James Toney, a versatile boxer who competed across multiple weight classes, never faced a knockout loss, but he did encounter a fighter who came close to ending his career. Toney's journey began at middleweight, and he later moved up to super-middleweight, light-heavyweight, cruiserweight, and eventually heavyweight. During his illustrious career, he faced some of the most formidable punchers in the sport, including Roy Jones Jr., Iran Barkley, Vassiliy Jirov, and Hasim Rahman.
However, it was during his early days at 160 lbs that Toney encountered the fighter he considered the hardest puncher, pound-for-pound. In a 1991 bout in Atlantic City, Toney faced Sam Peter, who delivered a powerful blow in the third round that left Toney seeing triple for the next three rounds. Peter's awkward style and precise punching made it challenging for Toney to time his shots, and he caught Toney high on the head.
Despite the intense encounter, Toney emerged victorious, securing a split decision win. This victory, however, was overshadowed by the fact that later that year, Toney captured his first world title. He defeated Michael Nunn in the 11th round, claiming the IBF middleweight belt and solidifying his place in boxing history.
Sam Peter's career spanned 45 fights from 1987 to 2000, with 27 of those victories coming by knockout, showcasing his own punching power. Toney's encounter with Peter serves as a testament to the challenges he faced throughout his career, even though he never suffered a knockout loss.
