clubs in every shit hole across the world. The competition is gigantic and only the most talented small fraction gets to be a Toney or Holyfield. These guys are not for real when it comes to skill and athletic abillity.
2nd greatest era, unquestionably. 70s were better. I remember the 80s HW era was super maligned, but it was actually quite good - just had the misfortune of being referenced against the two decades that sandwiched it
2nd greatest era and maybe 3rd. for the 70's had the greatest heavyweights and the 80's had Larry Holmes who I would put ahead of all the heavyweights in the 90's. An old Larry gave Holyfield a run for his money. A young Larry would have made him look silly!
Man, I miss Holyfield. I love how much of a class act the dude was. When he lost, he didnt make excuses and he gave credit to his opponents where it was due. He's just one of those guys you could never bring yourself to root against, even if he was up against your favorite boxer.
James body shot is that good in the 6th round, it makes evanders leg lift up and you can see the shock in evanders face. One of the best body shots you will see
Lights Out Toney successfully used the Philly Shell against both Jirov and Michael Nunn when they were undefeated champions. I can't recall any other orthodox fighter doing it once against a world-class Southpaw in a title fight. His aggressive Shell, defensive instincts, reflxes, and power made him one of a kind. He was a special talent.
@barneysbar4032 What are you trying to say? They fought May 10, 1991. And 157 lbs isn't a division. Go play somewhere that you might be taken seriously.
Rewatch the jirov fight. I scored it like lederman myself. Jirov was hitting James HARD and often. But it was impressive how he stuck to it fighting off his shoulder. Reminded me a lot of how Taylor opted right Chavez middle rounds. It was super impressive except James was better at blocking jirov’s only scoring punch in that position whereas Julio worked his way to those big shots meldrick wore the rest of the fight/his life. James almost fought close with his shell knowing he’d be hit but he’d land more. That’s the thing about Toney’s defense. It wasn’t like Pernell or Floyd even when we think of his crab Michigan defense they share to some degree . James used the shell combined with his far above average even at world level anticipation to trade especially on the inside. He would take one to give 2. And that in his career made it impossible for guys like Jirov to actually win: I don’t like James as a boxer honestly but gd is he effective. That Jirov fight is actually on my Mount Rushmore of fights. But James’ state today reflects this. His sparring he’s beating the piss out of guys. The real damage is fights like Jirov. A guy who refused to step back despite being hit repeatedly full blast. His defense wasn’t so much evasion as it was setting up the next 2 which is why he translated so well to heavyweight. He could afford to fight from the pocket and be so exciting yet so hard to hit. I really think he was aware of the negative stigma of defensive wizards too. To your point imo he could have leaned more into evasion but I don’t think he’d be as big a name . It only backfires in fights like Jirov who was impossibly tough I think James got hit with more than he needed to and then against guys like Roy in his literal prime which is just unfortunate. No one on one he planet but Roy could do that to James and be faster and slicker. It showed.
@@boxinghistorian2629 L😆L at Error Spence:"Gonna break him down" and "Bud too light in the Azz" Yet it was Error Spence who got his Azz handed to him plus ends up resembling a defeated 👊 Street 🎮 Fighter video game fighter.
@@boxinghistorian2629 Error.Spence:"We gone smoke some Bud..." ; "Gonna break him down." results?? . Bud 🥊 beats Spence like he stole the Lord's 🍽️ Supper and Error ends up 🩸 bleeding from eyes resembling a defeated Vega from Street 🎮 Fighter game L😜L
I lost my love for boxing a bit in the early 00's. Its was Toneys performances against Jirov and Holyfield and got me back into boxing again. 1 in every 100 years type of talent. With better handling, maybe could have achieved more Championship success. Always had a performance in him.
Holyfield was always a class act. Win or lose, he never made excuses, always lauded the other boxer's skills, and didn't whine or complain. Total legend.
@@cockoffgewgle4993 Fair enough. HOlyfield said he didn't take 'roids; I think he did, but so did a lot of other champs. They didn't get caught, though; Toney did.
@@jessfrankel5212 It's pretty obvious he did. There's firm evidence and you only need to look at his ridiculous physique and physical transformation. But it was assuredly widespread in boxing. It's ironic that a guy who took the title off Holyfield got done for doping.
He's nuts! XD XD, but definitely a scary and absolutely elite boxer. Apparently he didn't really like training or practicing, and didn't even like controlled sparring, so he would just spar like it was a real boxing match, and just get all these different boxers lined up to fight him for a round or two until they inevitably would quit or get knocked out, and the next one would go in. The guy was an animal! O_O
@@normalnick9693I don’t think it does. Steroids is cheating by definition of the rule, however steroids doesn’t make you a better boxer in any way. You could take a shit load of steroids right now for 5 years and you still won’t be able to do the things Tony did in a ring. Fighters go through so many health issues outside of the ring that sometimes steroids are used just to help them recover from injuries they sustained in training. I personally think it shouldn’t be frowned upon and actually encouraged. At the end of the day they are putting their lives on the line strictly for our ENTERTAINMENT.
If you're of the age that saw these fights live like I did, Toney was a fighters fighter in a time where Tyson was the bar. The sheer skill he had in big weight classes, Jesus. That man was a fight god
Toney was a dang defensive and counter punching guru. Head movement, and his eyes were second to none. The vision he had enabled his reflexes and timing. Absolute beast!
His defense sucked man its a juggernaut mentality he gets tagged to much because of that shit he does thankfully he had a good chin. His counter was on point i must give him that but he allows himself to get hit to much and it shows on him now
@@dominiquec8244 James Toney defense sucked? Never seen such blasphemy. 😂 He's fighting in the pocket, of course he's going to get tagged. Look at all the punches he's slipping and countering at that range.
Toney is the perfect example of why boxers like Crawford are so good. Anytime you move up in weight class and keep your speed it translates much better than power. This is why toney looked outta shape but was probably the fastest heavyweight since Ali.
True but I hate how it only goes one way in todays era cause once someone like Toney would lose in the HW division they’d say whoever beat him was the bigger man it was expected .. Eg : Mikey Garcia was at 135, won a belt at 140 and was a P4P star but when he lost to EJ all of a sudden EJ fought and bullied a small man .. fighting your Crawfords Toneys & Mikeys are tricky . You get criticised for losing and criticised for winning against them when they are actually elite fighters
I remember this fight. Absolute worth mentioning that Holyfield was 40 and Toney was 35. Both were considered ancient in boxing years. Great performance by both fighters and their conditioning was immaculate for their age. Holyfield was just too far past his prime to hurt a tank like Toney.
Agreed you can see that he just wasn't as fast as he used to be in his prime. Still one of the greatest fights I've seen between 2 very similar styles and very similarly matched heavyweights. They were both great and it was a legendary fight to witness.
I was a t this fight in person and was so depressed after. Holyfield is my all-time favorite fighter and Toney is in my top 5. Probably was my 2nd favorite fighter at that moment. We can't take away anything from Toney, he was brilliant that night, but he was in great shape (and most likely juicing) and coming off one of his best wins vs. Jirov, whereas Holyfield was so far past it (and possibly on HGH himself here). But he was still good enough to look great in the 1st round, and he landed some big shots on James, but Toney, (along with Holy) had one of the all-time best chins.
@@joeblough261 Yeah agreed but the truth is we will never know for sure if he was juicing or not. In either case he outboxed Hollifield that night. As a person Hollifield is still the better man.
@@charleybrown8650 I think you misunderstood. Toney stands right in front of you, yet you cant really hit him. You might graze him with something, and maybe even land something, but its usually never a good clean shot. He doesnt have fast feet or mobility like some boxers, but his head movement and shoulder defence made up for it.
@@WarEnjoyer-gm5yh I think holyfield landed good shots and missed a lot of shots . Tony was getting tagged for the first few rounds and than beast mode kicked in
@@charleybrown8650He’s a guy who makes you feel like you’re fighting in a phone booth (if you’re old enough). He knows the angles, smoothers you, moves just enough.
@@charleybrown8650 Yep, holyfield started slowing down because he was past it and because toney even when he was fat had great cardio and hit really hard. Also because nothing could actually hurt toney, there was no way for evander to win by stoppage because in toneys own words "im undestructable"
Holyfield was on point the first 4 rounds. He was really trying to knock Toney out. You rarely see Evander fight with that much zest so early in a fight. Unfortunately, the energy he expended in doing so came back to bite him.
No, it was a good decision by Holyfield. He knew Toney's defense was top notch and he probably would not be able to seriously hurt him in the later rounds anymore. It was a good shot to try and catch him with something early while he still had good pop in his strikes
The respect each showed for the other was some powerful nostalgia. I never understood why some fighters (yeah, “marketability”, but that’s not relevant to me in the slightest) talk endless shit about their opponents. If you call a guy a no talent bum and then you beat him, you beat a bum. Conversely, if he beats you, you just lost to a bum. I can admit that I’m not a talented boxer, but I have loved the sport since my grandfather would sit me down to watch old black and white bouts with him. I was a D1 collegiate wrestler though and I competed in Judo from an early age so I can relate to the “essence” of boxing. Like wrestling, boxing requires a mixture of skill, discipline, power, agility, intelligence and the willingness to suffer through adversity to attain something you want. Of course that’s a heavily abridged list, but it serves its intended purpose. My dad always told me to be as respectful as possible towards my opponents and whenever speaking about them, to be complimentary regarding their abilities and skill set. I never asked why, it just made sense particularly when applied to a scenario similar to the one I mentioned above.
That he did and he is sorely missed, but a bright spot in my mind is that I am able to pass on to my son what my father and his father passed on to me. Thanks for the kind words!
I was very fortunate to grow up watching the greats of boxing. Holyfield and Toney are legends of the sport and made boxing exciting a fun. Many thanks to the legends for great memories.
Toney was my all time fav boxer fought anyone anytime any weight and never been knocked out not even in sparring! What a beast! One of the real old school legends! Loved to study his fight and never seen any fighter more poised and comfortable in the ring in my entire life! Had he taken training seriously I think he couldve beaten anyone at any weight class! Take notes kids this is how u box
@@cuba8188 who slacks off for a fight against Roy Jones Jr? Really think about that question before you speak again. As for weight drained, it didn't seem to effect him at all, it was a hard fight. Roy nullified his offense, when the skill difference is at that level none of your excuses matter
@burtonaka___ very well said.. I just wish they woulda fought in their peak and both at their best.. as much as I respect toney he has had a few fights where u came in out of shape but still had the skill to make up for it... Both Roy and toney were great in their own way Roy is much more athletic and toney was the better boxer. It came down to toney not having the conditioning to deal with roys pressure and speed. But both men are legends and at their best can beat anybody
@@sky-oq5mrJames had 10x the skill of RJJ that was force fed boxing from a young boy. Toney was pure skill. RJJ was pure athletism with some skill. Prob on the best enhancers as he was the tom Brady of boxing. Roy was simply too fast, but skill wise RJJ isn't een close. There was no way they going to let Toney beat Roy with all the money behind Roy.
I trained at Memorial Park in Houston when Hollyfield was training there. He wasn't but 5'10"-5'11", but he was a beast. All muscle and bone, and he could jog that 3.1 mile loop twice a day with calisthenics in between. Chin ups, pushups, etc. He was a true athlete.
Evander was 40 yrs old. Although still impressive at that age, his reflexes, speed & stamina had, clearly, declined. Had this fight taken place a few years earlier, the result would have been very different.
@jamesdeer3129/ Tony was a natural light heavyweight coming out of high school... He lost weight to be able to fight middleweight... That wasn't his natural weight & he beat every body down there but Roy Jones... He couldn't beat Jones @ middleweight... His style fit heavyweights more...💯💯💯
@@henrybiggs3113tony still looked soft aginst roy, despite being #2 mw in world after roy. He wasnt some super big MW, he coulda gone down 7 more pounds and hit a lower weight class back then. Natural LHW is cap
@@benjaminjackson793 / Toney was 5-9 / 5-10 205 graduating high school, the cap is where...🤔🤔🤔 That's his natural body before boxing... Show me a boxer naturally @ that weight that went down & fought middle weight & stayed there...🤔🤔🤔 Jones was a natural middleweight... He bulked up to go light heavyweight / heavyweight... It's way harder conditioning wise to maintain under your natural weight than it is to bulk over it... Toney would never beat Jones @ Super middleweight... With fluids fluctuations, & dehydration problems from the shift, Toney would always be lethargic against the naturally quicker Jones, period... That's not cap, that's human science...🙄🙄🙄
Didn't Know James Toney was that Good & i watched that Era. Just played poker with a guy that said He saw Toney, BoneCrusher & Ray Mercer at a Golf Course in South or North Carolina & that's what had Me watching a Fight of His. He Beat Holyfield So He Must have been Good!!
I remember this fight. James Toney actually tested positive for steroids. Evander never made excuses. Taking foods to get the win is dirty no matter how you call it.
Toney could have NEVER beaten Holyfield, ( or anyone else ) in their prime. Roy Jones Jr. Beat the snot out of Toney, what do you think a Holifield in his prime would have done?
Yes Holyfield was past his prime but so was Toney, 10 years and 50 pounds heavier than his best days. While a little younger, Toney also at that point had 30 more professional bouts than EV. I think it evens out.
the fact that Holyfield only had a couple of pro fights as a light-heavy before moving up to cruiserweight, whereas Toney was a middleweight world champion is perhaps worth mentioning. Holyfield was a much bigger man in height and natural stature...
I watched this fight live in Vegas. James Toney is one of my all time favorite fighters. He was the underdog and I put 800 bucks on him. I won big when he knocked Evander out. Then I lost my mind later that night at Crazy Horse Too!!! lmaoooo
You done lost your mind. James Toney was a non disciplined FIGHTER WHO WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO EVEN STAY IN THE RING FOR 4 OR 5 ROUNDS WITH HOLYFIELD IN HIS PRIME. AND GIYS LIKE TYSON FURY and the Bronze BOMBER WOULD KILL TONEYS SHORT FAT SELF
Holyfield was such a warrior. The amount of time I've watched him just sit in the pocket and exchange. Just crazy the amount of punishment he's taken over the years and continued to push forward. He's 40 here and clearly outmatched, but man, he is just absorbing those shots, thank God they threw in the towel.
No headbutts were landed because the ref kept telling Evander through out the entire fight; "watch your head, Evander!" Holyfield already had the reputation of headbutting and Toney's corner successfully got the ref to check for them. Evander also moved slower because he came back from surgery. His left shoulder was repaired but it gave out on him after the 3rd. You can see that he could no longer keep his left hand up because his shoulder was gone and his output decreased. Watch the entire fight. Don't watch edits like these. They paint an entirely different narrative than what actually took place. Toney beat Evander, no question about it but not like how this video presents it.
Loved this fight, watched it several times. Evander tried to use them headbutts he used on Tyson but Toney was too slick. Good job Toney ✊🏾 also loved the show boating to the judges 😆
Evander was one of the best in his prime and I doubt he would’ve lost to Tony back then. But Tony was a big, quick beast that had it all. He beat the breaks off Holyfield in this fight landing hard power punches with speed and precision. Even Holyfield said he was shocked by Tony’s speed. James Tony is one of the most underrated fighters because of his KO loss to Roy jones jr.
James Toney is one of the best inside boxers who ever lived. Holyfield should have boxed him. He wanted James to feel that heavyweight power. He still could have done that.
I used to think boxing was boring. Then in the beginning of this year I put on boxing gloves for the first time and began training multiple days per week. It has given me a new appreciation for the elite level of these monsters. The power, accuracy, speed and snap of those strikes. That footwork and head movement. You don't realize how much goes into it until you start training it yourself. Now I cant stop watching these guys.
Good for you bro. I started real young myself and if my body wasn't so fked up in my 30s, I would still be at the gym. One of my biggest regrets was that I didn't take boxing seriously enough in my teens lol. Idc what anyone says, boxing is the best form of exercise and def the most useful
and @theadmiral111 agree and agree. the best fitness moments I had were with 2.5 lb weights shadow boxing and wondering how much I sucked lol
Any man can throw a punch, but being able to move and punch is what boxing’s all about. I remember my first sparring session I got my ass kicked twice cuz I had terrible footwork. It’s always the footwork of these pros that impress me the most
Don't get CTE. You only have one brain and it doesn't get younger.
And the fact that it is a huge sport with boxing clubs in every shit hole across the world. The competition is gigantic and only the most talented small fraction gets to be a Toney or Holyfield. These guys are not for real when it comes to skill and athletic abillity.
Possibly the greatest era of heavyweight boxing ever, I miss boxing in the 90s with those greats.
Greatest at headbutting and putting ointment on his gloves to burn his opponents eyes ! FACTS !!
2nd greatest era, unquestionably. 70s were better. I remember the 80s HW era was super maligned, but it was actually quite good - just had the misfortune of being referenced against the two decades that sandwiched it
Every sport was good in the 90s
Get rid of steroid testing and it would be that good again
2nd greatest era and maybe 3rd. for the 70's had the greatest heavyweights and the 80's had Larry Holmes who I would put ahead of all the heavyweights in the 90's. An old Larry gave Holyfield a run for his money. A young Larry would have made him look silly!
James Toney is the definition of too tough for your own good
Yup. Hence how he now speaks. A shame really
James Tony knocked out Holyfield with an uppercut to his shoulder blade.
@@ItIsYouAreNotYour Thats funny, but that 3 piece right before that is what did it.
It was the sparring that damaged Toney. He would go to war in training every day, it’s a miracle he can still talk at all
@@HkFinn83he got hit in the back of his head alot
Man, I miss Holyfield. I love how much of a class act the dude was. When he lost, he didnt make excuses and he gave credit to his opponents where it was due. He's just one of those guys you could never bring yourself to root against, even if he was up against your favorite boxer.
huh. i've always thought of him as dirty with all the headbutts and punches after the bell.
@@throwdownthenhoedown9074 and the juicing
FACTS! 👍
He couldn't get his headbutt going in this one.
If only you guys knew !!
That was a proper brawl. Don't see many fights like this
James body shot is that good in the 6th round, it makes evanders leg lift up and you can see the shock in evanders face. One of the best body shots you will see
😂He tried to block it with his leg after it already hit him
07:05 здесь
Lights Out Toney successfully used the Philly Shell against both Jirov and Michael Nunn when they were undefeated champions. I can't recall any other orthodox fighter doing it once against a world-class Southpaw in a title fight. His aggressive Shell, defensive instincts, reflxes, and power made him one of a kind. He was a special talent.
Wrong , toney weighed 157 while nunn was 160.
@barneysbar4032 What are you trying to say? They fought May 10, 1991. And 157 lbs isn't a division. Go play somewhere that you might be taken seriously.
Idk why James toney is so punch drunk given how stellar his defense was
@@rph8704Because instead of road work, he would allegedly just do hella sparring. All those sparring battles take their toll.
Rewatch the jirov fight. I scored it like lederman myself. Jirov was hitting James HARD and often. But it was impressive how he stuck to it fighting off his shoulder. Reminded me a lot of how Taylor opted right Chavez middle rounds. It was super impressive except James was better at blocking jirov’s only scoring punch in that position whereas Julio worked his way to those big shots meldrick wore the rest of the fight/his life. James almost fought close with his shell knowing he’d be hit but he’d land more.
That’s the thing about Toney’s defense. It wasn’t like Pernell or Floyd even when we think of his crab Michigan defense they share to some degree . James used the shell combined with his far above average even at world level anticipation to trade especially on the inside. He would take one to give 2. And that in his career made it impossible for guys like Jirov to actually win: I don’t like James as a boxer honestly but gd is he effective. That Jirov fight is actually on my Mount Rushmore of fights. But James’ state today reflects this. His sparring he’s beating the piss out of guys. The real damage is fights like Jirov. A guy who refused to step back despite being hit repeatedly full blast. His defense wasn’t so much evasion as it was setting up the next 2 which is why he translated so well to heavyweight. He could afford to fight from the pocket and be so exciting yet so hard to hit. I really think he was aware of the negative stigma of defensive wizards too. To your point imo he could have leaned more into evasion but I don’t think he’d be as big a name . It only backfires in fights like Jirov who was impossibly tough I think James got hit with more than he needed to and then against guys like Roy in his literal prime which is just unfortunate. No one on one he planet but Roy could do that to James and be faster and slicker. It showed.
Toney was an absolute artist in the ring.
Terrence 🥊 Crawford:"Hold my 🍺" ; Error Spence:"I'll 🍷 drink to that..."
@@erinmeggik391no comparison
@@boxinghistorian2629 L😆L at Error Spence:"Gonna break him down" and "Bud too light in the Azz" Yet it was Error Spence who got his Azz handed to him plus ends up resembling a defeated 👊 Street 🎮 Fighter video game fighter.
Roy Jones Jr. "hold my paint brushes"
@@boxinghistorian2629 Error.Spence:"We gone smoke some Bud..." ; "Gonna break him down." results?? . Bud 🥊 beats Spence like he stole the Lord's 🍽️ Supper and Error ends up 🩸 bleeding from eyes resembling a defeated Vega from Street 🎮 Fighter game L😜L
James Toney is a great often underrated fighter with a very interesting style
I lost my love for boxing a bit in the early 00's. Its was Toneys performances against Jirov and Holyfield and got me back into boxing again.
1 in every 100 years type of talent. With better handling, maybe could have achieved more Championship success.
Always had a performance in him.
@@sof5858 That Jirov fight was a work of art
Here’s an interesting perspective… we have no idea how good Toney’s chin was or wasn’t, because he was virtually impossible to hit cleanly
Holyfield was always a class act. Win or lose, he never made excuses, always lauded the other boxer's skills, and didn't whine or complain. Total legend.
And a drugs cheat.
@@cockoffgewgle4993 Fair enough. HOlyfield said he didn't take 'roids; I think he did, but so did a lot of other champs. They didn't get caught, though; Toney did.
@@jessfrankel5212 It's pretty obvious he did. There's firm evidence and you only need to look at his ridiculous physique and physical transformation.
But it was assuredly widespread in boxing. It's ironic that a guy who took the title off Holyfield got done for doping.
Total legend..
You're right
Pumped up on steroids his entire career...ya what a legend
Will always give James Tony a monsoon of respect. Amazing boxer, and even stepped into the octagon with Randy Coture. Dude is a gladiator.
He's nuts! XD XD, but definitely a scary and absolutely elite boxer.
Apparently he didn't really like training or practicing, and didn't even like controlled sparring, so he would just spar like it was a real boxing match, and just get all these different boxers lined up to fight him for a round or two until they inevitably would quit or get knocked out, and the next one would go in.
The guy was an animal! O_O
@@syncmonism Outstanding performance. This dude is dangerous.
😂He a goat but he’s punch drunk 😂
my fav. never got ko'd. sucks he popped for roids, that does hurt his chance of claiming to be one of the absolute best
@@normalnick9693I don’t think it does. Steroids is cheating by definition of the rule, however steroids doesn’t make you a better boxer in any way. You could take a shit load of steroids right now for 5 years and you still won’t be able to do the things Tony did in a ring. Fighters go through so many health issues outside of the ring that sometimes steroids are used just to help them recover from injuries they sustained in training. I personally think it shouldn’t be frowned upon and actually encouraged. At the end of the day they are putting their lives on the line strictly for our ENTERTAINMENT.
Tony's combos were LEGENDARY! Love his movement too, despite him gaining weight later on in his career
If you're of the age that saw these fights live like I did, Toney was a fighters fighter in a time where Tyson was the bar. The sheer skill he had in big weight classes, Jesus. That man was a fight god
No lies detected here .. Toney could flat out fight/box
Toney was a dang defensive and counter punching guru. Head movement, and his eyes were second to none. The vision he had enabled his reflexes and timing. Absolute beast!
His defense sucked man its a juggernaut mentality he gets tagged to much because of that shit he does thankfully he had a good chin. His counter was on point i must give him that but he allows himself to get hit to much and it shows on him now
@@dominiquec8244 James Toney defense sucked? Never seen such blasphemy. 😂 He's fighting in the pocket, of course he's going to get tagged. Look at all the punches he's slipping and countering at that range.
@@shaunp253 and look at how much times he gets tagged. Dude just had a good chin
@@dominiquec8244 You need to run it back on slow mo or something, cause he's slipping and countering the majority of Evander's shots.
@@dominiquec8244 you know shit. This ain't touch football, this boxing, ya ninny. You never even laced up a pair 🥊
Toney is the perfect example of why boxers like Crawford are so good. Anytime you move up in weight class and keep your speed it translates much better than power. This is why toney looked outta shape but was probably the fastest heavyweight since Ali.
True but I hate how it only goes one way in todays era cause once someone like Toney would lose in the HW division they’d say whoever beat him was the bigger man it was expected .. Eg : Mikey Garcia was at 135, won a belt at 140 and was a P4P star but when he lost to EJ all of a sudden EJ fought and bullied a small man .. fighting your Crawfords Toneys & Mikeys are tricky . You get criticised for losing and criticised for winning against them when they are actually elite fighters
Speed equals power... look it up. mass plus speed equals force. newtons 3rd law
malignaggi was fast but had no power@@William-Morey-Baker
That was the Fedor game plan in MMA and it worked perfectly for 10 years.
Bro ur out of whack, Toney is not super fast, even at hw, Roy, Tyson probs faster than Ali
“Beware of an old man in a profession where men die young.” Holyfield, what a legend! With the best mother ever.
Ok, boomer. - Vitor Belfort
Holyfield only wins via headbutt. Nobody respects this dude
I remember this fight. Absolute worth mentioning that Holyfield was 40 and Toney was 35. Both were considered ancient in boxing years. Great performance by both fighters and their conditioning was immaculate for their age. Holyfield was just too far past his prime to hurt a tank like Toney.
Agreed you can see that he just wasn't as fast as he used to be in his prime. Still one of the greatest fights I've seen between 2 very similar styles and very similarly matched heavyweights. They were both great and it was a legendary fight to witness.
I was a t this fight in person and was so depressed after. Holyfield is my all-time favorite fighter and Toney is in my top 5. Probably was my 2nd favorite fighter at that moment. We can't take away anything from Toney, he was brilliant that night, but he was in great shape (and most likely juicing) and coming off one of his best wins vs. Jirov, whereas Holyfield was so far past it (and possibly on HGH himself here). But he was still good enough to look great in the 1st round, and he landed some big shots on James, but Toney, (along with Holy) had one of the all-time best chins.
@@joeblough261 Yeah agreed but the truth is we will never know for sure if he was juicing or not. In either case he outboxed Hollifield that night. As a person Hollifield is still the better man.
James toney fought the Philly shell those fighters style keeps them good longer. Bernard Hopkins is Philly shell for example.
Counterpunching was next level. Wasn’t afraid to get into the pocket, James Toney.
The thing about Toney’s defense was that he was always there in front of you. You could hit him. You just can’t hit him well.
Wtf you made no sense. The whole reason tony washed holyfield. Was cause holyfield had problems hitting him.
@@charleybrown8650 I think you misunderstood. Toney stands right in front of you, yet you cant really hit him. You might graze him with something, and maybe even land something, but its usually never a good clean shot. He doesnt have fast feet or mobility like some boxers, but his head movement and shoulder defence made up for it.
@@WarEnjoyer-gm5yh I think holyfield landed good shots and missed a lot of shots . Tony was getting tagged for the first few rounds and than beast mode kicked in
@@charleybrown8650He’s a guy who makes you feel like you’re fighting in a phone booth (if you’re old enough). He knows the angles, smoothers you, moves just enough.
@@charleybrown8650 Yep, holyfield started slowing down because he was past it and because toney even when he was fat had great cardio and hit really hard. Also because nothing could actually hurt toney, there was no way for evander to win by stoppage because in toneys own words "im undestructable"
Holyfield was on point the first 4 rounds. He was really trying to knock Toney out. You rarely see Evander fight with that much zest so early in a fight. Unfortunately, the energy he expended in doing so came back to bite him.
No, it was a good decision by Holyfield. He knew Toney's defense was top notch and he probably would not be able to seriously hurt him in the later rounds anymore. It was a good shot to try and catch him with something early while he still had good pop in his strikes
It was his hepatitis that sapped him. Try fighting with something that will suck the life outta you at any time.
Wrong. He couldn't headbutt his way out of this one.
@dc8061 Hahahah, you must be some Tyson fan that can't let go of the past
@@dc8061Tyson admitted that he himself was a dirty fighter.
I’ve witnessed Toney training/sparring in person and it’s a sight. Scary dude
I'll never forget this fight. At the post fight interview Toney said " I put another southern brother in the ground" 😂😂😂
Hollyfield was waaaaay past his prime in this fight.
So was toney
Exactly @@matthewanthony4606
Stop with the excuses ..u goofball...James was damn near as old..just as much hard miles on him...pfffft hmmmmph Headbutt boy!!!
@@matthewanthony460635😂 vs 41😎
Yo holyfield get rocked so bad😂@@conquerorofindia
James Toney whenever he put his mind to something he could give you a show
The respect each showed for the other was some powerful nostalgia. I never understood why some fighters (yeah, “marketability”, but that’s not relevant to me in the slightest) talk endless shit about their opponents. If you call a guy a no talent bum and then you beat him, you beat a bum. Conversely, if he beats you, you just lost to a bum. I can admit that I’m not a talented boxer, but I have loved the sport since my grandfather would sit me down to watch old black and white bouts with him. I was a D1 collegiate wrestler though and I competed in Judo from an early age so I can relate to the “essence” of boxing. Like wrestling, boxing requires a mixture of skill, discipline, power, agility, intelligence and the willingness to suffer through adversity to attain something you want. Of course that’s a heavily abridged list, but it serves its intended purpose. My dad always told me to be as respectful as possible towards my opponents and whenever speaking about them, to be complimentary regarding their abilities and skill set. I never asked why, it just made sense particularly when applied to a scenario similar to the one I mentioned above.
Your grandfather taught you well.
That he did and he is sorely missed, but a bright spot in my mind is that I am able to pass on to my son what my father and his father passed on to me. Thanks for the kind words!
"I'm undestructable!"
-James Toney
He’s the only fighter in history to start his bouts already destroyed - but you should see how the fights end.
He's got milk baby!
I was going to say the same thing. We know what you meant Tony. Lol
@JuggoJuggo Aar yu moaking hes graamur end spaling? Shaim aun yuu.
I was looking for this comment.
Toney was one of the hardest punchers out there. But this is 10+ years PAST Evander's prime. Not a real good example of Hollyfield's fantastic career.
it was hardly Toney's prime either - and Holyfield was a FAR bigger man...
Toney was a middleweight who went up by gaining fat, Holyfield was on roids and had beaten Tyson twice. There's no excuses, Toney broke him.
James was the gangsta in boxing back in his day, very underestimated.
He had a Mofo’s attitude, that’s for sure! Serves you well in the hurtin business
I was very fortunate to grow up watching the greats of boxing. Holyfield and Toney are legends of the sport and made boxing exciting a fun. Many thanks to the legends for great memories.
Toney was my all time fav boxer fought anyone anytime any weight and never been knocked out not even in sparring! What a beast! One of the real old school legends! Loved to study his fight and never seen any fighter more poised and comfortable in the ring in my entire life! Had he taken training seriously I think he couldve beaten anyone at any weight class! Take notes kids this is how u box
Roy Jones Jr was a bad match up for his style. Roy smothers his power hand after landing something and James toney had no answer
@@sky-oq5mr he was also weight drained and slacked off in the gym.. plus he was fighting one of the best ever..
@@cuba8188 who slacks off for a fight against Roy Jones Jr? Really think about that question before you speak again. As for weight drained, it didn't seem to effect him at all, it was a hard fight. Roy nullified his offense, when the skill difference is at that level none of your excuses matter
@burtonaka___ very well said.. I just wish they woulda fought in their peak and both at their best.. as much as I respect toney he has had a few fights where u came in out of shape but still had the skill to make up for it... Both Roy and toney were great in their own way Roy is much more athletic and toney was the better boxer. It came down to toney not having the conditioning to deal with roys pressure and speed. But both men are legends and at their best can beat anybody
@@sky-oq5mrJames had 10x the skill of RJJ that was force fed boxing from a young boy. Toney was pure skill. RJJ was pure athletism with some skill. Prob on the best enhancers as he was the tom Brady of boxing. Roy was simply too fast, but skill wise RJJ isn't een close. There was no way they going to let Toney beat Roy with all the money behind Roy.
Love the videos man, love the structure all throughout.
Appreciate it bro!
this is one of the BEST boxing channels out there love your videos bro!!!
Toney was so silky smooth on O&D... He was a joy to watch, a real technician in the ring
Boxing back then was way different than now. Look at this action packed fight😮
NO HOLDING NO RUNNING JUST STRAIGHT OUT BOXING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE SQUARED CIRCLE(A STRAIGHT OUT BRAWL WITH CLASS)💯💯💯🔥🔥🔥
Just head butting, and ointment on gloves !!! No big deal !!!!!! SHFH !!!!
Thank you boxing after dark for the great legendary fights and assessments. Keep them coming
At 1:45 WTF did Holyfield say About Knowledge I'm lost 🤣🤣🤣🤣
I've just discovered your channel. Great video. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Definitely will subscribe for more.
thank you, look forward to seeing you around!
Boxing after Dark is the name of a real program I used to watch on espn, you’re a funny guy
This fight makes you realise just how good a prime RJJ was to have done to Toney what he did
FR!
Well Toney wasn't Weight drained fighting Heavyweight lol
@@doitall36Being weight drained isn’t why he lost to Roy.
@@doitall36In the words of James Toney ...I shouldn't have underestimated Roy Jones
RJJ was built for boxing
One of the few times in combat sports when a showboater gets away without getting violated. It takes the best of the best to achieve that.
I trained at Memorial Park in Houston when Hollyfield was training there. He wasn't but 5'10"-5'11", but he was a beast. All muscle and bone, and he could jog that 3.1 mile loop twice a day with calisthenics in between. Chin ups, pushups, etc. He was a true athlete.
Holyfield is definitely like 6'2. I been around him and I'm 5'10.
he's 6'2 or 6'3 ffs...
They say he like 6'4
closer to 7' and 340 lbs...
He’s a wenbenyma type build lanky as hell but quick hands actually
I love the minimalist commentary. This is a great video style 👌 well done
Evander was 40 yrs old. Although still impressive at that age, his reflexes, speed & stamina had, clearly, declined. Had this fight taken place a few years earlier, the result would have been very different.
@jamesdeer3129/ Tony was a natural light heavyweight coming out of high school... He lost weight to be able to fight middleweight... That wasn't his natural weight & he beat every body down there but Roy Jones... He couldn't beat Jones @ middleweight... His style fit heavyweights more...💯💯💯
@@henrybiggs3113tony still looked soft aginst roy, despite being #2 mw in world after roy. He wasnt some super big MW, he coulda gone down 7 more pounds and hit a lower weight class back then. Natural LHW is cap
@@benjaminjackson793 / Toney was 5-9 / 5-10 205 graduating high school, the cap is where...🤔🤔🤔 That's his natural body before boxing... Show me a boxer naturally @ that weight that went down & fought middle weight & stayed there...🤔🤔🤔 Jones was a natural middleweight... He bulked up to go light heavyweight / heavyweight... It's way harder conditioning wise to maintain under your natural weight than it is to bulk over it... Toney would never beat Jones @ Super middleweight... With fluids fluctuations, & dehydration problems from the shift, Toney would always be lethargic against the naturally quicker Jones, period... That's not cap, that's human science...🙄🙄🙄
He wouldn't have mercy ! HE WOULD HAVE BEEN KNOCKED THE Fuc#$d out !!! LMFAO
I love Toney but a young Holyfield would of smoked Toney
Boxing After Dark....love it!!! 💯🥊💛
Didn't Know James Toney was that Good & i watched that Era. Just played poker with a guy that said He saw Toney, BoneCrusher & Ray Mercer at a Golf Course in South or North Carolina & that's what had Me watching a Fight of His. He Beat Holyfield So He Must have been Good!!
Merciless Ray Mercer and Bonecrusher Smith I would have loved to be there
Dayum. What an absolute clinic. Toney was just on a different level that night
WOW!! ALL THOSE BIG THUNDEROUS PUNCHES BOTH FIGHTERS DISTRIBUTED AND NO SWOLLEN FACES AND NOT MUCH BLOOD💯🔥🔥🤔
I remember this fight. James Toney actually tested positive for steroids. Evander never made excuses. Taking foods to get the win is dirty no matter how you call it.
Toney could have NEVER beaten Holyfield, ( or anyone else ) in their prime. Roy Jones Jr. Beat the snot out of Toney, what do you think a Holifield in his prime would have done?
Bro this was like 2 unstoppable objects vs 2 immovable ones. What a fight
Yes Holyfield was past his prime but so was Toney, 10 years and 50 pounds heavier than his best days. While a little younger, Toney also at that point had 30 more professional bouts than EV. I think it evens out.
the fact that Holyfield only had a couple of pro fights as a light-heavy before moving up to cruiserweight, whereas Toney was a middleweight world champion is perhaps worth mentioning.
Holyfield was a much bigger man in height and natural stature...
holyfield days a way from 41yrs old
New to the channel. Subscribed after I watched the 1st vid. Keep bringing this heat!!
Both one of a kind fighters.. never see warriors like them again
I've just realised something about Tony's style of boxing.....he fights like a slick south paw but from an orthodox stance. It's beautiful to watch
James toney? Fail his english exam? That's unpossible!
Still can't believe he fought at 160
Just came across your channel, really amazed at the quality you produce. Keep up the good work
Holyfield was 40 and Toney was 35. If Holyfield was 35, it would have been a different fight.
No man, it would almost be the same, trust me. Toney was too good for Holyfield. Too fast, no chances against his movement and agility, etc.
Your videos are great. Keep up the good work man.👍
I watched this fight live in Vegas. James Toney is one of my all time favorite fighters. He was the underdog and I put 800 bucks on him. I won big when he knocked Evander out. Then I lost my mind later that night at Crazy Horse Too!!! lmaoooo
Holyfield beat Tyson like he owed him money. BOOM, BOOOM, BOOOM!!!!! 2:12 I LOVE IT!!!!
If you say that then Toney was better than Holyfield, Tyson, and Ali
Holyfield was always complete class. A real champion.
😂 🤣
Wasnt much of a Holyfield fan, but he accepted the loss graciously.
James Toney was so freaking good man. One of the greats. Slick as all hell. Just don't put him in an octagon 😂
Dude was/is a warrior! Sad how he speaks now.
Both James and Evander are two of the best boxing has ever known, their contribution to boxing is legit legendary and remarkable. Two greats
That head movement and walk back was sick at 5:18
10:16 James Tony said im Undestructable!!!! 😂😂😂
James Toney one of the greatest fighter ever,
That was a fantastic breakdown. New sub
Holyfield a legend! Toney what a BEAST, he would dominate these days heavyweights , slick and powerful
You done lost your mind. James Toney was a non disciplined FIGHTER WHO WOULD NOT HAVE HAD A CHANCE TO EVEN STAY IN THE RING FOR 4 OR 5 ROUNDS WITH HOLYFIELD IN HIS PRIME. AND GIYS LIKE TYSON FURY and the Bronze BOMBER WOULD KILL TONEYS SHORT FAT SELF
Great vid' many thanks for the upload
Round of applause ladies and gentlemen, for the referee who had the balls to be in the ring between the two 😅😂
Damn Toney was f#cking fast and his reflexes were like lightning 😬
James Toney was soooooo talented. This was an enjoyable beatdown of the king of Headbutts Evander "Many Losses" Holyfield
Спасибо я тоже рад уничтожению Холифилда
It's incredible to see a man so at home in a fight, so untroubled with getting punched in the face, as James Toney.
He was literally born to fight...
Toney at one time fought as a middle weight
Holyfield is one of the Greatest.
The Lose on fantastic James Toney,...Was to the and of his carier
What a battle!!!
Two warriors, Toney is one of the most skillful and tough boxers in boxing.
Pretty slick with that "Evan"
@11:17
Holyfield was such a warrior. The amount of time I've watched him just sit in the pocket and exchange. Just crazy the amount of punishment he's taken over the years and continued to push forward. He's 40 here and clearly outmatched, but man, he is just absorbing those shots, thank God they threw in the towel.
Great video really well done I just subscribed to you
Holyfield was past his prime and had been in way to many hard fights.
Yeah He Just Look Like He Was Out Of It
I miss the 80s, 90s, and 2000s boxing. 😢
James Toney isn't indestructible, he's undestructible!!!
When it comes to boxing or any sport at the highest level, the difference between 35 and 40 is much bigger than the numbers would suggest.
yeah, we'll just ignore the huge difference in natural size as well shall we...
evander all most 41yrs old
You could tell Holyfield was older because he landed far fewer headbutts against Toney than he did against previous opponents
😂😂
Headbutt Champion
All those headbutts slowed down his headbutt output. Who knew? 😂
No headbutts were landed because the ref kept telling Evander through out the entire fight; "watch your head, Evander!" Holyfield already had the reputation of headbutting and Toney's corner successfully got the ref to check for them. Evander also moved slower because he came back from surgery. His left shoulder was repaired but it gave out on him after the 3rd. You can see that he could no longer keep his left hand up because his shoulder was gone and his output decreased. Watch the entire fight. Don't watch edits like these. They paint an entirely different narrative than what actually took place. Toney beat Evander, no question about it but not like how this video presents it.
Oh shush hater. He has more ability in his left toe nail than you do in your entire being
New follower, love the edit!!!
Loved this fight, watched it several times. Evander tried to use them headbutts he used on Tyson but Toney was too slick. Good job Toney ✊🏾 also loved the show boating to the judges 😆
The sound effects were great. You could hear each punch land.
Evander was one of the best in his prime and I doubt he would’ve lost to Tony back then. But Tony was a big, quick beast that had it all. He beat the breaks off Holyfield in this fight landing hard power punches with speed and precision. Even Holyfield said he was shocked by Tony’s speed. James Tony is one of the most underrated fighters because of his KO loss to Roy jones jr.
Loss by UD to RJJ, fight went the distance. RJJ was in another dimension at that time, untouchable.
9:00 whats the song playing in backround at around this time?
You not only have to survive Holyfield’s fists….but his headbutts as well. Yikes!
Damn, Toney stayed right there in the pocket. What an incredible inside fighter. Holyfield is one of the toughest men I've ever seen
"Magnificent talent never leaves"❤
That's avenging the loss of Tyson to the headbutt-style cheating of Holyfield, not once, but in both fights.
This is what happens to Holyfield when he can't hug and headbutt.
Man, those wicked body shots by Toney! 👊💥
The sound of those punches is ridiculous. Every shot sounded so heavy.
Holyfield has one hell of a left hook
These boxing videos are so addicting
James Toney is one of the best inside boxers who ever lived. Holyfield should have boxed him. He wanted James to feel that heavyweight power. He still could have done that.