Toney, in his first - and hopefully last - foray into the world of MMA, came out in a boxing stance and, within 30 seconds, Couture executed a basic single-leg takedown. Once on the ground, it was only a matter of time until Couture exposed Toney as a 237-pound fish out of water. The end came when Toney, trapped in an arm-triangle choke, tapped out 3:19 into round one.
The bout, in front of an enthusiastic crowd of 15,575 MMA fans at TD Garden in Boston, was hyped as the first true head-to-head test between the disciplines of boxing and mixed martial arts. [The hype, as is often the case, was not accurate as both Ray Mercer and Frans Botha - also past their boxing primes, dabbled in MMA.] The fight however proved nothing ... other than the fact that being good at one sport doesn't necessarily indicate you'll be the least bit competent at another sport with entirely different rules -- just ask Michael Jordan how easy it was to hit a minor league curveball. Couture would have likely been stopped in one round if the fight had been governed by the rules of boxing. However, Couture, to his credit, respects the differences between the two sports and, unlike Toney, has no interest in embarrassing himself or his discipline for a sideshow payday.
In a somewhat related story, 36-year-old Kimbo Slice - who has had little success going from backyard-fighting video sensation to MMA, is now planning to give boxing a try . . .
More: Randy Couture Defeats James Toney By Arm Triangle Choke At UFC 118