Middleweight–Heavyweight · Modern Era (1990–Present)
James Toney
"Lights Out"
Top 100 · #21 · 66.3 points77
Wins
10
Losses
3
Draws
47
KOs
61%
KO %
- Born
- 1968
- Died
- —
- Nationality
- USA
- Career
- 1988–2017
A throwback defensive genius who won titles from middleweight to cruiserweight.
Titles & Honours
- IBF Middleweight Champion
- IBF Super Middleweight Champion
- IBF Cruiserweight Champion
Career Timeline
1988–2017- Milestone
First recorded professional bout
vs Stephen Lee · W TKO
- Milestone
25th recorded win
vs Alberto Gonzalez · TKO. Newspaper decisions excluded.
- Signature fight
vs Mike McCallum
W MD · Convention Center , Reno, Nevada , U.S.. Archive selection: one of the first three wins over distinct fighters profiled here, not an expert-selected signature fight.
- Milestone
50th recorded win
vs Richard Mason · UD. Newspaper decisions excluded.
- Signature fight
vs Evander Holyfield
W TKO · Mandalay Bay Events Center , Paradise, Nevada, U.S.. Archive selection: one of the first three wins over distinct fighters profiled here, not an expert-selected signature fight.
- Milestone
Latest recorded bout
vs Mike Sheppard · W KO. Not necessarily the retirement date.
Title wins · dates not yet documented
Derived from the current archive and profile honours. Title-reign years are not exact bout dates; title claims are not independently verified. Signature fights use existing profile selections, or clearly labelled wins over other archived fighters when no selections exist. Year-only dates retain their original precision.
Photo Archive
1 archival photographs under their original licences.
Fight-by-Fight Record
| Date | Result | Opponent | Method | Round | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988-10-26 | W | Stephen Lee | TKO | 2 | Thomas Crystal Gardens, Mount Clemens, Michigan , U.S. |
| 1988-12-06 | W | Ronnie Yoe | KO | 1 | The New Daisy Theatre , Memphis, Tennessee , U.S. |
| 1989-01-10 | W | Carl Penn | KO | 1 | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| 1989-01-17 | W | Sammy Jenkins | TKO | 4 | Premier Center, Sterling Heights, Michigan , U.S. |
| 1989-02-16 | W | James Fernandez | UD | 4 | Premier Center, Sterling Heights, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1989-05-02 | W | Arthur Willis | SD | 4 | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| 1989-06-06 | W | Steve Chaney | KO | 1 | Memphis, Tennessee, U.S. |
| 1989-07-20 | W | Mark Stephens | TKO | 2 | Boat Club , Detroit, Michigan , U.S. |
| 1989-09-07 | W | Lemark Davis | UD | 6 | The Palace , Auburn Hills, Michigan , U.S. |
| 1989-09-21 | W | Joe Summers | TKO | 2 | Atlantic City, New Jersey , U.S. |
| 1989-10-12 | W | Ricardo Simpson | KO | 2 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1989-10-26 | W | Robert Clinton | KO | 1 | International Hotel & Resorts , Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1989-11-13 | W | Ron Amundsen | UD | 10 | Central Park Athletic Club, Milwaukee, Wisconsin , U.S. |
| 1989-11-29 | W | Joe Johnson | TKO | 4 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-01-20 | W | Danny Thomas | UD | 8 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-03-01 | W | Philip Morefield | KO | 1 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-04-05 | W | Toby Tyler | TKO | 5 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-04-27 | W | Jose Luis Esteven | TKO | 5 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1990-05-23 | W | Horacio Rene Brandan | KO | 2 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-06-27 | W | Ricardo Bryant | TKO | 4 | Hyatt Regency , Dearborn, Michigan , U.S. |
| 1990-07-26 | D | Sanderline Williams | MD | 10 | Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-08-24 | W | Kevin Brazier | TKO | 2 | Hyatt Regency, Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1990-10-16 | W | Sanderline Williams | UD | 10 | Hyatt Regency, Tampa, Florida , U.S. |
| 1990-12-10 | W | Carlos Silva | TKO | 5 | Hyatt Regency, Dearborn, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1991-01-13 | W | Merqui Sosa | SD | 12 | Etess Arena , Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1991-03-31 | W | Alberto Gonzalez | TKO | 5 | Sands Hotel and Casino , Paradise, Nevada , U.S. |
| 1991-05-10 | W | Michael Nunn | TKO | 11 | John O'Donnell Stadium , Davenport, Iowa , U.S. |
| 1991-06-29 | W | Reggie Johnson | SD | 12 | Las Vegas Hilton , Winchester, Nevada , U.S. |
| 1991-10-12 | W | Francesco Dell'Aquila | TKO | 4 | Stade Louis II , Monte Carlo , Monaco |
| 1991-12-13 | D | Mike McCallum | SD | 12 | Convention Hall , Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1992-02-08 | W | Dave Tiberi | SD | 12 | Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1992-04-11 | W | Glenn Wolfe | UD | 12 | Thomas & Mack Center , Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1992-05-26 | W | Ricky Stackhouse | TKO | 3 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1992-08-29 | W | Mike McCallum | MD | 12 | Convention Center , Reno, Nevada , U.S. |
| 1992-12-05 | W | Doug DeWitt | RTD | 6 | Etess Arena, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 1993-02-13 | W | Iran Barkley | RTD | 9 | Caesars Palace , Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1993-03-23 | W | Govoner Chavers | TKO | 9 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1993-04-17 | W | Ricky Thomas | TKO | 10 | Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania , U.S. |
| 1993-06-06 | W | Glenn Thomas | UD | 10 | The Aladdin , Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1993-07-29 | W | Danny Garcia | RTD | 6 | Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 1993-08-24 | W | Larry Prather | UD | 10 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1993-10-29 | W | Tony Thornton | UD | 12 | Civic Center , Tulsa, Oklahoma , U.S. |
| 1994-01-16 | W | Anthony Hembrick | TKO | 7 | Fernwood Resort, Bushkill, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| 1994-03-05 | W | Tim Littles | TKO | 4 | Grand Olympic Auditorium , Los Angeles, California , U.S. |
| 1994-05-18 | W | Vinson Durham | UD | 10 | Hyatt Regency O'Hare , Rosemont, Illinois , U.S. |
| 1994-07-29 | W | Charles Williams | KO | 12 | MGM Grand Garden Arena , Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1994-11-18 | L | Roy Jones Jr. | UD | 12 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1995-02-18 | L | Montell Griffin | MD | 12 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1995-03-20 | W | Karl Willis | TKO | 8 | The Palace, Auburn Hills, Michigan, U.S. |
| 1995-04-30 | W | Anthony Hembrick | RTD | 5 | Rio All Suite Hotel and Casino , Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1995-06-18 | W | Freddie Delgado | TKO | 5 | Mahalia Jackson Theater of the Performing Arts , New Orleans, Louisiana , U.S. |
| 1995-09-09 | W | Ernest Mateen | DQ | 5 | Caesars Palace, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1995-12-08 | W | Greg Everett | KO | 2 | Foxwoods Resort Casino , Ledyard, Connecticut , U.S. |
| 1996-03-01 | W | Richard Mason | UD | 10 | Fantasy Springs Resort Casino , Indio, California , U.S. |
| 1996-05-14 | W | Earl Butler | TKO | 4 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. |
| 1996-07-03 | W | Charles Oliver | UD | 10 | Station Casino, St. Charles, Missouri , U.S. |
| 1996-08-09 | W | Duran Williams | TKO | 9 | Casino Magic , Bay St. Louis, Mississippi , U.S. |
| 1996-12-06 | L | Montell Griffin | UD | 12 | Lawlor Events Center , Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| 1997-02-22 | W | Mike McCallum | UD | 12 | Mohegan Sun Arena , Montville, Connecticut , U.S. |
| 1997-05-14 | L | Drake Thadzi | MD | 12 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. |
| 1997-06-14 | W | Steve Little | UD | 12 | Grand Casino , Biloxi, Mississippi , U.S. |
| 1999-03-07 | W | Terry Porter | TKO | 8 | Celebrity Theatre , Phoenix, Arizona , U.S. |
| 1999-07-30 | W | Adolpho Washington | TKO | 10 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. |
| 1999-10-08 | W | Ramón Garbey | UD | 10 | Roseland Ballroom, Taunton, Massachusetts , U.S. |
| 2000-01-21 | W | Terry McGroom | MD | 10 | Alumni Hall , Chicago, Illinois , U.S. |
| 2000-11-03 | W | Courtney Butler | TKO | 3 | Turning Stone Resort Casino , Verona, New York , U.S. |
| 2001-03-29 | W | Saúl Montana | TKO | 2 | Cobo Hall , Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| 2001-07-30 | W | Wesley Martin | TKO | 3 | Crystal Park Casino, Compton, California , U.S. |
| 2002-03-22 | W | Sione Asipeli | UD | 10 | Celebrity Theatre, Phoenix, Arizona, U.S. |
| 2002-05-31 | W | Michael Rush | TKO | 10 | Chinook Winds Casino , Lincoln City, Oregon , U.S. |
| 2002-08-18 | W | Jason Robinson | KO | 7 | Pechanga Resort & Casino , Temecula, California , U.S. |
| 2003-04-26 | W | Vassiliy Jirov | UD | 12 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, U.S. |
| 2003-10-04 | W | Evander Holyfield | TKO | 9 | Mandalay Bay Events Center , Paradise, Nevada, U.S. |
| 2004-09-23 | W | Rydell Booker | UD | 12 | Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, U.S. |
| 2005-04-30 | NC | John Ruiz | UD | 12 | Madison Square Garden , New York City , New York, U.S. |
| 2005-10-01 | W | Dominick Guinn | UD | 12 | Events Center , Reno, Nevada, U.S. |
| 2006-03-18 | D | Hasim Rahman | MD | 12 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, U.S. |
| 2006-09-02 | L | Samuel Peter | SD | 12 | Staples Center , Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| 2007-01-06 | L | Samuel Peter | UD | 12 | Hard Rock Live , Hollywood, Florida , U.S. |
| 2007-05-24 | W | Danny Batchelder | SD | 10 | HP Pavilion , San Jose, California , U.S. |
| 2008-07-16 | NC | Hasim Rahman | TKO | 3 | Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, U.S. |
| 2008-12-13 | W | Fres Oquendo | SD | 12 | Morongo Casino Resort & Spa , Cabazon, California , U.S. |
| 2009-09-12 | W | Matthew Greer | KO | 2 | Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, U.S. |
| 2011-02-24 | W | Damon Reed | UD | 10 | San Manuel Indian Casino, Highland, California , U.S. |
| 2011-11-04 | L | Denis Lebedev | UD | 12 | Khodynka Arena , Moscow , Russia |
| 2012-07-04 | W | Bobby Gunn | RTD | 5 | Landers Center , Southaven, Mississippi , U.S. |
| 2013-04-28 | L | Lucas Browne | UD | 12 | Convention and Exhibition Centre , Melbourne , Australia |
| 2013-06-28 | W | Kenny Lemos | UD | 8 | Sky Ute Casino Resort, Ignacio, Colorado , U.S. |
| 2013-11-14 | L | Jason Gavern | MD | 3 | York Hall, London, England |
| 2013-11-14 | W | Matt Legg | TKO | 3 | York Hall , London , England |
| 2015-08-08 | L | Charles Ellis | UD | 10 | The Chase Park Plaza Hotel , St. Louis , Missouri, U.S. |
| 2017-05-13 | W | Mike Sheppard | KO | 6 | Convocation Center , Ypsilanti, Michigan , U.S. |
Showing 92 of 92 recorded fights · last updated 2026-10-11. Imported record tables are not independently verified and may be incomplete. Early-era logs include newspaper decisions (NWS), which are not counted in the official totals above.
Record notes
Fight record last retrieved: 2026-10-11. Title histories remain subject to archival review.
Historical-era totals differ between record-keeping conventions (newspaper decisions, exhibitions).
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