By now, you've heard it all: Toney versus Peter, the boxer against the slugger, little guy/big guy, old guy versus young guy. It really is a classic match up and well worth the hype. I'm looking forward to this fight more than any heavyweight fight I've seen in the last three or four years.
Well, here's the weigh-in: Toney at 233, Peter at 257. That means little without knowing more about muscle mass (Toney looked good two pounds heavier going into the Guinn fight, not so well at 233 against Ruiz). Toney has shed a few pounds since Rahman. Peter is fighting at his heaviest ever, if only by a pound. Weigh-in photos show Toney with impressive arm strength, looking like he's been hitting the weights. When was the last time you saw JT with these kind of biceps?
http://sports.yahoo.com/box/gallery
My guess is that Toney is too proud and smart to have slacked like he did preparing for the Rahman fight. Everything I have heard and seen leads me to believe he has taken this fight more seriously. Everyone knows how much better of a fighter JT is; the question is will he bring it. I think he will, looking his best ever at heavyweight and easily outpointing Peter in a UD, winning every round but one or two.
I think I'm alone in my call here at Bad Left Hook. Kevin calls Peter by TKO in round nine. Coincidentally, Brent says the same: "I'm gonna say Toney gets stopped in 9 rounds. Peter with the win." I say they're on crack. Peter has never beat anyone worth mentioning. And if he couldn't KO the glass-chinned Klitchko, he certainly won't against Toney.