James Toney suffered a defeat against a boxer who’d failed to win almost half of his fights.
At the peak of his powers, ‘Lights Out’ was a truly exceptional competitor, mesmerizing fans with his incredible skills.
Toney overcame Merqui Sosa in a fascinating battle, and dropped Evander Holyfield in a statement victory.
However, by the end of his career, he wasn’t the same fighter fans came to know and love, and it cost him inside the ring.
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James Toney lost to Jason Gavern in Prizefighter
On November 14, 2013, James Toney battled it out with Jason Gavern in the semi-final of the Prizefighter: heavyweight tournament in York Hall, London, UK.
The pair had both cruised through the first round, with the former world champion stopping Matt Legg, while the journeyman had defeated Larry Olubamiwo via decision.
Going into their clash, while past his best, Toney was favored to win.
With a record of 23-16-4, Gavern hadn’t picked up a scalp anywhere near as big as the now Hall of Famer.
The pair battled it out over three rounds, with each landing big shots, with Gavern whooping after every significant blow.
By the end of the contest, both men raised their hands in the air, believing they’d done enough to win the bout.
In the end, the judges declared Gavern the winner via majority decision.
The American ultimately lost in the final to Michael Sprott.
James Toney was defeated by a future world heavyweight champion
Three bouts before his loss at the hands of Gavern, Toney came up short against another fighter he’d have likely beaten in his prime.
On this occasion, he went twelve rounds with one of the hardest punchers in boxing history.
Following the contest, the victor would go on to achieve big things.
In a relatively one-sided contest, Toney lost to a future world heavyweight champion.