By Erik Schmidt: You can add former super middleweight champion James “Lights Out” Toney (71-6-3, 43 KOs) as another potential opponent for IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko to fight on June 20th, at the Veltins Arena, in Germany. According to the Los Angeles Times, Dan Goosen, the promoter of the 40-year-old Toney, said that Toney is “in shape right now” and is ready to fight Klitschko on June 20th.
Toney would probably be as good a choice as any fighter that could be selected at this point to step in for the injured David Haye, who pulled out of the Klitschko fight this morning due to a hand injury, because there are not a lot of other viable options for Wladimir with only three weeks to go before the fight. Goosen says that unbeaten Chris Arreola wouldn’t be ready in time for a fight with Wladimir in only three weeks, saying that “isn’t in the type of shape you need to be for fighting the heavyweight championship of the world.”
Toney, 5’9″ 235, would be giving up nine inches in height to the 6’6″ Klitschko and 11″ inches in reach. It would be a bad mismatch in terms of size, but with Toney’s boxing skills and good chin, he might be able to make a run for the money if he can get Wladimir into deep waters and drown him in the later rounds. Wladimir would likely try to look good and knock Toney out and might tire out if he’s unable to get Toney out of there.
Naturally, Toney would take some terrific punishment for the first six rounds but after that, Toney might stand a better if he can get in close and start landing some hard shots. When Wladimir is tired like in his fights with Lamon Brewster and Ross Purity, it doesn’t necessarily take that big of a shot to take him out of there.
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