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The Cyber Boxing Zone Encyclopedia -- Lineal Champion

James "Lights Out" Toney
(James Nathaniel Toney)

BORN August 24 1968; Ann Arbor, Michigan
HEIGHT 5-10
WEIGHT 157-237 lbs
MANAGERS Jackie Kallen, self
TRAINER Freddie Roach

 

Toney was a brilliant fighter, who was reminiscent of the great Sam Langford; He could box or punch, whatever was needed to win; He was tough and durable and could fight in close or at a distance; He was clever at avoiding punches and could stand directly in front of his foes and hit without being hit

As he aged and gained weight, he moved up in weight class and always performed at the top level; James fought from middleweight to heavyweight and deserves to be ranked among the best that ever fought

During his career, he won the IBC and IBF Middleweight Championships of the World, IBF Super Middleweight Championship of the World, IBF Cruiserweight Championship of the World and actually won the WBA Heavyweight Championship of the World title bout but was denied victory and the title due to the use of banned substances

*** SOME AMATEUR BOUTS (33-2, 32 KO) ***

1983
          -Toney lost his first bout

          -Toney won the West Michigan Junior 156-lb Championship

1984
          -Toney won the West Michigan Junior 156-lb Championship
 
1987
          -Toney won the Golden Gloves Novice 156-lb Championship

          -Toney won the Michigan Silver Gloves 156-lb Championship

1988
          -Toney lost his first fight in the Detroit Golden Gloves 156-lb Competition

          -Toney won the Ohio State Fair 156-lb Championship


*** PROFESSIONAL BOUTS ***

1988
Oct 26 Stephen Lee                Mount Clemons, Mi                TK  2
Dec  6 Ronnie Yoe                 Memphis, Tn                      KO  1
          -Some sources report "KO 2"

1989
Jan 10 Carl Penn                  Memphis, Tn                      KO  1
Jan 17 Sammy Jenkins              Sterling Heights, Mi             TK  4
Feb 16 James Fernandez            Sterling Heights, Mi              W  4
May  2 Arthur Willis              Memphis, Tn                       W  4
Jun  6 Steve Chaney               Memphis, Tn                      KO  1
Jul 20 Mark Stevens               Detroit, Mi                      TK  2
Sep  7 Lemark Davis               Auburn Hills, Mi                  W  6
Sep 21 Joe Summers                Atlantic City, NJ                TK  2
Oct 12 Ricardo Simpson            Auburn Hills, Mi                 KO  2
          -Some sources report 10/13/89
Oct 26 Robert Clinton             Atlantic City, NJ                KO  1
Nov 13 Ron Amundsen               Milwaukee, Wi                     W 10
Nov 29 Joe Johnson                Auburn Hills, Mi                 KO  4

1990
Jan 20 Danny Thomas               Auburn Hills, Mi                  W  8
Mar  1 Philip Morefield           Auburn Hills, Mi                 KO  1
Apr  5 Toby Tyler                 Auburn Hills, Mi                 TK  4
Apr 27 Jose Esteven               Atlantic City, NJ                TK  5
May 23 Horacio Brandan            Auburn Hills, Mi                 KO  2
Jun 27 Ricardo Bryant             Dearborn, Mi                     TK  4
Jul 26 Sanderline Williams        Dearborn, Mi                      D 10
Aug 24 Kevin Brazier              Dearborn, Mi                     TK  2
Oct 16 Sanderline Williams        Tampa, Fl                         W 10
Dec 10 Jose Carlos Da Silva       Dearborn, Mi                     TK  5
          -Some sources report "Jose Silva"

1991
Jan 13 Merqui Sosa                Atlantic City, NJ                 W 12
          -IBC Middleweight Championship of the World
Mar 31 Alberto Gonzalez           Las Vegas, Nv                    TK  6
          -Some sources report "TK 5"
May 10 Michael Nunn               Davenport, Ia                    TK 11
          -IBF Middleweight Championship of the World
Jun 29 Reggie Johnson             Las Vegas, Nv                     W 12
          -IBF Middleweight Championship of the World
Oct 12 Francesco Dell'Aquila      Monte Carlo, Monaco              TK  4
Dec 13 Mike McCallum              Atlantic City, NJ                 D 12
          -IBF Middleweight Championship of the World

1992
Feb  8 Dave Tiberi                Atlantic City, NJ                 W 12
          -IBF Middleweight Championship of the World
Apr 11 Glenn Wolfe                Las Vegas, Nv                     W 12
          -IBF Middleweight Championship of the World
May 26 Ricky Stackhouse           Auburn Hills, Mi                 TK  3
Aug 29 Mike McCallum              Reno, Nv                          W 12
          -IBF Middleweight Championship of the World
Dec  5 Doug DeWitt                Atlantic City, NJ                TK  6

1993
Feb 13 Iran Barkley               Las Vegas, Nv                    TK 10
          -IBF Super Middleweight Championship of the World
Mar 23 Govoner Chavers            Auburn Hills, Mi                 TK  9
Apr 17 Ricky Thomas               Bushkill, Pa                     TK 10
Jun  6 Glenn Thomas               Las Vegas, Nv                     W 10
Jul 29 Danny Garcia               Bushkill, Pa                     TK  6
Aug 24 Larry Prather              Auburn Hills, Mi                  W 10
Oct 29 Tony Thornton              Tulsa, Ok                         W 12
          -IBF Super Middleweight Championship of the World

1994
Jan 16 Anthony Hembrick           Bushkill, Pa                     TK  7
Mar  5 Tim Littles                Los Angeles, Ca                  TK  4
          -IBF Super Middleweight Championship of the World
May 18 Vinson Durham              Rosemont, Il                      W 10
Jul 29 "Prince" Charles Williams  Las Vegas, Nv                    KO 12
          -IBF Super Middleweight Championship of the World
Nov 18 Roy Jones Jr.              Las Vegas, Nv                     L 12
          -IBF Super Middleweight Championship of the World

1995
Feb 18 Montell Griffin            Las Vegas, Nv                     L 12
Mar 20 Karl Willis                Auburn Hills, Mi                 TK  8 
Apr 30 Anthony Hembrick           Las Vegas, Nv                    TK  5
Jun 18 Freddie Delgado            New Orleans, La                  TK  5
Sep  9 Ernest Mateen              Las Vegas, Nv                    WF  5
Dec  8 Greg Everett               Mashantucket, Ct                 KO  2
          -WBU Continental Cruiserweight Championship

1996
Mar  1 Richard Mason              Indio, Ca                         W 10
May 14 Earl Butler                Mashantucket, Ct                 TK  4
          -WBU Light-Heavyweight Championship of the World
Jul  2 Charles Oliver             St. Charles, Mo                   W 10
          -Some sources report 7/03/96
Aug  9 Duran Williams             Bay St. Louis, Ms                TK  9
          -WBU Light-Heavyweight Championship of the World
Dec  6 Montell Griffin            Stateline, Nv                     L 12
          -WBU Light-Heavyweight Championship of the World

1997
Feb 22 Mike McCallum              Uncasville, Ct                    W 12
          -WBU Cruiserweight Championship of the World
May 14 Drake Thadzi               Mashantucket, Ct                  L 12
          -IBO Light-Heavyweight Championship of the World
Jun 14 Steve Little               Biloxi, Ms                        W 12
          -IBO Cruiserweight Championship of the World

1999
Mar  7 Terry Porter               Phoenix, Az                      TK  8
Jul 30 Adolpho Washington         Ledyard, Ct                      TK 10
Oct  8 Ramon Garbey               Taunton, Ma                       W 10

2000
Jan 21 Terry McGroom              Chicago, Il                       W 10
Nov  3 Courtney Butler            Verona, NY                       TK  3

2001
Mar 29 Saul Montana               Detroit, Mi                      TK  2
          -IBA Super Cruiserweight Championship of the World
Jul 20 Wesley Martin              Compton, Ca                      TK  3

2002
Mar 22 Sione Asipeli              Phoenix, Az                       W 10
May 31 Michael Rush               Lincoln City, Or                 TK 10
Aug 18 Jason Robinson             Temecula, Ca                     KO  7
          -IBF Cruiserweight Championship of the World Eliminator Bout

2003
Apr 26 Vassiliy Jirov             Mashantucket, Ct                  W 12
          -IBF Cruiserweight Championship of the World 
Oct  4 Evander Holyfield          Las Vegas, Nv                    TK  9

2004
Sep 23 Rydell Booker              Temecula, Ca                      W 12
          -WBC Continental Americas Heavyweight Championship;
           IBA Heavyweight Championship of the World;
           WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World Eliminator Bout

2005
Apr 30 John Ruiz                  New York, NY                     NC 12
          -WBA Heavyweight Championahip of the World;
           IBA Heavyweight Championship of the World
           Originally, Toney won a unanimous decision; 
           But, the verdict was subsequently changed 
           after Toney tested positive for a banned
           substance
Oct  1 Dominick Guinn             Reno, Nv                          W 12
          -IBA Heavyweight Championship of the World

2006
Mar 18 Hasim Rahman               Atlantic City, NJ                 D 12
          -WBC Heavyweight Championahip of the World
Sep  2 Samuel Peter               Los Angeles, Ca                   L 12
          -IBA Heavyweight Championship of the World;
           WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World - Elimination Bout;
           NABF Heavyweight Championship  

2007
Jan  6 Samuel Peter               Hollywood, Fl                     L 12
          -WBC Heavyweight Championship of the World - Elimination Bout;
           NABF Heavyweight Championship  
May 24 Danny Batchelder           San Jose, Ca                      W 10

2008
Jul 16 Hasim Rahman               Temecula, Ca                     NC  3
          -WBO NABO Heavyweight Championship
Dec 13 Fres Oquendo               Cabazon, Ca                       W 12                                      
          -IBA Heayweight Championship;
          WBO NABO Heavyweight Championship

2009
Sep 12 Matthew Greer              Temecula, Ca                     TK  2

2010
Aug 28 Randy Couture              Boston, Ma                        L   
          -This was a boxer vs UFC fighter contest

2011
Feb 24 Damon Reed                 Highland, Ca                      W 10
Nov  4 Denis Lebedev              Moscow, Russia                    L 12
          -Interim WBA Cruiserweight Championship of the World

2012
Apr  7 Bobby Gunn                 Southaven, Ms                    TK  5
          -IBU Heavyweight Championship of the World

2013
Apr 28 Lucas Browne               Melbourne, Vic, Australia         L 12
          -World Boxing Foundation Heavyweight Championship
Jun 28 Kenny Lemos                Ignacio, Co                       W  8
Nov 14 Matt Legg                  London, England                   W  3
Nov 14 Jason Gavern               London, England                   L  3
          -The previous 2 bouts were held the same date
           as part of a "Prizefighter" Tournament

Review courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
 
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