"I just now brung it to my own attention that Mr. James Toney (76-10-3, 46KO) is fighting tonight for the vacant WBF World Heavyweight title out in Michigan. He's going up against the 41 year-old Mr. Mike Sheppard (24-20-2, 10KO). Interesting. A potential 48 year-old world champ.
Yet the 45 year-old Mr. Shannon Briggs (60-6-1, 53KO) is getting all the press re: his upcoming WBA showdown with Fres Oquendo (37-8, 24KO) who hisself is 44 years-old, come June 3rd.
Lots of moving parts here. The power of social media, old is older now, why Toney's still fighting, the cheapening of championships, why Briggs is still fighting..." Me, mere hours pre-fight, via Facebook.
Now that we know how the chips doth done fell, lettuce address herein the match itself and not the 'moving pieces,' in order to leave some meat on the talking points bone for the next (5/17) Boxing City Podcast go. Oh, I am such a tease!
The fisticuffs unfurled slowly and evenly and genuinely 'nuff, till the rotund Mr. Toney put Mr. Sheppard down in the sixth stanza off a body shot composed of somewhat dubious thunderousity. The fight was waved off as Sheppard was counted out whilst attempting to regain vertical alignment.
The win won the vacant WBF title and Toney becomes a 48 year-old world champ, the oldest in pug history, dethroning Mr. George Foreman having done it versus one Mr. Michael Moorer at a spring chicken-like and wet-behind-the-ears 45 years-young. The victory also served to get the future Hall of Famer off his sunset years schneid; his previous two outings ending as losses. These, namely, were a majority decision loss to Mr. Jason Gavern in 2013, then a unanimous decision varietal to Mr. Charles Ellis in 2015. For them whom ain't mathematically ill-inclined, that's... a lengthy lay-off from his previous fight -- which too was billed as his ring finale.
