World Boxing News 2010-2013

Multi-champ James Toney has made one last ditch appeal to Tyson Fury to fight him following the news that Denis  Boystov has fallen out as Fury's opponent on December 1 in Belfast.   "This guy Fury keeps saying he can't find a name opponent. He's dodging me because he and his team know I will flatten him. I have been in serious training and am in tip top shape to fight Fury in his own backyard," Toney told World Boxing News.  "I'm a bigger name to the boxing public than any of these fighters Fury has been trying to line up. What excuse is team Fury going to come up with now to avoid me?"  Toney's agent Steve Tannenbaum weighs in: "Mick Hennessy and I can close a Toney-Fury bout in 24 hours. I will grant Mick a rematch clause in the contract and will also give him an option to promote Toney's next bout after he defeats Fury.  "What more can we possibly offer from our side to make this fight ...

Steve Tannenbaum, who is currently representing three-weight world champion James Toney, has laid down his case for a possible match-up between his fighter and Tyson Fury in the wake of some recent banter between the two. Toney, 43, has shown his interest in facing the 6ft 9ins former British and Irish title holder and Tannenbaum has scoffed at some of the opponents being linked with Fury for his next fight in November. "I have all the respect in the world for Mick Hennessy, Fury's promoter, as he's matched his guy carefully," Tannenbaum told World Boxing News. "But let's be candid here, Fury has beat nothing but schmear cases. Derek Chisora is probably his best win but who is Chisora? - just an ordinary guy.   "His last fight against Vinny Maddalone - give me a break!  Maddalone's a useful guy but can't fight a lick.   "I've read that Fury is considering fighting Siarhei Liakhovich, Rusian Chagaev or Jean-Marc Mo...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Ex-champ continues to goad unbeaten rival Five-weight title holder James ‘Lights Out’ Toney remains fixed on his target of securing a heavyweight tussle with highly-ranked Tyson Fury as the former Irish champion nears the announcement of his next opponent. Toney, 43, had called out Fury last week to a receptive response from the 19-fight undefeated prospect, although all the signs are now pointing at the Hennessy-promoted fighter choosing another former world beater instead. Ruslan Chagaev, Siarhei Liakhovich and Jean Marc Mormeck have seemingly overtaken Toney in the stakes to oppose 6ft 9ins Fury and the American could now be set to miss out his fulfilling an ambition to fight on English shores. “I love England. It would be exciting to fight there,” Toney told World Boxing News. “I was scheduled to fight there 20 years ago, but the fight was cancelled after I arrived. “I still didn’t get to sight see, so I’d love to go back...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Former champion set to miss out on UK bout American James Toney looks set to miss out on his proposed England trip as Tyson Fury is expected to announce his upcoming former world champion opponent, with ‘Lights Out’ not thought to be in consideration for the bout. The 43 year-old, who currently holds the lightly-regarded IBU heavyweight title, had called out Fury, 24, for a future fight in London and former Irish champion Fury seemed receptive to Toney’s advances at first. As Siarhei Liakhovich, Ruslan Chagaev and Jean-Marc Mormeck are listed as possibles for Fury, Toney’s adviser Steve Tannenbaum contacted WBN with his disproval as the 6ft 9ins fighter looks elsewhere for his 20th opponent. “I think we may have a situation of Chicken Fury II as it looks like he may be avoiding my guy, just as he did with Price.  Maybe Mick Hennessy has the willies too,” Tannenbaum told World Boxing News.

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor Former world champion could get his wish Unbeaten heavyweight Tyson Fury has reacted receptively to American James Toney’s recent advances for a clash in England this year and the fight may now be a realistic option for the former Irish champion. 43 year-old Toney, who has won multiple world titles at different weights, called out Fury in a recent interview where he also slated the US Olympic team and has never been one to hold his tongue when speaking out future opponents. 'Lights Out' seemed surprisingly respectful when speaking of Fury though and hopes to bring the lowly-regarded IBU heavyweight belt he won against former bare-knuckle champion Bobby Gunn for his first visit to the UK. Fury, 24, told WBN that he is willing to make the fading champion his 20th professional opponent, although the WBC’s number six ranked contender does admit that the Grand Rapids-born boxer has seen better days in his career. “James Toney was a ver...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor ‘Lights out’ wants London opportunity Multi-weight world champion James Toney has issued a challenge to undefeated former British and Irish heavyweight title holder Tyson Fury as the veteran American eyes a first trip to the United Kingdom. Toney, who at 43 is now passed his best, stopped bareknuckle champion Bobby Gunn over five rounds in his last fight to pick up the obscure IBU title and has now set his sights on Fury, who is on the look-out for some bigger challenges. "I would love to fight Tyson Fury. I would travel to England and knock him out,” Toney told AP. "I have five years left. I'm in the best shape I have been in ten years; passed every medical. Look at my record – beaten ten world champions. Vinny Maddalone was a C-class fighter. Let’s get it on. “We can have a world championship, Olympics style. We can have it in a great city like London. All throw our belts in and see who is best. "Then after I win...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor ‘Lights out’ meets Russian Lebedev Four-weight world champion James ‘Lights Out’ Toney (73-6-3, 44 KO's) has boiled down to cruiserweight for the first time in eight years after he successfully made the 200lb limit for his bout with Russian Denis Lebedev in Moscow tonight. Toney, 43, last fought in February when dominating heavyweight Damon Reed over ten rounds and weighing in at his heaviest ever weight of 257lbs. The American has been hard in training on and off over the past few months and stepped it up for his eight-week camp to shed a considerable amount to weigh in at 199lbs on the scales last night. Opponent Lebedev (22-1, 17 KO's), who came in at 197.5lbs, is on the back of a career-best win over an aging Roy Jones Jr. and the 32 year-old is hoping to add another marquee name to his list as he attempts to win a rematch with WBO belt holder Marco Huck. 'Kaptn' Huck took a controversial points decision over the southpaw ...

Phil D. Jay  WBN Editor British champion set to finalize King’s Hall bout Four-weight world champion James Toney threw his hat into the ring to face Tyson Fury last week but seems set to miss out on a bout with the British and Commonwealth heavyweight champion who fights in Belfast on September 17 th . The 43 year-old American was keen to travel to Ireland for the bout against the undefeated double champion although he now seems to have been overlooked by Fury’s team as they get closer to finalizing the contest at the King’s Hall later this month. Fury, 23, was strongly linked to a bout against Norwegian Leif Larsen in two weeks’ time but it now appears that Nicolai Firtha may be ready to step in and fill the void left after former Prizefighter champion Martin Rogan turned the fight down. Firtha (20-8-1) is nine years Fury’s senior and has won four of his last five bouts. The Ohio fighter took new WBA champion Alexander Povetkin the full ten rounds last Decemb...

Phil D. Jay WBN Editor “Lights Out” could return against Reed According to fighthype.com , three-weight world champion James “ Lights Out” Toney is planning a return to the boxing ring in February after being out of the sport since September 2009, when he stopped Matthew Greer in two rounds. Toney, 42, tried his hand in MMA last year, signing a multi-fight deal in January, only to lose to two-weight UFC champion Randy Couture by submission, whilst only throwing one punch and was immediately released from his contract. It looks like the Michigan-born puncher is now ready for a return to the squared-circle after his octogon experience and has been linked to a fight with “Dangerous” Damon Reed next month, which would be his 84th career-fight as he aims for a four world title.