Doing a Banged-Up Job : To Stay on Top in His Business, James Toney Needs Sparring Partners

Wanted: Able-bodied males for physical labor, five days a week, about two hours a day. Should enjoy taking risks. Must provide own health and life insurance. Contact the Outlaw Gym in Hollywood.

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Sounds like easy money: $25 to $50 an hour for a few hours’ labor during a recession.

So why the shortage of volunteers to work for a well-to-do, 25-year-old family man?

“Not too many people want to get paid $60 a day to get hit by a truck,” said George O’Mara.

The truck is James (Lights Out) Toney, International Boxing Federation super middleweight champion. O’Mara is a sparring partner, one of only two who willingly and regularly enter the rig to work out with Toney at the Outlaw Gym in Hollywood.

Toney needs sparring partners to prepare for his July 29 fight in Las Vegas against veteran (Prince) Charles Williams.

It’s an opportunity for a young boxer to pick up some experience and a veteran to earn quick money, said Toney’s manager, Jackie Kallen. The pay--$50 to $100 a day--isn’t bad for about two hours’ work.

“We’re looking for qualified boxers,” Kallen said. “We’re not looking for someone to get beat up.”

Toney, the father of a 17-month-old daughter, is a confident, likable guy. His boxing credentials are impressive: 43 wins, no losses, two draws and 28 knockouts. And Toney has beaten some of the best in the business, including Michael Nunn in 1991 to win the International Boxing Federation middleweight title; Mike McCallum in a ’92 middleweight title defense, and Iran Barkley for the ’93 IBF super-middleweight title.

What separates Toney from other boxers is the way he wins: He punishes opponents who don’t show respect for him in the ring.

“I put Barkley in the hospital for two days,” Toney said. “I broke his ribs, his cheekbone, his earlobe. He deserved to get hurt for talking so much junk.

“I’m going to put Prince William in the hospital, period.”

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Toney, often called boxing’s best “pound-for-pound” fighter, carries the same work ethic from the gym to the arena. He believes his workouts are as good as his fights.

“People who goof off during sparring goof off in fights,” Toney said. “I look for tough guys who can dish it out and take it. It’s my job to pound them. I expect them to fight back and give 100% effort.”

The Outlaw Gym, owned by actor-fighter Mickey Rourke, attracts white-collar health enthusiasts who prefer pounding a heavy bag to jumping around in an aerobics classes. Tisha Campbell, co-star of Fox TV’s “Martin,” is among the yuppie boxers. Larry Donald, World Boxing Council Continental Americas heavyweight champion, will use the gym to prepare for his Aug. 13 fight against Andrew Golota at Olympic Auditorium. IBF middleweight champion John David Jackson also works out there.

“We attract (everyone from) TV actors to the secretary down the street,” gym manager Freddie Roach said about the facility near Wilcox and Santa Monica.

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Roach, a former 10-year pro, has helped locate sparring partners for Toney, who has used the gym to prepare for his last three fights.

“He goes through them quickly,” said Roach, who has contacted fighters from Broadway to Hoover Street Gym looking for sparring partners. “Their earn their money.”

Despite wearing protective headgear and swinging 18-ounce gloves, Toney’s sparring partners take a beating.

“The way James trains, you don’t want to come in out of shape or you will be on the canvas,” said Vinson Durham who became a sparring partner after losing to Toney in a 10-round bout May 18. “I try to keep my head moving and my jab going. If I give him a chance to tee off, it’s ‘Good night.’ ”

Before fighting Tim Littles during the March 5 reopening of the Olympic Auditorium, Toney went through five sparring partners in a week. Toney then knocked out Littles in the fourth round to retain his IBF super-middleweight title.

“We had guys with broken noses and broken ribs,” Roach said. “We had fighters leave after one day with a note saying, ‘Please forward my one-day’s pay.’ ”

O’Mara, 38, the Northwest cruiserweight champion, was recruited as a sparring partner after coming to the Outlaw to work out. A fighter since 1979, O’Mara (14-12) has also appeared in “Rocky III” and “Lethal Weapon.”

O’Mara said he began boxing because “they weren’t hiring at NASA.”

While Durham, 32, helps Toney develop his speed, O’Mara has been a human punching bag for Toney.

“George is a heavier guy who takes a licking and still keeps ticking,” Toney said. “I’ve thrown everything from the kitchen sink to a dog bowl. Everything. The man will not go down.”