NEW YORK – James Toney (search) did almost as he promised, outpointing but not knocking out John Ruiz (search) to win the WBA heavyweight title Saturday night.
Toney, a former champion at three other weights, scored a unanimous decision that wasn't particularly close. It was just the third heavyweight bout for the 36-year-old Toney, who has been fighting since 1992. He became the fourth-oldest heavyweight champ and only the third one-time middleweight champion to take boxing's top crown.
One of the other middleweight-turned-heavyweight winners was Roy Jones (search), who also beat Ruiz. Jones was at ringside broadcasting the fight, in which Toney looked fearsome — and flabby.
While the extra weight didn't look good on Toney, he never lost the swagger he carried into the Madison Square Garden (search) ring. And as the fight swung his way, he grimaced in mock pain at Ruiz and even did a little shuffle after the eighth round.
At 233 pounds, he was outweighed by eight pounds, and the weight looked better on Ruiz. Not that it mattered as Toney wore down the natural heavyweight to win 116-111 on two cards, 115-112 on the other.
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