One retired and former three-weight world champion has no love for Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and says the two cannot be compared and that he would ‘destroy him.’
Canelo is in many people’s eyes a generational great. Having turned professional aged just 15 he has fought a long line of world champions past and present and lifted multiple world championships in four weight classes from light middleweight to light heavyweight, including lineal and undisputed honours.
But one man who held the lineal middleweight title, super middleweight title in the nineties and was cruiserweight champion in 2003 before twice challenging for heavyweight belts doesn’t think so. That man is James Toney, famous for his tight defensive style, elusive shoulder roll and exceptional counterpunching.
Speaking to Mill City Boxing, Toney got riled at being compared to Canleo who he suggests has cherrypicked his opponents.
“He fought all guys who were lighter than him, past their prime, all that, you can’t compare that m**her***ker to me dog. I fought the best fighters in my prime, in their prime.
Man, I’m not even gunna talk about that m**her***ker, it pisses me off, he ain’t shit. If he had balls I will come out of retirement and we’ll meet right now. I’ll f**k him up for real. I ain’t got a problem with that.”
He was then asked if a prime James Toney beats prime Canelo.
“I’ll beat him right now.”
Toney then gave his view on Canelo’s upcoming fight with Jermell Charlo, predicting like another former world champion he would lose, before again reiterating his belief he could beat Caenlo.
“Charlo can fight. They both can fight, but you know what I think Charlo is the better fighter. Canelo can be knocked out. He ain’t James Toney. He’s a good fighter but he’s not on my level. Stop comparing that m**her***ke to me cause he’s no match.
I will destroy him.”
A tantalising fantasy fight between two middleweight legends indeed. In the here and now, Canelo has his sights set on defending his undisputed super-middleweight crowns first.