BOSTON?While we have plenty of time to ponder whether his Congressional duties and his myriad business interests beyond boxing will distract Manny Pacquiao, I get the feeling as a mere babe in UFC woods that Randy Couture may not be wholly committed to his UFC 118 fight against high mileage boxing champion James ?Lights Out? Toney Saturday night.
I mean, think about it, at age 47 Couture has been there, done all that. In the annals of mixed martial arts, he’s all that plus a bag of chips.
But it’s no state secret that Couture has been fading in the octagon recently. In his last 10 fights, he is 6-4, having lost twice fellow legend Chuck Lidell by knockout.
After back to back losses, first to Brock Lesnar and then to Rodrigo Noguiera, Couture bounced back into the victory column against Brandon Vera and Mark Coleman.
Right now, though, you have to wonder if Couture, who has a major role in the nation’s hottest movie ?The Expendables? alongside Sly Stallone and Bruce Willis, may mentally be more keen on Hollywood than he is on crushing the mouthy Toney.
Toney will be a boxing Hall Of Famer once he has five years of ring retirement. Couture is already enshrined as there is no such waiting period in his sport.
Don’t think that hasn’t caught Toney’s critical eye.
?If you’re in the UFC, all you have to do is have 27 fights to be called a legend and be in the Hall of fame. Last time I checked, in the NFL, in boxing, the NHL and basketball, you have to be retired for some years to be considered. This is crazy.?
Then Toney fired his zinger.
?In boxing, he’d be considered a jounreyman, a bum.?
The war of words, which has been one-sided as Couture typically has played it cool, is done.
Now Toney’s got to bring some to get some as they say.
As for me, I’ve blown so many fight predictions I might as well start screwing up UFC prognostications.
Although my guess is Couture has one foot out the door and is ready to exit the UFC, I think this clever matchup by Dana White ends with the UFC superstar whipping the boxing superstar.
Two faded legends, yes, but they’re fighting under UFC rules, not boxing’s regulations.
Look for JT to land a couple of good shots but once he is taken to the ground, the pounding will be done by Couture.
I’ll be shocked if this goes into the second round.
Toney won’t embarrass himself, he never does, but he’s playing in Randy’s office.
As for Megamanny’s distractions, I’ll get back to you.
Maybe Couture is a master multi-tasker like Pacquiao has been…so far.
