By Jason Kim: James Toney (70-6, 43 KOs) will return to the ring this Saturday night against former heavyweight contender Fres Oqeundo (29-4, 18 KOs) in a scheduled 12-round bout for the vacant International Boxing Association heavyweight title at the Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, in Cabazon, California. Toney, now 40, was originally scheduled heavyweight contender Tony Thompson, but he had to cancel, because of a case of acute bronchitis that prevented him from making the fight.
This opened the door for Oquendo, 35, who’s on a three fight winning streak since losing by a 12-round unanimous decision two years ago in November 2006. Toney hopes to keep alive his dwindling chances at getting a title shot against one of the heavyweight champions. Ranked #8 in the International Boxing Federation and #10 in the WBC, Toney has to keep on winning if he wants to get a shot at one of the Klitschko brothers, whom he has challenged recently.
However, Toney has battled weight problems off and on and hasn’t looked good in a fight since losing by a close decision to Samuel Peter in September 2006. One would have to back even further than that, however, back to October 2005 to find Toney’s last significant win, one against Dominick Guinn. In his last fight, Toney fought to a three round no-contest against Hasim Rahman after the fight was stopped following the 3rd round due to a cut over the right eyebrow of Rahman.
Toney looked slow and lethargic in that fight, fighting poorly and throwing few punches until the 3rd round when he let a few shots fly. However, at 40, Toney is really starting to show his age, not so much just because of his increased weight but mainly because his once impressive high work rate his decreased dramatically in recent years.
It probably won’t matter much on Saturday night, because Oquendo isn’t the same fighter he was either five years ago and probably won’t have enough skills to deal with Toney’s superior defensive and counter-punching abilities. Oquendo has enough movement and speed, however, to give Toney some problems if he’s not at his best and anything can happen in this fight.
Toney should consider himself fortunate that Thompson cancelled this fight, because I have grave doubts that Toney could have beaten the 6’5” Thompson, who would have been able to bomb Toney from long range. At least in fighting Oquendo, Toney has a better than average chance at keeping his hope alive a little while longer for a title shot against one of the Klitschko brothers, as slim as it may be.
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