Quashawn Toler has been waiting for his moment to shine. 

That moment is tonight, as he faces Vlad Panin of Belarus in a crossroads bout tonight at the Red Owl Boxing Arena in Houston, Texas. The 10-round bout will stream live on DAZN (10 p.m. ET/ 7 p.m. PT).

The Toler-Panin bout is a compelling clash of fighters with almost identical records. The winner could be one step closer to becoming a legit contender at 147 pounds.

Toler (17-1, 12 knockouts), who resides in Cincinnati, Ohio, last fought on November 4, knocking out Alexander Monterrosa in round three. The victory over Monterrosa took place almost a year after Toler scored a one-sided victory over Gabriel Smith. 

The 31-year-old Toler faces a skilled fighter in Panin (17-1, 10 KOs), who is coming off a knockout win over Cristian Mino on December 2. Toler believes a statement victory over a solid fighter in Panin will project him to fights on bigger platforms. 

“This fight is very important to me,” Toler told The Ring Tuesday. “I’m not overlooking my opponent. I would be a step closer to my dream becoming a reality. I made a promise to myself that I would become an undisputed world champion. I’m very focused on what I need to do.

“I need to fight smart (tonight). I need to take his jab away. He’s a good fighter. In a way, I’ve been in more wars, in and out of the ring, than he has. I believe that this is destined for me and that my opponent is in my way.”

Toler has been busy, fighting in the United States and Colombia. He has been eager to face prospects or unbeaten fighters, but fights fell through due to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Toler hopes the Panin fight is the beginning of facing top opposition in the division.

“I’m trying to get to the contender spot,” said Toler, who is managed by Nate Morris. “I think a lot of the top prospects are raw. I hope this win puts me in the rankings, and later on this year, I will be able to fight for a belt or an interim world title. This fight is important for me to move forward as a contender.”

Toler has won his last eight fights since a unanimous decision loss to Clay Collard on January 3, 2020. Collard, a mixed martial arts fighter who also boxed as a pro, became well-known for his winning streak inside the Top Rank ‘Bubble’ later that year.

To some, the loss to Collard meant Toler may have stepped too soon to a higher-level opposition. Unfortunately, Toler had a heavy heart going into the Collard fight as his brother, Eugene Hafford, passed away the day before due to gun violence. 

Having spent a year away from the ring to grieve for his brother and not being able to fight due to the pandemic, Toler slowly returned to the gym. He would add a management team, and began to find more peace and structure in his life and career.

“I fought that (Collard) fight the day after my brother died,” said Toler. “There were a lot of emotions and I was not into that fight. Looking back, I did prove to myself that under any circumstances I am a true warrior and I have what it takes to get through obstacles in my life.”

Cincinnati, Toler’s hometown, has a rich boxing history. World heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles and junior welterweight champion Aaron ‘The Hawk’ Pryor cemented the foundation for boxing in the city. In recent years, Adrien Broner and Robert Easter, both also from the “Queen City,” would win world title belts, as well.

Toler hopes to also bring success to Cincinnati, blazing his own trail and becoming an example to those who choose to box at an early age.

“I’m anxious to bring boxing back to the city. There’s talent. Broner had the tools to be great. But, as Floyd Mayweather said, ‘you either become an asset or a liability.’ Broner was not focused when he had the tools at his disposal. 

“I’m focused and I believe that I’m a true champion. Inside and outside of the ring, I want to be a positive leader. Cincinnati needs more people like that for the youth.”

Toler has recently sparred with Ring Magazine welterweight champion Terence Crawford and former Ring Magazine junior middleweight champion Jermell Charlo.

With the adversity he has faced out of the ring on a professional and personal level, Toler believes it has made him a stronger person. A win over Panin could elevate him into the upper echelon at 147 pounds, where he can continue to thrive, inside and outside the ring.

“I’m going to continue training. I want to be a strong leader and a master at tests in life. I have to continue being patient and learning a lot.”

“I’m never giving up. This is my story. I’m just trying to live it.” 

Francisco A. Salazar has written for The Ring since October 2013 and has covered boxing in Southern California and abroad since 2000. Francisco also covers boxing for the Ventura County (California) Star newspaper. He can be reached at [email protected]

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