Boxer James Toney stalks and trash talks his way to a UFC contract

It’s no secret that boxer James Toney fancies himself the next UFC champion. Like the most-persistent Washington lobbyest, he’s hounded UFC president Dana White for months to get a contract. Ambushing him at press conferences, making taunting videos, calling him a “straight up ho.” Basically, he’s been stalking and trash talking the UFC. And it’s actually worked.

Five Ounces of Pain has the exclusive: the 41-year-old Toney has signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion. No word on when or who he might fight first.

So how will a pure boxer fair in MMA? And who will he face first? The answer to the first question depends an awful lot on the answer to the second. If he’s pitted against a grappler who can get the fight to the ground, well, I don’t have to spell it out for you. If it’s a striker he faces, then it comes down to all those things Toney hasn’t been training – kicks, knees, elbows, clinching, cage control, etc. (Although apparently, he’s been working with Quinton”Rampage” Jackson’s former trainer, Juanito Ibarra.)

And the UFC could go either way – test him with a submissions guy (unlikely as that would probably result in an Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites-style snorefest) or a puncher a la Kimbo Slice. Although who knows what weight Toney will want to compete at. After all, he’s a former middleweight, super-middleweight and cruiserweight boxing champion and currently holds the NABO and IBA heavyweight titles.

And for the record, he’s not all hype when it comes to his skills in ring. He’s got a 72-6 record (plus three draws and two no contests), and he’s knocked out 44 opponents.