Profile of James Toney on Famous Like Me

James "Lights-Out" Toney (born August 24, 1968) is a professional boxer from Ann Arbor, Michigan. Since his career debut in 1988, he has held the International Boxing Federation (IBF) world Middleweight Championship (1991-1992; 6 defenses), the IBF world Super-middleweight Championship (1993-1994; 4 defenses), and the IBF world Cruiserweight Championship (2003). His October 4, 2003 victory over aging former World Heavyweight Champion Evander Holyfield cemented his legacy as an all-time boxing great. James Toney currently continues to fight in the heavyweight division; his good handspeed, effective inside defense, and exceptional counterpunching have enabled him to defeat physically larger (but technically less-skilled) opponents. On April 30, 2005 he defeated John Ruiz by unanimous-decision in a 12-round match for the World Boxing Association (WBA) world Heavyweight Championship. However, as of May 18, 2005, it was reported that Toney failed his post-fight drug test, testing positive for anabolic steroids. This led to the New York Athletic Commission changing the bout's official outcome to a "no-contest", deducting the win from Toney's career record, and banning him from boxing in New York (and effectively the rest of the U.S.A., due to the Commission's prominence in boxing) for 90 days. The WBA ordered that Ruiz be "reinstated" as its champion, and that Toney is ineligible for another WBA Heavyweight Title shot for the next two years (potentially a lifetime ban, given Toney's advancing age).

In July 2005, the Los Angeles Times reported that Toney's suspension (testing positive for nandrolone) will expire July 30. Throughout his suspension, Toney has made numerous public appearances -- including guest-commentating on boxing telecasts -- and emphatically stated his desire to fight again for a heavyweight championship. Ironically, Toney's name has been placed above Ruiz's in some widely-circulated, post-suspension media rankings of heavyweight boxers (like ESPN.com's; ). This may be as much due to Ruiz's low popularity with boxing fans as Toney's colorful persona, highly respected reputation, and career staying power. Toney recently won a unanimous decision victory over Dominic Guinn, in which he dominated. This may lead to him getting a title-shot at either much-maligned Chris Byrd or Lamon Brewster.

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 Jr., 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, California, W 12

2005

04-30 -- John Ruiz, Madison Square Garden, New York City, New York, NC

(Originally a UD win for Toney. Decision was reversed due to Toney's positive steroid test.)

10-01 -- Dominick Guinn, Reno Events Center, Reno, NV, W 12

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