HOLYFIELD-TONEY TO "GET IT ON"

Warriors Meet On October 4th

Jim Amato

10.07 - Well, finally, the heavyweight division is heating up. No longer will the fans have to worry about the ups and downs of Mike Tyson. Granted he's still a factor but an old factor. The division will survive. If it survived the Tubbs, Page, Witherspoon era, it will survive today. It sure is nice to see things on the upswing. There is now a sense of formation and purpose with the fights being made. Starting with Holyfield-Toney.

Evander was to fight Roy Jones Jr., negotiations fell through. Toney was to meet "MIDDLEWEIGHT" champion Bernard Hopkins. Now who do you think would have won that fight? This upcoming match up pits two aging warriors in an almost must win situation.

Who will win? It depends on which "real fighter" shows up. Evander is always in shape but will he underestimate the "blown up" middleweight Toney? Thinking he is the bigger, stronger fighter, will he become the aggressor? Will he force the action and play right into Toney's best chance to win? Toney cannot outmuscle Evander but he may be able to outsmart him. Let Evander come to him, make him miss and then make him pay. James can do that. Play into his hand, if in shape he'll eat you up. Ask Jirov and Iran Barkley.

If I was training Evander I would tell him to make Toney come to him. Forget the warrior attitude. At long range Evander is the better boxer. It may not become a fan pleasing fight but it should produce a "W" on his record. Toney's best chance to win is to counter Evander along the ropes. If Evander does not comply, how is he going to win?

With Lewis leaning strongly toward a match with Roy Jones Jr., Holyfield-Toney makes sense. Add in Oquendo-vs-John Ruiz and the division is beginning to take shape. Where do Tyson and Tua go from here? What about the future of the Klitschko brothers? Where do Rock Rahman and Corrie Sanders fit in?

Oh the remainder of 2003 and the early part of 2004 should go a long way toward solving the evergoing heavyweight puzzle.

What do you think?