James Toney: "I'm the only real fighter in the heavyweight division!"

By G. Leon

27/08/2007

James Toney: "I'm the only real fighter in the heavyweight division!"

Are Toney and Roach on the outs?

GL: It's great to have you back on Boxingtalk. What's the latest and greatest with James Toney? "We're just getting reared up and we're ready to go. My motto is still the same. I'll fight anybody, anywhere, anytime. I'm not fighting no more small fights. I'm a veteran, I've been around for too long for that and I'm a legend."

GL: Your suspension was cut in half. As a result of that you'll be able to return to the ring as early as November. Can you give us some thoughts on that and when can we expect you back in action?

James Toney: "I'm going to sit down and talk with my promoter Dan Goossen to hash things out. But we're planning on something big and I want to fight before the end of the year. I see everyone else has their retirement spread out. Wladimir Klitschko don't want to fight anybody for the rest of the year. Vitali Klitschko is fighting McCline. Come on man, that's a sissy fighting another sissy. Then you got Holyfield fighting Ibragimov and I think Holyfield is going to beat him. If Holyfield has balls and he says he wants to fight the guys who beat him, well I whooped his ass, so maybe he'll give me another chance to whip his ass again."

GL: We all know about your motto, but as it relates to your first fight back is there anyone your honing in on?

JT: "I'd prefer it to be Klitschko, but those guys don't have the balls to fight me. No matter what kind of year I had last year, they still don't have the balls to fight me. Don't nobody in the top ten want to fight me. But nobody in the top ten is going to want to step up and fight me Greg, you know that. I'm not done and I'm the only real fighter in the heavyweight division."

GL: Would a quality win over a top ten contender prior to a Klitschko fight, not only make that fight that much bigger, but it would make it more difficult for them not to fight you?

JT: "Definitely. I want to fight anybody in the top ten and once that happens, it's time to go to work ASAP. We want to find a big name out there who wants to go out and do this and we can make this happen, the sooner the better for me. I could fight in six weeks if we had something scheduled today."

GL: Will you still be working with Billy Blanks and what kind of shape can we expect to see you the next time you step through the ropes?

JT: "I'm going to be in a lot better shape. I'll probably be in the mid teens when you see me. I've lost a lot of weight during my hiatus. Even though things have been said about how I'm training or how I'm doing this or that, which is totally bullshit. If I wasn't training these guys would have been knocking me out instead of running from me for the last three rounds."

GL: Will Freddie Roach continue to train you?

JT: "The door is open for Freddie. I love Freddie and I have nothing but respect for Freddie, but if he does he does and if he don't he don't. My fighting career don't revovle around Freddie Roach it revolves around James Toney."

GL: Are you working with Ivaylo Gotzev?

JT: "If you didn't hear it from me it's not going to happen. Anybody can say what they want to say, but unless it came from me or you see some paperwork it's nothing. I promise you G, you're going to be the first to know even if I have to call you at two in the morning."

GL: Earlier you said you were going to get together with Dan to hash things out. Are you and Dan on good terms?

JT: "Me an Dan are on great terms. He's one of the best promoters in the game. In fact he's the best promoter in the game because he knows what we're doing and we're going to move forward as a team. I'm looking forward to see out the plan we started six years ago."

GL: You said the door is always open to Freddie to train you, but can you give us some more clarity to that situation? At what point will you start looking for another trainer?

JT: "I've heard some statements that Freddie doesn't want to train me or Freddie thinks I should retire, of course I'm going to move on because I dont' feel that way. If I have to move on to another trainer I will. I'm a loyal guy and I'm not kind of guy who wants to make changes, but right now everything is up in the air. I want to have a sitdown with Freddie and then see where we're at if not I'm going to start looking for someone else in the next couple of weeks."

GL: Is there anything you'd like closing?

JT: "I want to thank everyone for their support. G. Leon, you're the man, you keep us out there and I'm working hard as hell so all you bitches out there, and you know I'm talking about the other heavyweights, all you bitches I'm coming."

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