Roach wants “Lights Out” Toney to put the light out
Training a fighter isn’t just about telling him he’s the greatest. It’s also about telling him when it’s time to hang them up.
Freddie Roach said today that he still is fond of James “Lights Out” Toney, but that the boxer gone MMA contender should really turn the lights out.
"I told James to quit after the second Sam Peter fight. He got hit big shots he never used to get hit with before and it was big heavyweights landing the shots. It's not just the slurring of his speech. James got pissed off at me, told me to go f**k myself but I still consider him my friend. Those shots have taken a toll and I know from experience,” Roach said.
Roach currently trains Manny Pacquiao, the No.1 pound for pound fighter in the world.
"My trainer, Eddie (Futch) told me to quit at the right time but I didn't listen to him, I went my own stubborn way. Guess I should've listened to him as I lost four of my last five bouts. So I should have quit myself."
James Toney took on former UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture recently in an MMA sponsored fight. He was defeated in under four minutes, when Couture managed to get him on the ground and smother him into a submission hold. In response Toney challenged Couture to step into a boxing ring him and abide by the sport’s rules.
Roach pointed out that a fighter’s freedom, and particularly his freedom to fight, can work against a finished fighter.
"I like it, I like living in a country where you get the chance to fight but any commission would have to give James a lot of tests now. If he passes those tests, if he fights, well then he's got that right."
Toney, known for his wild antics and entertaining persona, hasn’t said anything about a possible retirement.
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