Percy Crawford over at FightHype has been the first person to talk with James “Lights Out” Toney since his loss to Randy “The Natural” Couture at UFC 118 in Boston Saturday night. Toney, a champion and legend in the boxing world, decided he would take his “sweet science” and test it against a mixed martial arts legend.
Unfortunately for Toney he was never able to release a punch before he wound up on his back. A couple of minutes later he was forced to tap out before going unconscious due to an arm triangle choke submission from Couture.
Toney seems to be handling the defeat relatively well and is finally showing signs of humility. Considering the amount of trash talk he had been spewing over the last couple of months, it seems maybe he’s been taught a new level of respect for what MMA fighters bring to the table.
“…I blame myself. It is what it is. I went in there and I don’t blame nobody but myself. I made a mistake and I paid the price for it. – At least MMA guys got guts and they will get in a cage with me. The boxing guys are all talk and no walk.”
Toney really likes the MMA fans:
“Man, the fans in MMA are great. These motherfucking fans are…they fanatics man. It’s great. I love the atmosphere that they bring. It reminded me of the old days of boxing: the 70’s, 80’s and early 90’s. Boxing fans used to be like that and we need to bring that back. The MMA scene is so crazy and it’s great. The fans stand in the hotel lobby from early in the morning until late at night. They are there when you wake up in the morning and they are there when you go to bed and that’s fucking crazy. I love that shit. It was crazy man.”
Toney does say if “Couture was a real man” he would come and fight him in boxing. Don’t expect that to happen though. Couture was asked that question at the post-fight press conference and said, “I respectfully decline.” He said it would be foolish of him to do that, just as foolish as he thought it was for Toney to come into MMA carrying only one weapon, his hands. The difference being, Couture at least knows it’s not a good idea, something Toney had to learn the hard way.
From the sound of it, Toney seems to think he wants to give this MMA thing another try. When talking about fighting in both sports, MMA and boxing, he says,
“I’m doing both and I ain’t going nowhere. I’m in it for the long run baby. I’m the only two sport athlete out there and I’m doing the two most dangerous sports in the world. No other man will try to do that.”
Maybe he hasn’t heard UFC President Dana White already say this was a one time thing and Toney would not be back inside the Octagon. However, there are plenty of other MMA organizations out there that might give “The Dark Prince” a shot.
James “Lights Out” Toney was the most ducked fighter in professional boxing. Had he been given the due owed him he would never have been in MMA. The new identity of boxing promoters are masters at match making and they know that champions can be built by making easy guys their victims. MMA is different there are no easy matches. James Toney should have fought the best in boxing a long time ago. This pattern of denial and cherry picking fighters in boxing is going to speed the development of MMA. Good.
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/300341
You do make a good point that there is not nearly as much ducking in MMA as there is in boxing. However, MMA’s use of the professional wrestling style promotions prevents match ups just like duckers does.