Boxing: Toney backs pal Bernard to destroy De La Hoya

Three-division world champion and current WBC No1 heavyweight contender James Toney, deep into preparations for his September 23 bout with Rydell Booker at the Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula, California, is a man who doesn't mince words when it comes to his fellow fighters.

So who better to go to than the straight-shooting Toney for the real scoop on the September 18 middleweight showdown between Bernard Hopkins and Oscar De La Hoya?

"The only thing that Oscar De La Hoya can do is hope that Bernard gets sick," laughs Toney when asked on the prospects of a victory by the 'Golden Boy.'

"Bernard's got nothing but strengths," said Toney of Hopkins. "He's a complete fighter, he's old school like myself, and there ain't no weaknesses."