from a boxing website
from a boxing website
round 1
While the fight between John Ruiz and James Toney may or may not provide excitement, the verbal one between Toney and "Stoney" (Ruiz's trainer/manager) has and likely will continue to upstage the upcoming WBA Heavyweight title bout. Round 1 between Toney and Norman Stone began today at a press conference to announce the April 30th bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City. After speaking at the podium Toney walked to his seat and continued to berate his opponent.
"I wish we could get it on right now. I'm sweating right now. I don't play boxing. I do this s**t for real," he said. Toney (68-4-2, 43 KO's) then looked at Stone and started cursing. Stone returned the verbal fire prompting Toney to rise to his feet to confront Stone. Security quickly intervened and the two men engaged in a cursing match. "You're a f***ing piece of s**t," said Stone. "Toney the Phoney," he continuously yelled.
Each fighters respective camps tried to restrain their men, with Ruiz remaining fairly mum on his trainer's antics. New York State Athletic Commission chair-man Ron Scott Stevens also intervened in an attempt to subdue "Stoney" but Stone was having nothing of the sort. "Talk to me like you talked to him (Toney)," Stone roared. "You got know b***s to talk to him!" This isn't the first time Stevens and Stone have bumped heads. Stone was ejected from Ruiz' corner during his November victory over Andrew Golota which also took place in the Garden. As a result he was also fined and suspended by Stevens for his inappropriate behavior in the corner and with referee Randy Neumann. Toney was so fumed that he stormed out of the presser before it was even complete. DKP's Alan Hopper asked Toney to return to the podium only to be treated with a vulgarity in return.
After Toney left and the ruckus calmed down, Stevens took the podium to deliver an ultimatum. He said he wanted both fighters and their camps to show sportsmanship not only on the night of the fight but at weigh-ins, press conferences, etc. "New York is not going to tolerate any nonsense," said Stevens. And just as he was about to finish speaking, Toney stormed back into the room, onto the stage and to the podium to apologize for his actions! He sat back down and Ruiz (41-5-1, 28 KO's) came to the podium. "I hope he's there April 30th. I hope he doesn't sneak out the back door." This got Toney riled up again. "I'm the best," declared Ruiz. "Yeah, the best of the worst," responded Toney. "Watch him start hugging when I hit him - 'Please don't knock me out'." Toney also boasted that he had more money than Ruiz. Ruiz said Toney talked too much. "I talk in my sleep," said Toney.
Besides the last 10 minutes, the press conference played out like usual. The Ruiz-Toney fight, according to HBO's Kery Davis, is the beginning of a series of significant fights in the heavyweight division. Andrew Golota will take on Lamon Brewster in May and Vitali Klitschko will likely face Hasim Rahman shortly afterwards.
Ruiz, who has an unattractive style in the ring, has recently won a string of fights against quality opponents. "Say what you want about John Ruiz's style," said Davis "but no one can deny that he's extremely, extremely effective."
Both Don King, Davis and Dan Goosen (Toney's promoter) all sounded positive that this fight could lead to a heavyweight championship tournament. "This is the first step in crowning one world heavyweight champion," stated Goosen. How that will exactly occur, since three of the four major heavyweight titlists are not even slated for unification bouts, is unknown at this point.
Stoney-Toney round 2!
Tempers flared today in New York at the final press conference for the John Ruiz-James Toney WBA Heavyweight title bout at MSG. At a previous press conference to announce the fight last month, Toney and "Stoney" (Norman Stone, Ruiz' long-time trainer) got into a verbal confrontation that almost escalated to a physical level. Their ongoing feud continued Wednesday afternoon when Toney said Ruiz "ain't a real Latino" and that the titilist is a "fake-a** Puerto Rican." Stone said Toney was being disrespectul and that he should "shut the f*** up." Toney reiterated by calling the Boston native a "redneck" and by telling Stone to "tell your mother I said hello." Stone then had to be withheld by security when the two men came perilously close to hitting one another. Toney rose from his seat and Stone said he wanted to fight the former three division champion in the street. "After Johnny knocks you out, I'm going to p**s on you," said Stone. Stone also said that Toney was a bum and along with fellow Dan Goossen-promoted Riddick Bowe, had been "pulled off the street." (More to come)
from a boxing website
round 1
While the fight between John Ruiz and James Toney may or may not provide excitement, the verbal one between Toney and "Stoney" (Ruiz's trainer/manager) has and likely will continue to upstage the upcoming WBA Heavyweight title bout. Round 1 between Toney and Norman Stone began today at a press conference to announce the April 30th bout at Madison Square Garden in New York City. After speaking at the podium Toney walked to his seat and continued to berate his opponent.
"I wish we could get it on right now. I'm sweating right now. I don't play boxing. I do this s**t for real," he said. Toney (68-4-2, 43 KO's) then looked at Stone and started cursing. Stone returned the verbal fire prompting Toney to rise to his feet to confront Stone. Security quickly intervened and the two men engaged in a cursing match. "You're a f***ing piece of s**t," said Stone. "Toney the Phoney," he continuously yelled.
Each fighters respective camps tried to restrain their men, with Ruiz remaining fairly mum on his trainer's antics. New York State Athletic Commission chair-man Ron Scott Stevens also intervened in an attempt to subdue "Stoney" but Stone was having nothing of the sort. "Talk to me like you talked to him (Toney)," Stone roared. "You got know b***s to talk to him!" This isn't the first time Stevens and Stone have bumped heads. Stone was ejected from Ruiz' corner during his November victory over Andrew Golota which also took place in the Garden. As a result he was also fined and suspended by Stevens for his inappropriate behavior in the corner and with referee Randy Neumann. Toney was so fumed that he stormed out of the presser before it was even complete. DKP's Alan Hopper asked Toney to return to the podium only to be treated with a vulgarity in return.
After Toney left and the ruckus calmed down, Stevens took the podium to deliver an ultimatum. He said he wanted both fighters and their camps to show sportsmanship not only on the night of the fight but at weigh-ins, press conferences, etc. "New York is not going to tolerate any nonsense," said Stevens. And just as he was about to finish speaking, Toney stormed back into the room, onto the stage and to the podium to apologize for his actions! He sat back down and Ruiz (41-5-1, 28 KO's) came to the podium. "I hope he's there April 30th. I hope he doesn't sneak out the back door." This got Toney riled up again. "I'm the best," declared Ruiz. "Yeah, the best of the worst," responded Toney. "Watch him start hugging when I hit him - 'Please don't knock me out'." Toney also boasted that he had more money than Ruiz. Ruiz said Toney talked too much. "I talk in my sleep," said Toney.
Besides the last 10 minutes, the press conference played out like usual. The Ruiz-Toney fight, according to HBO's Kery Davis, is the beginning of a series of significant fights in the heavyweight division. Andrew Golota will take on Lamon Brewster in May and Vitali Klitschko will likely face Hasim Rahman shortly afterwards.
Ruiz, who has an unattractive style in the ring, has recently won a string of fights against quality opponents. "Say what you want about John Ruiz's style," said Davis "but no one can deny that he's extremely, extremely effective."
Both Don King, Davis and Dan Goosen (Toney's promoter) all sounded positive that this fight could lead to a heavyweight championship tournament. "This is the first step in crowning one world heavyweight champion," stated Goosen. How that will exactly occur, since three of the four major heavyweight titlists are not even slated for unification bouts, is unknown at this point.
Stoney-Toney round 2!
Tempers flared today in New York at the final press conference for the John Ruiz-James Toney WBA Heavyweight title bout at MSG. At a previous press conference to announce the fight last month, Toney and "Stoney" (Norman Stone, Ruiz' long-time trainer) got into a verbal confrontation that almost escalated to a physical level. Their ongoing feud continued Wednesday afternoon when Toney said Ruiz "ain't a real Latino" and that the titilist is a "fake-a** Puerto Rican." Stone said Toney was being disrespectul and that he should "shut the f*** up." Toney reiterated by calling the Boston native a "redneck" and by telling Stone to "tell your mother I said hello." Stone then had to be withheld by security when the two men came perilously close to hitting one another. Toney rose from his seat and Stone said he wanted to fight the former three division champion in the street. "After Johnny knocks you out, I'm going to p**s on you," said Stone. Stone also said that Toney was a bum and along with fellow Dan Goossen-promoted Riddick Bowe, had been "pulled off the street." (More to come)
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