McCallum, The Body Snatcher, was a great fighter – and Toney describes him as the best he ever faced. ‘He taught me so much but I beat him in the fight of the year. Mike McCallum was complete. Before that we sparred at the Kronk [the renowned Detroit gym] and everyone knew you had a war or you died in the Kronk.’
Those gym wars took their toll but it’s hard to believe Toney will fight a local novice called Sam Pomphrey in Bristol. Pomphrey has had only two pro bouts, winning both in 2015, and he is a personal trainer rather than a fighter. Toney should avoid trouble but it upsets me that he is stepping inside a ring again – apart from the sadness of seeing him in a ‘white collar’ bout.
I thought his last-ever fight had been in May when he beat Mike Sheppard, an old journeyman, in a promotion called The Final One? ‘It was my final fight. This one is an exhibition. Sheppard was a fight and I stopped him, boom, and went home. I’m in Bristol for some fun. It’s not a real fight. If it was a fight the price has to go up.’
Toney is still volatile and his mood suddenly changes. We’re sitting in an office with his manager, the gentle John ‘Pops’ Arthur, and the Bristol promoter Matt Crouch. Toney points at Crouch. ‘Matt’s calling it a fight. If it’s a fight the pay’s got to go up.’
Pops shakes his head. ‘It’s not a fight. There are no licences, no medical examinations – so it’s an exhibition. You can have fun.’
Toney is unconvinced. ‘I came for an exhibition but they’re saying fight. If this is not a five-round exhibition where’s the money?’
‘We signed for 10 rounds,’ Pops explains. ‘We’re men of our word. We’ll stick to it. James is getting mad because it’s being promoted as a fight but Matt is just trying to sell tickets. James, if you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at your Pops. I negotiated this deal.’
‘I don’t want to be played like a punk bitch,’ Toney snaps.
I know Toney well enough to find a way to take the heat out of the office. ‘Everybody will love you on Saturday, James,’ I suggest.
Toney relaxes. ‘Man!’ he sighs, ‘I love England! I hate the fighters but I love the people. Where else can you get 80,000 people watching a fight like with Joshua and Klitschko? People here are so genuine.’
Toney has already told me he could probably beat Joshua if he put his mind to it but Pops would not allow him to take a proper fight again. So I ask who will win when Joshua and Deontay Wilder meet in an explosive world heavyweight title unification bout next year.
‘Joshua. He’s much better than Wilder – who is wild. They’re good fighters but Joshua wins. I like Joshua. I like Danny Jacobs. That’s my guy, a good dude. Keith Thurman. He’s the truth. Triple G [Gennady Golovkin] is a good fighter.’
Toney is less enthused by Donald Trump. ‘He’s a fucking asshole. Remember when he was a promoter and he had me and Roy [Jones] on the same bill in Atlantic City. I should’ve punched him in the face but my mom and Jackie stopped me. Trump pointed to me and was saying: ‘Call Whatsisname over here.’ I’m thinking: ‘Whatsisname? I’m your headline attraction and you can’t say my name?’ I said to Trump: ‘I’m going to bust your head open, motherfucker.’ My mom and Jackie pulled me away but I should’ve knocked his head off and saved the world lots of trouble. He’s the president but he’s a racist. Look at Colin Kaepernick.
Kaepernick, the former quarter-back for the San Francisco 49ers, has led a restrained protest against racism by taking a bended knee rather than standing for the national anthem. He is now locked out of American Football. ‘That’s why Colin Kaepernick hasn’t got a job. Pure racism from Trump down.’
Pops shakes his head. ‘I was with the Bureau [FBI] for 24 years and I never seen it this bad. Trump has a way of promoting racism and lots of people can’t see it.’
More cheerfully, Pops and Lights Out tell me about their plans for a reality television show, starring Toney as a bounty hunter. ‘Everybody’s a villain and I catch them,’ Toney beams. ‘I go after real criminals. Our stuff is not edited. I get to bust open heads for real.’
Pops confirms Toney is now working as a part-time bounty hunter. ‘He knew this bounty hunter guy called Lucky. James did some dry runs and we took it from there. A cable company’s now talking about a 13-show season.’
I’ll be happier if Toney is a bounty hunter rather than a fighter. Those amazing days have gone and it’s a relief to hear him say: ‘I’m happy. I’ve got five kids and life is sweet.’
We call his mother in Michigan and leave a message because, as Toney tells me: ‘My mom will kill me if she don’t speak to you.’ We go out into the gym, walk straight past the ring and Toney is chortling and hugging me. ‘We had fun again, man.’
I kid around and tell him he is still the king. ‘Say it again, man,’ Toney hollers as his new girlfriend laughs.
‘You’re still the king,’ I say to the great old fighter
‘Twenty-six years,’ Toney says with an incredulous smile, ‘and you still know it.’ The Guardian online article Donald McRae 22 November 2017, ‘James Toney: ‘I should’ve knocked Donald Trump’s head off and saved the world lots of trouble’’
[8.7] STEVE COLLINS 39-36(21)-3-0: Max Boxing online
Talk about overlooked – and not just by Roy Jones, who ignored Collins’ challenges. The Irishman hurt himself cutting pounds to make middleweight, losing two title shots at 160 pounds. Found himself at 168 and gets massive credit for twice besting Chris Eubank and Nigel Benn in title fights. Granted, both men were nearing the end of their careers but so was Collins. Also, let’s not forget that he retired as a champion, undefeated in his last 15 fights, of which eight were title defenses. In fact, Collins never lost at super-middleweight. The only man to ever outclass Collins was a prime Mike McCallum and his other two decision losses were of the majority version on foreign shores. Can’t say Collins dazzled in any one skill department but always gave 100% and forced his opponents into brawls by using lateral movement to stay on top of them forcing exchanges. Collins’ first fight with Eubank is a classic and he was generally in fun tilts. The epitome of a hardheaded Irishman. Max Boxing online
17) Mike McCallum Lost Points 12: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Mike McCallum 3 February 1990 WBA Middleweight Boston Massachusetts [r1] … A left by Collins … Right hand, left to the body by McCallum … Good left … [r2] … Good flurry there by both fighters … Right uppercut inside by McCallum … good jab … Good left hook that time by Steve Collins; McCallum responded with one of his own … [r3] … Good work by Collins, body shots … Good left there by Collins … [r4] … Both fighters going inside … [r5] … good right to the body … Giant leap up for Steve Collins … McCallum half a dozen scoring blows … target practice … very professional display … [r6] … A cut over the left eye of Steve Collins … Good right to the chin of McCallum … Both fighters looking weary … [r7] … Back up Mike McCallum … scoring with some counters … Good right from Collins … good right … [r8] … Good low shot to the stomach by Collins … coming forward … good solid left … Good right by McCallum … [r9] … Good resurgence here … McCallum working to the body … two short punches … [r10] … Real act of desperation by Steve Collins … bleeding from the nose … Left by McCallum … right uppercut … [r11] … Steve Collins needs a knockout … good work … combination to the body … good learning experience … [r12] … A round of desperation … good combination by Collins … Steve Collins has pleased his fans … US fight commentary
32) Chris Eubank I Points 12: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Chris Eubank 18 March 1995 WBO Super-Middleweight Millstreet Ireland [r1] … He [Collins] wades in with the left hook … lunging in … [r2] … [Eubank] right hand … Those punches of Collins do get through … right hand … [r3] … Collins first off again … Left uppercut [Eubank] … Combination from Collins … Collins’ round … [r4] … Collins is busy busy busy … Jab catching Collins … Eubank did better … [r5] … A counterpuncher’s fight … Right hand a good one from Collins … gets through again … A man in control … [r6] … Terrific right hand [Collins] … Three punches ram home from Collins … [r7] … Collins doing a little bit more in this round … [r8] … Difficult to score … And he’s [Eubank] down: body punch … right hand crashes through … Eubank comes back in style … [r9] … Is Eubank’s title slipping away? … Eubank is in serious trouble here … Crashing left hand but Collins takes the punches … [r10] … And the right hand’s got Collins! … Good right uppercut [Eubank] … [r11] … Sharper work from Eubank … good right back though from Collins … Eubank is really letting the punches rip … Big right from Eubank … Eubanks need something very big … Who’s got that? [116-114 115-111 114-113] UK Sky TV commentary
33) Chris Eubank II Split Decision 12: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Chris Eubank II 9 September 1995 WBO Super-Middleweight Cork Ireland [r1] … Collins almost running across the ring … right hand … Sharp left jab by Eubank … [r2] … A lot of the work is pretty untidy … Good left hook from Eubank … [r3] … [Collins] starting to get through … Collins’ workrate is prodigious … [r4] … Growing confidence about Steve Collins … finding the target … Right uppercut [Eubank] … Collins’ round … [r5] … Better work on the counter [Eubank] … just the single jab [Eubank] … breathing heavily … [Collins] workrate is fantastic … It’s all Collins [McGuigan] … [r6] … Collins piling up the points … [r7] … Collins has hardly taken a backward step … Eubank starting to get his jab working … A cut by the right eye of Collins … [r8] … [Collins] is winning it … good work … looking more tired … [r9] … Collins in a huge lead … good work … fighting like a warrior … [r10] … Eubank is going for broke … now he’s stepped off again … cleaner punching … [r11] … Collins has looked the hungrier fighter … Cleaner work is coming from Eubank … [r12] … Collins is taking a lot … Eubank now getting hit … still finding Eubank’s chin. [114-115 Eubank, 115-113 Collins, 115-113] UK Sky TV commentary