BY MARC DAVID SPORTS EDITOR
Los Angeles – James Toney hadn’t lost in nine years, but he still wasn’t holding a world title.
He was hoping that Saturday’s 12-round elimination bout with Samuel Peter would set him up for a bout with one of the four Russian-born fighters who own pieces of the title.
It wasn’t to be as Peter gained a controversial split decision Saturday before 9,852 fans at the Staples Center that put the once-beaten 25-year-old Nigerian in line for a shot at Oleg Maslaev’s World Boxing Council heavyweight title.
Toney had plenty to say about the decision, and most of it was not fit to print. And yet a poll of boxing writers at ringside seemed to agree with the outspoken Toney. Only one thought Peter had won the fight (Toney was ahead 116-112 on the Dispatch’s scorecard).
However, it was the scorecards of judges Alejandro Rochin and Dick Flaherty that counted the most, and they had Peter ahead 116-111, despite that Peter had a point deducted in the ninth round for hitting in the back of the head. Judge Gale Van Hoy scored the fight 115-112 for Toney.
“I never fought someone like that,” acknowledged Peter, 27-1 with 22 knockouts. “I was thinking I was going to knock him out. But he’s so smart. I had him hurt a couple of times, but he’s so slick.”
Toney was able to consistently score with a stinging left jab and effective counter punches. He also was able to cover up to keep Peter from landing more power punches.
“I didn’t lose this fight,” said Toney, who fell to 69-5-3 with his first loss in the ring since May 14, 1997, to Drake Thadzi. “I took everything away from him. I am not done.”
At 38 years of age, he is done as a contender unless another top-rated heavyweight is willing to get into the ring with a boxing technician who has a tendency to make opponents look bad.
