Filed under: UFC, NewsThe spotlight should belong to B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar at UFC 118, where the two will be facing off in a rematch to determine the UFC lightweight champion. But as the event moves closer, much of the intrigue has centered aroun…
The spotlight should belong to B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar at UFC 118, where the two will be facing off in a rematch to determine the UFC lightweight champion. But as the event moves closer, much of the intrigue has centered around boxer-turned-MMA fighter James Toney, who makes his octagon debut against five-time UFC champ Randy Couture on the same night.
Unlike some MMA purists though, Penn is unbothered by the presence of the pugilistic great. In fact, the laid-back Hawaiian is one of the few in the MMA world who’s openly voiced a desire to see Toney perform well.
(Video courtesy YouTube/MMA DieHards)
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Filed under: Fighting, UFCBack in 2007, around the time that the UFC started doing gangbusters business in the competitive pay-per-view world, the big names in the boxing universe started hearing questions about the upstart promotion. Aside from the fi…
Back in 2007, around the time that the UFC started doing gangbusters business in the competitive pay-per-view world, the big names in the boxing universe started hearing questions about the upstart promotion. Aside from the financial threat it offered as a combat sports alternative, the queries usually centered on how a fighter in one world would do in the other’s realm.
As a general rule, boxers were highly dismissive of their counterparts in MMA. Back then, Marvin Hagler referred to it as “street fighting,” Bernard Hopkins dismissed it, saying, “I don’t want to watch two grown men wrestling with panties on,” and Floyd Mayweather offered, “Just imagine what happens if a heavyweight contender lays hands on an MMA fighter. We both know what the aftermath will look like.”
Well, times have changed, and apparently so has the boxing world’s view on MMA, because James Toney‘s promoter, Dan Goossen, is already angling for a rematch after UFC 118. A boxing rematch.
Acknowledging that Toney is at a “severe disadvantage” in his upcoming fight with Randy Couture, Goossen released a statement to the media offering Couture the same payday he will receive at UFC 118 to face Toney in a 12-round boxing match.
Several staffers here at MMA Fix have been growing out their fingernails for some time now in anticipation of next Saturday’s tilt between Randy Couture and James Toney (chewing your nails is a safer option than popping pills all night no?) Yes, we fully expect “The Natural” to own Toney, but that doesn’t change the […]
Several staffers here at MMA Fix have been growing out their fingernails for some time now in anticipation of next Saturday’s tilt between Randy Couture and James Toney (chewing your nails is a safer option than popping pills all night no?) Yes, we fully expect “The Natural” to own Toney, but that doesn’t change the fact it’s going to be reeedonkously stressful. If Toney does in fact pull off the win, the MMA world better be prepared to receive an earful and then some from the boxing champ and his crew (which in this case will probably be the entire boxing community).
Thankfully since the fight was announced, Couture hasn’t gone around saying something stupid like ‘I’m ready to test my hands with any boxer’; he understands that Toney is a beast with his fists and that’s it. In a recent interview posted on the official UFC site, Captain America talked a little bit more about what kind of strategy he might employ against Toney, and everything he had to say sounded damn sweet to us (thanks to MMA Bay for the quote).
“There are some serious holes in his game and it’s my job to point those out. If James comes with that traditional boxing posture, he can expect to get the hell kicked out of his lead leg. He can expect a right to come at his head followed by a swift double-leg, a swift clinch, then we’ll tie him up, dirty box, punch, elbow, knee, shoulder, anything I need to do to put him on the floor. There’s a whole load of other things that go on inside the cage. He better hope he can catch me.”
Now that’s what’s up Randy; that’s what’s up. To bet on the bout head here.
When James Toney meets Randy Couture at UFC 118 next Saturday, he’ll be attempting to prove the dominance of the "sweet science" over that weird stuff that gay skinheads do. Of course, he won’t be the first pugilist to try to beat an MMA…
When James Toney meets Randy Couture at UFC 118 next Saturday, he’ll be attempting to prove the dominance of the "sweet science" over that weird stuff that gay skinheads do. Of course, he won’t be the first pugilist to try to beat an MMA fighter at their own game — boxing vs. martial arts challenge matches have been around since before "Lights Out" was born. Join us as we take a look back at the brave boxers who preceded Toney…and what became of them.
MILO SAVAGE vs. "JUDO" GENE LeBELL December 2, 1963
Arguably the first sanctioned MMA match in American history, Savage vs. LeBell came together when legendary judoka/actor Gene LeBell answered a challenge from boxer Jim Beck, who claimed that a professional boxer could beat any martial artist. (Yep, they’ve been making the same boast for almost 50 years.) According to LeBell, he was expecting to fight Beck himself in the televised match, but his opponent was switched at the last minute to Milo Savage, a top-5-ranked light-heavyweight who was allegedly wearing brass knuckles under his fingerless speed-bag gloves, and was greased from head to toe. Despite the disadvantages, Gene sunk a lapel choke in the 4th round and put Savage to sleep. But as with most stories involving Judo Gene, the details are somewhat debatable; this Jonathan Snowden article debunks several aspects of LeBell’s version. Still, LeBell vs. Savage deserves credit as the first MMA-style fight on television, and set up a rivalry between boxing and martial arts that’s somehow still relevant today.
MUHAMMAD ALI vs. ANTONIO INOKI June 26, 1976
It sounded like good, harmless fun — the greatest boxer of all time taking on Japanese pro-wrestling kingpin Antonio Inoki in an exhibition match in Tokyo. But in the days leading up to the show, bizarre rules were added that restricted certain attacks. Most notably, Inoki could only kick if he had one knee on the ground. So, he scooted around the ring kicking Ali’s legs for the entire 15-round duration. Ali only landed six punches the entire fight and went home with two blood clots and an infection. The bout was ruled a draw, and has garnered a reputation as one of the ugliest fiascos in the history of combat sports. Fun fact: The referee of this match? None other than mixed-fighting pioneer Gene LeBell.
(Is that Toney’s heart on his sleeve or his swollen tongue?)
I’m not a fan of 90% of MMA clothing. Somehow seeing fat accountants and skinny computer programmers wearing t-shirts covered in skulls, chains and dragons at sports bars on fight nights jade…
(Is that Toney’s heart on his sleeve or his swollen tongue?)
I’m not a fan of 90% of MMA clothing. Somehow seeing fat accountants and skinny computer programmers wearing t-shirts covered in skulls, chains and dragons at sports bars on fight nights jaded me I guess. Tapout has become the new Vuarnet or No Fear.
I own a handful of promotions’ shirts as well as a few less gaudy brands, but most of them I was given or won in contests.
What gets me is that there are fans who will wear just about anything if it says MMA on it, regardless of how terrible the clothing is.
The spotlight should belong to B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar at UFC 118, where the two will be facing off in a rematch to determine the UFC lightweight champion. But as the event moves closer, much of the intrigue has centered around boxer-turned-MMA fighter James Toney, who makes his octagon debut against five-time UFC champ Randy Couture on the same night.
Back in 2007, around the time that the UFC started doing gangbusters business in the competitive pay-per-view world, the big names in the boxing universe started hearing questions about the upstart promotion. Aside from the financial threat it offered as a combat sports alternative, the queries usually centered on how a fighter in one world would do in the other’s realm.
