James Toney ranks only one man above himself as the greatest boxer to ever live: “I’m second”

James Toney believes there is only one man in history that can be seen as even better than himself.

Toney is a three-weight world champion, having earned world honours at middleweight, super middleweight and cruiserweight during his near 30-year career.

He also competed at heavyweight where he once overcame Evander Holyfield, before later winning the WBA heavyweight title with a win over John Ruiz, only for it to be later ruled a no contest after he failed a drugs test.

When it comes to debating the greatest of all time, it is another heavyweight that is often mentioned by many boxing fans, with Muhammad Ali the legend in question.

Toney disagrees with that assessment though, insisting to WiseNuts that he places himself as the number two greatest ever, with Sugar Ray Robinson taking the number one spot.

“I’m an Ali fan myself but I’m sorry, he is not the greatest fighter of all time. It’s [Sugar] Ray Robinson and James Toney second, period. If you look at how we did, we did it the right way … I fought, Ray Robinson, we fought. Where is he from? My hometown, Detroit. We do it like nobody else can.”

Robinson’s achievements speak for themselves, holding the world welterweight title for five years from 1946 to 1951, where he went on a remarkable 91-fight unbeaten streak.

At one point he had picked up 129 wins in 132 fights, 85 of those by knockout. He is also a five-time world middleweight champion, and eventually hung up the gloves in 1965 having been victorious in 174 of his 201 fights.