James Toney beat up Deion Sanders?

I was just reading the ESPN chat with James Toney and someone asked him this:

"Rico (Michigan): Is it true you once mixed it up with Neon Deion?

James Toney: Great opportunity.. he lost that day. We were at football camp one summer and fought over a bed. He ran into a right hand and was one and done. Deion is Deion .. a great athlete like myself."

Anybody know anything about that? Did Toney used to play football competitively?

Toney did play football at one time and was pretty good from what I hear.

You never know about James. That's a funny as story if it's true.

Your answer:


James Nathaniel Toney was born on August 24, 1968 in Grand Rapids Michigan. He moved to Detroit with his mother Sherrie when his father abandoned him at the age of three. Much of his youth was spent in a typical ghetto environment. In high school, he not only had the reputation of being a "gun packing drug dealer", but also of a talented athlete. He excelled at both football and amateur boxing and became one of his high school's top football players He was offered university football scholarships to Michigan State and Western Michigan schools. He blew that opportunity at a University of Michigan training camp when he become involved in an altercation with Deion Sanders. According to Toney, during the tryout he and Sanders got into a confrontation and exchanged words which escalated to the point where Toney hit Sanders. It was then that Toney realized that he was not a team player and decided to focus his attention on boxing.

My ex's brother worked for the AD at Western Michigan for several years (after himself having been a football standout there), including the time period that James would've been finishing high school.

I mentioned this story to him years ago, after reading it in Ring, KO, or one of the other boxing mags. He looked into it and said it was bullshit. Toney wasn't offered any scholarship to Western.

Another person he says is a bullshitter is Lenda Murray (former Ms. Olympia) who also claims to be a Western Michigan grad. No record of her being there.

Its on his website. It did happen.

Chad, your ex's brother must be lying. We have to take Toney's word over your ex's brother because James is a celebrity and a boxer. It's very hard to believe that an athlete could ever lie under any circumstance. But don't take Toney's word for it; this is a well documented account. If you do not believe me, go to Toney's official web site and it will put everything to rest.



Stockybrawler is right... the AD's office was lying obviously. I am sorry everyone... please find it in your hearts to forgive me (sniff).

I will now suicide myself for the shame that I have brought upon myself and this forum.

toney was a good HS QB. That's all I know.