Triumphant Toney changes the heavyweight landscape

0 Comments | AFP, April, 2005

NEW YORK (AFP) — Winning the World Boxing Association heavyweight crown has thrust former middleweight champion James Toney into a muddled title unification picture.

Toney dethroned Puerto Rico's John Ruiz with a unanimous 12-round decision here Saturday at Madison Square Garden, matching Roy Jones as the only ex-middleweight champions in more than a century to win the heavyweight crown.

"He will definitely change this picture a little bit," Jones said. "If James Toney can get in shape, he would be one of the better heavyweight champions because of his quick hand speed."

That puts Toney in position for a unification event involving both major rival champions, American southpaw Chris Byrd of the International Boxing Federation and Ukranian Vitali Klitschko of...