30 years ago

Date: 18th November 1994

Venue: MGM Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada

Title: IBF World Super-middleweight Title

Promoter: Top Rank & Roy Jones Jr Boxing Promotions

Tv: HBO PPV

James Toney
( 44 - 0 - 2 )
Weight: 167 lbs

Roy Jones Jr
( 26 - 0 - 0 )
Weight: 168 lbs

On November 18, 1994, Roy Jones Jr. defeated James Toney unanimously to capture the IBF super middleweight title at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. The highly anticipated bout, billed as "The Uncivil War," featured two undefeated fighters ranked among the best pound-for-pound boxers in the world. Toney, the defending champion, entered the ring as the favourite, but Jones dominated most of the contest.

Jones, who had vacated his IBF middleweight title to move up in weight and challenge Toney, struggled to make the 168-pound limit. Despite this, he showcased his superior speed and boxing skills throughout the fight. In the third round, Jones landed a left hook that sent Toney stumbling into the ropes, prompting referee Richard Steele to rule it a knockdown and administer a standing eight count. It was only the second time he had been knocked down in Toney's career.

As the fight progressed, Jones continued to outbox Toney, using his quickness to land combinations and evade Toney's offence. The judges' scorecards reflected Jones' dominance, with John Stewart scoring the bout 119-108, Jerry Roth 118-109, and Glen Hamada 117-110, all favouring Jones. The unofficial Associated Press scorecard also had Jones winning comfortably, 119-107.

The victory marked a significant milestone in Jones' career, as he captured a world title in a second weight class and solidified his position as one of the best boxers in the world. Toney, who had weighed 207 pounds at the start of his training camp, managed to make the 167-pound limit for the official weigh-in but entered the ring at 182 pounds. In contrast, Jones weighed 168 pounds at the official weigh-in and entered the ring at 178 pounds.

The fight generated substantial interest, with an estimated crowd of 7,000 in attendance and 300,000 pay-per-view buys. Toney and Jones had turned down guaranteed purses of $2.5 million and $2 million, respectively, opting instead for percentages of the event's revenues. Toney received 45% of the net income, while Jones received 35%.