Floyd Mayweather has been accused of ‘copying’ iconic champion James Toney’s style.
Mayweather is considered one of the greatest and most dominant boxers of all-time, retiring with a perfect 50-0 professional record, and having won 15 world title belts across five weight classes.
The American superstar was notorious for his incredible defensive style, which saw him tame some of the most aggressive punchers who struggled to lay a glove on the illusive legend.
His style was considered unique and perfected by none other than himself, with fighters in the current era hoping to possess just a whimper of his frightening technical talent and ring IQ.
Although the legend’s ability to not get hit in exchanges was present from a young age as he emerged from the US Golden Gloves and 1996 Olympics as a boundless prospect.
But boxing icon James ‘Lights Out’ Toney, a pivotal figure in the sport before Mayweather’s rise and a former three-weight world champion, claims it was inspired by him.
Toney trained with Mayweather in the past, and the equally gifted defensive genius, suggested that he was copied on the job, as the young talent trained and developed.
“Everybody knows Floyd Mayweather took it off me,” he said.
“When I was training in Vegas, Floyd Mayweather came into the gym and he was asking me how to do things.
“Everybody know I do it the right way anyway, Floyd look like he scared, I stay in the pocket, he go out the pocket, I’m trying to break your damn face, that’s me, that’s how I fight.
“You seen me, right, you seen mine, my shoulder roll? Mine’s real, the real one to do it. I am the shoulder roll king, period.
“Hands down. It [the shoulder roll] came from Jersey Joe Walcott, Ezzard Charles – ‘The Cincinnati Cobra,’ those were the originators.
“I just picked it up and added my polish to it. See, I’m a hitter. I knock people out!”
Toney had an impressive defensive style, a rare one at that, and was notorious for using a trademark ‘shoulder roll’ to evade his opponent’s attacks.
He had 92 outings as a professional and retired in 2017 with three world titles banked, as well as cult hero status in the sport.
Despite Toney’s seeming influence in the development of Mayweather’s defensive invincibility, the modern-era stalwart claimed he picked up the techniques from his father Floyd Mayweather Sr.
During his time at the helm of the sport, Mayweather tamed some greats including Canelo Alvarez, Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao and Miguel Cotto.
His domination was barely matched since the turn of the century.
But Toney believes he wouldn’t have fared quite so well in the talented generations of the past.
He added: “Have him fight in my era. He didn’t fight the fighters that were around in the ’90s.
“He waited till they retired and got out the game. He didn’t fight Chavez. He wouldn’t fight [Julio Cesar] Chavez.
“He wouldn’t beat Chavez. Hatton was s**t. Garbage. He beat Canelo Alvarez, I’ll give him that.
“Not even close[to being greatest of all-time].”
