source: Jun Medina - manilatimes.net

FOUR-DIVISION world champion James “Lights Out” Toney thinks Manny “PacMan” Pacquiao will beat Floyd Mayweather Jr. decisively should the top two finally come to a showdown between the world’s top fighters.

“I’d put my money on Manny Pacquiao to knock Floyd Mayweather out,” Toney told Ace Freeman of FightFan.com, a video of which was posted Sunday (Monday in Manila) in the popular boxing website.

Toney—who won titles at middleweight, super middleweight, cruiserweight and heavyweight—took a swipe at Mayweather, his fellow Michigan native, for the aborted March 13 mega fight between Pacquiao and Mayweather over the latter’s demand for random, Olympic style blood testing procedures not required in professional boxing.

Toney, 41, minced no words and suggested that the undefeated Mayweather was actually avoiding a showdown with Pacquiao, the only fighter to win seven world titles in as many weight divisions.

“I grew up with Floyd Mayweather; we all came from the same block in [Grand Rapids] Michigan. Me, the Mayweather family, Buster Mathis, Tony Tucker—the ‘Hall of Fame’ block,” said Toney, whose illustrious ring career was somewhat diminished by steroids charges as a heavyweight.

“I love Floyd and I’m glad he’s doing what he’s doing. But if you claim to be the best fighter in the world in the world pound-for-pound—fight! Don’t make excuses.”

Toney, one of 26 world champions who at one time or another trained under Pacquiao’s renowned mentor Freddie Roach, criticized Mayweather insinuating Pacquiao might be into steroid, an accusation deemed unfair and possibly unfounded by most boxing writers and fans.

He said Pacquiao is one of those elite boxers, some kind of “genetic freaks,” who are capable of winning titles at different weight classifications.

Toney noted that he won his first title—the International Boxing Federation middleweight crown in May 199—at 157 pounds, and then went on to win more titles at higher weight classes all the way to heavyweight.

The outspoken Toney said he put his money on Pacquiao in his November 14 victory over Miguel Cotto to win his record seventh world title.

“Pacquiao’s going to knock Floyd out, and Floyd knows it. Floyd’s my man and I love him but I’m going to call it like I see it,” Toney said.

“The thing is this: Do you know what a rabbit does when it gets backed into a corner? It faints. And that’s what Floyd’s doing.”