Despite Losing UFC 118 Couture Vs Toney Fight, James Toney Deserves All The Respect: Professional boxer James Toney, who debuted in the UFC against UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture on August 28 in UFC 118 at Boston, is regarded by many as an abrasive, difficult, egocentric person who surely knows how to make your day regrettable.
At professional level, he has shown disturbing trends and was tested positive for steroids in 2005 to concede his win over John Ruiz.
But this does not take the credit away from Toney who showed true guts in agreeing to enter inside the Octagon to get into a real fight. There is a huge difference between UFC and Boxing as the former is a true form of combat sport while the latter is the most superficial of all major sports.
Many boxers prefer not to take risk and avoid dangerous fights, while in UFC there is risk at every step. The fighters are prone to get injured and they do suffer injuries. Sometimes career threatening, sometimes life threatening.
Despite knowing all these things Toney decided to engage in a contest that prohibits virtually no form of attack and in which Toney exposed himself to superficial injury. Yes, he lost Randy Couture vs James Toney fight at UFC 118 but at least he had the guts to try.
No other boxer has showed the confidence to enter inside the cage be it Roy Jones or Lennox Lewis. Lewis was approached by Vince McMahon to fight Brock Lesnar in 2002, but the boxer decided against it. Even Mike Tyson, who is regarded as a dangerous puncher did not allow himself to try at his hand at UFC.
Toney took the risk and although he was thrashed badly but I believe that the puncher deserves full credit for at least giving it a try. Way to go. Toney.
