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[thehype]

JAMES TONEY SIGNS WITH THE UFC, DESPITE BEING OFFERED "CHUMP CHANGE"

Desperate times call for desperate measures and if you're a 41-year-old future Hall-of-Fame boxer hoping to land a meaningful fight in the wasteland known as the heavyweight division, times are indeed desperate. According to reports, James "Lights Out" Toney has decided to temporarily hang up his boxing gloves in order to move forward with a career in mixed martial arts. UFC President Dana White has confirmed that the boxing legend has signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC.

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http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content7069.html

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[Spyder]

How will boxing look bad? James is fighting in the octagon right?

For all I know, Mark Hunt is the only MMA heavyweight to try his luck at boxing...unsuccessfully. KJ Noons didn't make MMA look bad when he lost to a nobody last September in a boxing match.

There really is NO COMPARISON with sport versus sport...all we can do is be happy that James gets to try to accomplish the elusive crossover. It's not everyday that a boxer as likable and GREAT as James Toney puts it all on the line for a challenge like this. I truly hope that he succeeds. But either way, at least MMA fans will get to know and appreciate one of boxing's colorful gems...Lights Out.

[Snoop]

How will boxing look bad? James is fighting in the octagon right?

For all I know, Mark Hunt is the only MMA heavyweight to try his luck at boxing...unsuccessfully. KJ Noons didn't make MMA look bad when he lost to a nobody last September in a boxing match.

There really is NO COMPARISON with sport versus sport...all we can do is be happy that James gets to try to accomplish the elusive crossover. It's not everyday that a boxer as likable and GREAT as James Toney puts it all on the line for a challenge like this. I truly hope that he succeeds. But either way, at least MMA fans will get to know and appreciate one of boxing's colorful gems...Lights Out.

I think you'll get a TON of MMA fans saying "See! A hall of fame boxer can't last in the octagon! MMA RULES!" Even though you're right in that it's a stupid conclusion to draw, people will draw it nonetheless.

That's really what I meant by it. Not to say that this is some epic battle of "boxing vs MMA" but casual fans will make it out to be one, and in their minds, it'll give them justification to say MMA>Boxing, which I think will make boxing be the brunt of many stupid conclusions.

But looking at it the way you do, I can see why you'd see this as a positive thing for JT. I guess I would sorta agree, but not so much only because there's such a low chance in him being successful.