Purists have cried hypocrisy over news of boxing champion James Toney’s new Ultimate Fighting Championship contract.
The 41-year-old boxing veteran got the usual line on Wednesday for well-known outsiders who make their way to MMA: he’s an opportunist just looking to make a buck, he couldn’t make it in his sport and can’t go anywhere else, and he’ll be obliterated by the “real fighters.”
But several UFC heavyweights MMAjunkie.com spoke to Wednesday – including Paul Buentello, Chris Tuchscherer, Pat Barry and Brendan Schaub – didn’t condemn Toney for the move. Most, in fact, had more positive things to say than negative.