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From the archive · March 5, 1994

James Toney vs Tim Littles

IBF World Super-middleweight Title · Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles, California

James Toney

Record 41-0-2 · 167¾ lb

Tim Littles

Record 24-0-0 · 166½ lb

James Toney vs Tim Littles, Saturday, March 5, 1994

The fight

At the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, James Toney successfully defended his IBF World Super Middleweight Title against Tim Littles, delivering a decisive TKO just 1:03 into the fourth round. Littles, who came into the fight as the IBF #1 super middleweight contender, was knocked down three times in total—once in the third round and twice more in the fourth—before referee Pat Russell halted the contest. 

This bout marked Toney's second defence of his title and was promoted by Bob Arum of Top Rank, featuring on HBO World Championship Boxing.

The match took a dramatic turn in the third round when Toney sustained a significant cut above his left eye due to an accidental clash of heads, jeopardising his victory as the ringside doctor gave him just one more round to conclude the fight. Despite this setback, Toney demonstrated resilience and exceptional skill, landing 91 of his 188 punches (48 per cent), according to Compubox statistics. In contrast, Littles connected with only 69 of his 256 attempts (27 per cent). Ultimately, Toney's power and precision overwhelmed Littles, securing Toney's victory and further cementing his legacy in the super middleweight division.

In the co-main event, Oscar De La Hoya won his first world title as a professional, defeating Denmark's Jimmi Bredahl by technical knockout at 1:03 of the 10th round to become WBO World Super-featherweight Champion.

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