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James “Lights Out” Toney: A Message to Boxing and MMA

Exclusive interview by Marc Anthony

“I want the Klitschko sisters and I want David Gay!” –James “Lights Out” Toney

James “Lights Out” Toney, known as a “throwback fighter,” first captured the IBF Middleweight Championship from heavy favorite Michael Nunn in a come from behind knockout victory on May 10, 1991. He would hold it through February of 1993 with an outstanding six defenses during that time span. In 1993, he defeated Iran Barkley to capture the IBF Super Middleweight Championship and defended the belt three times, losing eventually to Roy Jones, JR.

In 2003, he captured the IBF Cruiserweight title from Vassiliy Jirov, and then moved up to heavyweight, defeating Evander Holyfield by stoppage in one of his biggest wins. James was also named The Ring “Fighter of the Year” on two separate occasions, once in1991 and also in 2003. Also, in those two years, he was named Boxing Writers Association of America “Fighter of the Year.” In 2003, he earned The Ring “Comeback Fighter of the Year” award.

Toney would defeat John Ruiz for the WBA Heavyweight title in 2005, only to have the decision changed to a no contest when he tested positive for steroids, and has recently made quite a stir in the world of Mixed Martial Arts, debuting on a UFC PPV card, losing to Randy Couture.

Freddie Roach has been quoted in a March 2010 article as saying of all the fighters he has trained, “James Toney has the most physical talent.” Now, Toney is getting ready to defend his heavyweight title, the IBA Title, on February 24th at San Manuel Casino in California.

MA: Any new information on your Jan. 27th boxing match…opponent or venue location?

Actually they moved it to February the 24th, its going be at San Manuel Casino. They haven’t told me yet on the opponent but I don’t care. I want somebody in the top 10… top 5

MA: How much of your trash talking is just that?  Many comments you have made really come across in a Muhammad Ali like vein. Similar to when Ali taunted Joe Frazier which were very hurtful to Joe as a person.

Trash talk is if someone is talking to me and if they feel they get hurt…it is what it is. I have been doing it for twenty-five years. If you don’t like the trash talk, then don’t say nothing too. I mean what I say! I have Forty four knockouts to prove it…look at my record, okay. All you will see: Killer!

Bottom line, I’ll tell you that. Boxing is the number one sport in the world. I love it… Number one! You know, I’ve done football. I am appreciative of it. I love the boxing fans… boxing fans are great.

You know…it’s time for everybody to get down to old school boxing. I am letting everyone out there know that I am the only heavyweight champion out there, not Klitschko, he’s just over there in Europe and not contesting belts. Not “David Gay,” he fights left-overs. Everybody is tired of it. The US TV… um… people want to see…they want to see great fights. And that’s the reason why there is a lot of fans that stray to MMA because they put on great fights as well. I am trying to change that in the heavyweight division.

MA: What makes you really think you have any chance against the Klitschko Brothers?

Whatcha mean? I am the greatest fighter out there. I am a pure fighter! Why do you think they won’t fight me? The Klitschkos don’t like pressure. Do you know what happens when you put the pressure on?

If you put pressure on them fighters, they will bust. That’s exactly how I will fight the Klitschkos. You put pressure on me, I am knocking you out, it’s over with me. You all make them better than they are. They’re actually bad for the game.

MA: Since Roy Jones, JR., faced Bernard Hopkins 17 years after their first match and Bernard got his revenge, would you like the same against Roy? How do you see the fight turning out?

How do you see it turning out?

MA: I don’t know…you are the expert!

(Laughter) Roy Jones is Roy Jones. He beat me hands down, fair and square nineteen years ago. I had to make weight and all. Now, we’re on an even playing field! I am going to knock’em out. Hey, that’s just point blank. You know I want to fight the best! I want the Klitschko sisters and I want David Gay. I want Povetkin…it doesn’t matter. I’ll fight anybody, anytime, anywhere…that’s my motto. It’s always been that way… you know what I am saying… it is what it is. I am ready to fight.

MA: Let’s clear the record for the RSR readers. What really happened with the steroid allegation that cost you the WBA Heavyweight title? 

The story? There is no story! If there was a story… it would be on the national news and I would be in investigation right now! I was coming off an injury from my left bicep. It was off the bone in a fight in September. So, in December, they gave me a steroid and had put everything back together, instead of me waiting like how I should’ve waited. Once again the Klitschkos pulled out on that date. I decided why wait, so I decided to fight John Ruiz. There is only one heavyweight champion…I want everybody to know that.

MA: You said you will be returning to MMA in 2011, who will be your trainers?

Oh yeah, I am going do both! My trainer is still Trevor Sherman… I love that dude. When I fought, that’s my fault. I blame it on me, whatever happens. I am a man… that’s what I do!

MA: Have you continued your MMA training since August?

I am doing both. I am the first two sport athlete, the real sport! Not baseball, not football. I like football and baseball…they are alright. I am from two rugged sports! You ever seen a man do two sports like I have? You’ve never seen that before?

MA: Are there talks with Strikeforce? I heard there coming back to CBS.

I have no idea. My agent and my pops…they told me to train for the heavyweight title. So, we will see what we get.

MA: What advice would you give Floyd Mayweather, JR.?

I heard what happened. He has to stay out of sight, out of mind, right now. I can’t walk in his shoes. I wish him well. Hey, stay out of sight, stay out of mind cause you in Vegas.

MA: Final Words?

To all the fans out there in the boxing world, “Lights Out” is back in 2011 defending the heavyweight championship and I hope we can unify the title. To the Klitschko sisters and David Gay: We going get together…you know what I am saying. All Day JT!

James Toney
Nickname: “Lights Out”
Division: Heavyweight
Professional Record: 72- 6-3, 44 KO’s

1988
10-26 — Stephen Lee, Mt. Clemens, MI, TKO 2
12-06 — Ronnie Yoe, Memphis, TN, KO 1

1989
01-10 — Carl Penn, Memphis, TN, KO 1
01-17 — Sammy Jenkins, Sterling Heights, MI, TKO 4
02-16 — James Fernandez, Sterling Heights, MI, W 4
05-02 — Arthur Willis, Memphis, TN, W 4
06-06 — Steve Chaney, Memphis, TN, KO 1
07-20 — Mark Stephens, Detroit, MI, TKO 2
09-07 — Lemark Davis, Auburn Hills, MI, W 6
09-21 — Joe Summers, Atlantic City, NJ, TKO 2
10-12 — Ricardo Simpson, Auburn Hills, MI, KO 2
10-26 — Robert Clinton, Atlantic City, NJ, KO 1
11-13 — Ron Amundsen, Milwaukee, WI, W 10
11-29 — Joe Johnson, Auburn Hills, MI, KO 4

1990
01-20 — Danny Thomas, Auburn Hills, MI, W 8
03-01 — Philip Morefield, Auburn Hills, MI, KO 1
04-05 — Toby Tyler, Auburn Hills, MI, TKO 4
04-27 — Jose Luis Esteven, Atlantic City, NJ, TKO 5
05-23 — Horacio Rene Brandan, Auburn Hills, MI, KO 2
06-27 — Ricardo Bryant, Dearborn, MI, TKO 4
07-26 — Sanderline Williams, Dearborn, MI, D 10
08-24 — Kevin Brazier, Dearborn, MI, TKO 2
10-16 — Sanderline Williams, Tampa, FL, W 10
12-10 — Jose Carlos Da Silva, Dearborn, MI, TKO 5

1991
01-13 — Merqui Sosa, Atlantic City, NJ, W 12
03-31 — Alberto Gonzalez, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 6
05-10 — Michael Nunn, Davenport, IA, TKO 11
Wins IBF Middleweight Title
06-29 — Reggie Johnson, Las Vegas, NV, W 12
(Retains IBF Middleweight Title)
10-12 — Francesco Dell’Aquila, Monte Carlo, Monaco, TKO 4
(Retains IBF Middleweight Title)
12-13 — Mike McCallum, Atlantic City, NJ, D 12
(Retains IBF Middleweight Title)

1992
02-08 — Dave Tiberi, Atlantic City, NJ, W 12
(Retains IBF Middleweight Title)
04-11 — Glenn Wolfe, Las Vegas, NV, W 12
(Retains IBF Middleweight Title)
05-26 — Ricky Stackhouse, Auburn Hills, MI, TKO 3
08-29 — Mike McCallum, Reno, NV, W 12
(Retains IBF Middleweight Title)
12-05 — Doug DeWitt, Atlantic City, NJ, TKO 6

1993
02-13 — Iran Barkley, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 10
(Wins IBF Super Middleweight Title)
03-23 — Govoner Chavers, Auburn Hills, MI, TKO 9
04-17 — Ricky Thomas, Bushkill, PA, TKO 10
06-06 — Glenn Thomas, Las Vegas, NV, W 10
07-29 — Danny Garcia, Bushkill, PA, TKO 6
08-24 — Larry Prather, Auburn Hills, MI, W 10
10-29 — Tony Thornton, Tulsa, OK, W 12
(Retains IBF Super Middleweight Title)

1994
01-16 — Anthony Hembrick, Bushkill, PA, TKO 7
03-05 — Tim Littles, Los Angeles, CA, TKO 4
(Retains IBF Super Middleweight Title)
05-18 — Vinson Durham, Rosemont, IL, W 10
07-29 — Prince Charles Williams, Las Vegas, NV, KO 12
(Retains IBF Super Middleweight Title)
11-18 — Roy Jones, Las Vegas, NV, L 12
(Loses IBF Super Middleweight Title)

1995
02-18 — Montell Griffin, Las Vegas, NV, L 12
03-20 — Karl Willis, Auburn Hills, MI, TKO 8
04-30 — Anthony Hembrick, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 5
06-18 — Freddie Delgado, New Orleans, LA, TKO 5
09-09 — Ernest Mateen, Las Vegas, NV, W DQ 5
12-08 — Greg Everett, Ledyard, CT, KO 2

1996
03-01 — Richard Mason, Indio, CA, W 10
05-14 — Earl Butler, Ledyard, CT, TKO 4
07-02 — Charles Oliver, St. Charles, MO, W 10
08-09 — Duran Williams, Bay St. Louis, MS, TKO 9
12-06 — Montell Griffin, Reno, NV, L 12

1997
02-22 — Mike McCallum, Uncasville, CT, W 12
05-14 — Drake Thadzi, Ledyard, CT, L 12
06-14 — Steve Little, Biloxi, MS, W 12

1999
03-07 — Terry Porter, Phoenix, AZ, TKO 8
07-30 — Adolpho Washington, Ledyard, CT, TKO 10
10-08 — Ramon Garbey, Taunton, MA, W 10

2000
01-21 — Terry McGroom, Chicago, IL, W 10
11-03 — Courtney Butler, Verona, NY, KO 3

2001
03-29 — Saul Montana, Detroit, MI, TKO 2
07-20 — Wesley Martin, Compton, CA, TKO 3

2002
03-22 — Sione Asipeli, Phoenix, AZ, W 10
05-31 — Michael Rush, Lincoln City, OR, TKO 10
08-18 — Jason Robinson, Temecula, CA, KO 7

2003
04-26 — Vassiliy Jirov, Ledyard, CT, W 12
(Wins IBF Cruiserweight Title)
10-04 — Evander Holyfield, Las Vegas, NV, TKO 9

2004
09-23 — Rydell Booker, Temecula, CA, W 12

2005
04-30 — John Ruiz, New York, NY, NC 12
(For WBA Heavyweight Title)
(Fight was originally declared a unanimous decision win for Toney but was subsequently changed to a No Contest after Toney tested positive for a banned substance.)
10-01 — Dominick Guinn, Reno, NV, W 12

2006
03-18 — Hasim Rahman, Atlantic City, NJ, D 12
(For WBC Heavyweight Title)
09-02 — Samuel Peter, Los Angeles, CA, L 12

2007
01-06 — Samuel Peter, Hollywood, FL, L 12
05-24 — Danny Batchelder, San Jose, CA, W 10

2008
07-16 — Hasim Rahman, Temecula, CA, NC 3
12-13 — Fres Oquendo, Cabazon, CA, W 12

2009
09-12 — Matthew Greer, Temecula, CA, TKO 2

2010
08-28 — Randy Couture, Boston, MA, TKO by 1 [MMA match]

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