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Youngstown boxer Vic Toney looks to stay perfect
Youngstown boxer faces Jamaican challenger on July 23
By STEVE WILAJ
YOUNGSTOWN
When Jack Loew thinks back to middleweight Vic Toney’s most recent fight — a knockout of Jerry Dyer on March 26 at Ukrainian Hall in Youngstown — the Southside Boxing Club trainer is certain of one thing.
“Vic’s ready for a step-up,” he said. “After I seen his last fight, I’m sure, even though we had the right opponent in there for him.”
That step-up for Loew’s 28-year-old undefeated pro comes in the form of a 160-pound bout with Kemahl Russel (9-0) on July 23. It will be the co-feature as part of “Championship Night” presented by Southside Boxing, taking place outside of Covelli Centre beginning at 7:15 p.m.
So, is the 5-0 Toney, like Loew, ready for his step-up?
“For sure,” the Youngstown native and 2007 Chaney High graduate said. “This is the biggest venue I’ve ever fought at so far. This can show everybody I’m a top contender.”
Really, this is the first major step in Toney’s quest to ink a deal with a major promoter, which Loew believes will happen by the years end. He already has a few more fights in mind for Toney in 2016 in a plan to “fast-track” his career, considering his age.
“He works so hard at things and he’s just a gifted kid,” Loew said. “He’s one of those kids that no matter what I tell him to do, he picks it up and he works real hard at his craft. I don’t have to call him to run, don’t have to call him to do a lot of things. It’s going to pay off for him real soon.”
First though, Russell stands in the way. The Jamaica native has seven knockouts in his nine wins. He has never fought in the United States.
Loew has some film on Russell, although he admitted he doesn’t know much about him.
“He has a good record, but what kind of competition did he have overseas?” Loew said. “But anytime you can have that many knockouts and that many wins, you’re doing something right.”
Added Toney: “He’s pretty aggressive — likes to jab a lot and mix up his punches. He doesn’t seem that technical. It’s just brutal strength and power. He tries to come straight forward and overwhelm you.”
Thing is, Toney’s powerful in his own right — he has four knockouts in five wins — while Loew simply calls him “a great athlete.
“His athletic ability helps him do things that, with some other guys, I wouldn’t let do,” Loew said. “That’s how good Vic is and that’s what he gets away with.
“He’ just a really a matured kid and one of the most poised kids that I’ve ever had in the ring with only five fights.”
The main reason for Toney’s low number of fights so far is timidness from other promoters.
“Because he’s so good, the opponents cost a lot of money,” Loew explained. “And other owners are like ‘What am I gonna pay an opponent $5-6,000 for when I got no interest in Vic Toney?’ So that’s what we run into there.”
Still, when Toney gets in the ring, the results are consistent.
Since November 2014, he has notched three technical knockouts (two coming in the first round), a straight knockout of Dyer in four rounds and a majority decision win in his lone fight outside of Youngstown against Vincent Floyd last September in Erie, Pa.
Now it’s time for his step-up — and Toney doesn’t plan to have a let-down.
“I work hard, I’m not just looks,” he said. “I got the hard work and dedication put into this.”