Boxing News: James Toney Medical Update

James Toney has been conspicuously silent in the weeks following his March 18 loss to Hasim Rahman. According to his manager/co-trainer, John Arthur, there’s a good reason Toney has been uncharacteristically quiet following the controversial decision. Laryngitis.

Toney had the flu coming into the bout, Arthur said, but hid his symptoms. On the plane-ride from Atlantic City to LA the day after the fight, he threw up. A physician on the plane checked Toney out and determined he was dehydrated. An IV fluid line was inserted into Toney. Subsequently, the fighter developed laryngitis. He’s healing now, said Arthur, and will soon be able to register his displeasure with the judges’ call last month.

As for Toney’s conditioning, Arthur dismissed talk that Toney’s weight was a severe factor in his performance. “James was the same fat little mother he was against Ruiz and Guinn,” Arthur said. “He was not as mobile ‘cause he was sick with the flu.”

Toney didn’t want to publicize his illness, but Arthur wants to get the word out why Toney wasn’t as capable in this bout as in other recent outings.

Toney was scheduled to do ESPN’s FNF in studio appearance last week, Arthur said, and the laryngitis killed that plan.

So when will we see if Toney can bounce back?

“First we have to get James 100%,” he said. “But we’ve abandoned the Foreman look. He’ll fight again in July or August.”

A rematch with Rahman would be Toney’s first preference but he’ll happily take the Rahman/Maskaev winner, Arthur said.