Hall of Famer James Toney acknowledged Terence Crawford’s victory over Canelo Alvarez but stated he would have secured a knockout. Toney contrasted Crawford’s unanimous decision win with his own history of stopping opponents, arguing that winning rounds is different from inflicting fight-ending damage.
Terence Crawford’s recent performance against Canelo Alvarez was a masterful display of technical boxing. ‘Bud’ moved up two weight divisions to 168 pounds and secured a clear unanimous decision, becoming the undisputed super-middleweight champion. While the victory was widely praised, former IBF super-middleweight champion James Toney believes a more definitive result was possible. Toney argued that while Crawford’s win was good, it lacked the destructive dominance he brought to the ring during his own career.
In a recent interview, Toney made a clear distinction between his performances and Crawford’s. “He looked good, alright, but it wasn’t no James Toney performance, you know that. Every time that I fought on the big stage, [Iran] Barkley, [Evander] Holyfield, John Ruiz and countless others – I am dominating them.”
He expanded on this point, directly comparing his knockout-focused approach to Crawford’s more clinical victory over Canelo. “Terence Crawford, I love Terence Crawford, but he doesn’t even do what I did. He didn’t do it, but he won 12 rounds. I did damage, I stopped people, I knocked people out, that is why they called me ‘Lights Out’.”
The critique establishes a classic debate between pure boxing skill and fight-finishing power. However, career statistics present a more complex picture. Toney, known as ‘Lights Out’, finished his career with a knockout percentage of just over 61%. In contrast, Crawford’s record currently carries a higher knockout ratio of 73%.
Ultimately, Crawford’s victory secured his legacy as an all-time great by conquering a new weight class. Toney’s comments ensure the conversation continues, forcing a comparison between different eras and styles. The debate becomes about how greatness is defined: by a fighter’s ability to win decisively on points or by their capacity to end a fight inside the distance.
