I am a 20+ year boxing fan, boxing nut in fact, who has followed and grown to love MMA over the past 4 or 5 years. Bought the Pride DVDs etc., struggled to understand the component disciplines and at least understand it a little by now.
For a long time I clung to the belief that a boxer could compete with an MMA fighter if he was given some basic grounding (still wonder how Vlad Klitschko with a takedown defence would fare against any heavyweight who doesn't utilise a kicking game). Anyway, I eventually came around and realised that a top class boxer would find it very difficult, indeed almost impossible, to transition successfully. I agree with most posters here that Toney will probably not make it out of the 1st round, however according to some boxing journalists Toney is not being as much of a clown behind the scenes as he is being in the various interviews. Follow this link to see what respected boxing journalist Doug Fischer says at the very end of the mail bag:
Note that Fischer does not know enough to comment on the assertions that Couture is vulnerable but he is one of the most familiar with Toney and if he says he is working hard, I have no doubt that serious training is being done. I do believe, though, that a 41 year old body which has been abused as much as Toney's cannot possibly assimilate enough takedown defence etc to make a real difference. I have followed Toney since he knocked out Michael Nunn years ago and he really was a throwback as a middleweight and supermiddleweight, and it would be great to see him give at least a good account of himself, there is nothing sadder than watching a former top-level talent embarass themselves.
