Biography
James Tony is the legend of American boxing, a security wizard. He became known in the battle style of the old school, consisting in the ability to avoid shocks, smoothly moving in the ring.Childhood and youth
James Nathaniel Tony was born on August 24, 1968 in Grand Rapids, USA. By the sign of the zodiac, he Virgo. In 1978, the family moved to Ann Arbor. Father was a boxer, he trained at Eddie Fatcha, and the Floyd Meiweather and Baster Mathis lived next door. Sherry's mother studied at Michigan University.
Marriage parents were not happy. James Tony - Senior suffered because of problems with the psyche, beat his wife, the police often came to the house.
At 11, James first ended up in the boxing hall, where the boy led the mother, as Tony Les in the fight and traded on Cocaine Street. But until the end of High School, he was seriously engaged in this sport. But demonstrated talents in American football, and he was offered a scholarship of Michigan, so that the guy could enter the university. But he stained his reputation when in the training camp struck by Dion Sanders, the future star of football.
In the amateur box, Tony won 31 victory, 29 by knockout, and 2 defeats. His first manager, drug dealer named Johnny Aise Smith, soon shot. Then James met Jackie Cullen, a sports journalist, which became the first promoter woman who had achieved success.
Boxing
The professional biography of Tony on the boxing ring began in 1988. For the first 2.5 years, Career James set a record - 25 victories, 18 knockout, 1 defeat. The athlete won an IBF belt on average weight, Michael Nanna defeated. He also won the battle with Artur Willis.Two years later, Tony defeated Airena Barkley in Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The boxer was predicted a great future, but in 1994 he concluded a deal on battle with Roy Jones. Six weeks before the fight, the athlete weighed 96 kg - much more than the norm. He stubbornly trained, although everyone advised James to refuse to enter the ring.
Jones did not knock out Tony, but won the points, after the defeat, James washed and there was a lot there. His professional and personal life went to the bottom. The boxer broke up with Jackie Cullen manager, did not get out of the bars and became thicker. His fight with Larry Holmes was canceled in 1998.
One day the boxer watched TV, and the commentator listed the greatest fighters in the history. He did not mention the name Tony. James got angry, resumed training and began to speak again, now in a heavyweight.
The champion won Vasily Zhirov and Evander Holyfield in 2003, another 9 won battles have appeared in its official statistics, of which 6 knockouts.
In June 2006, Tony was exploring doping. In his urine, traces of the Metabolites of Bedoidon and Stanozolol found. California's Athletic Commission recited a fine of $ 2,500 from the boxer and banned to appear in the ring until May 22, 2008.
On November 4, 2011, James fought against Denis Lebedev for the temporary title of WBA champion in heavyweight. In the second round, Tony had a problem with his knee, and the enemy won the points. A week after the battle, it turned out that the boxer needs an operation.
In January 2010, the athlete decided to try himself in MMA. His first fight in the new capacity was held on August 28 of the same year at the UFC 118 tournament. The opponent, Randy Kutur, in the first round he knocked Tony from his feet, and then she held on the floor to be choking his hands on the floor. James had to surrender.
Now the champion dial in California and bought a training room to prepare new fighters and earn a little.
Personal life
In 1997, Tony made marriage with a woman named Angie. Spouses raise a common son Judin, born on May 21, 2007. The wife of the American boxer also has five children from other men.
The first marriage of James ended in divorce. In 2003, he was arrested for non-payment of alimony in favor of his daughter born in 1993.
In 1996, the boxer came up with his father and made him his coach. Tony-senior came with her son to Russia in 2011, before the fight with Lebedev. The man said that Russian vodka is no different from European or American, but in Moscow it fed a very tasty spinach.
Tony was often compared with Bernard Hopkins, the main competitor from the 90s, but James considered this fighter too primitive and refused to go against him against the ring.
Boxer growth 178 cm, weight - 117 kg.
James Tony now
In August 2020, Roy Jones called James Tony the most complex rival with whom she had ever had to fight.Embed from getty imagesIn October 2020, Tony predicted Zhanibek Alimkhanulu, who was supposed to fight in Las Vegas with Argentinez Gonzalov Zaoy, and called him the future world champion. And it turned out to be Rights: Kazakhstan won knockout in the second round.
On January 8, 2021, James shared with the subscribers of his account in "Instagram" with a joint photo with Tommy Hirns, which boxers were still in his youth.
Achievements
- 1990 - US Michigan Champion in the Middle Weight Category
- 1990-1991 - IBC champion in medium weight category
- 1991-1992 - World Champion according to IBF in the medium weight category (6 title protection)
- 1991, 2003 - "Boxer of the Year" according to the Ring magazine
- 1991, 2003 - "Boxer of the Year" according to American journalists
- 1993-1994 - World IBF champion in the second average weight category (3 title protection)
- 1995 - USBA champion in USBA in the sexual weight category
- 2003 - World Champion according to IBF in the first weightlifting category
- 2003 - "Return of the Year" according to the Ring magazine
- 2003 - The fight of Tony with Vasily Zhirov received the title of "Fight of the Year"
- 2004 - Continental American champion in the version of WBC Continental Americas in a heavy weight category
- 2008 - NaBo champion in heavy weight category
- 2012 - IBU champion in severe weight category