Tony Thompson Ready For Rematch With Wladimir Klitschko
by Gautham Nagesh
WASHINGTON,D.C.–It will be different this time.
That was the prevailing message from local heavyweight contender Tony “The Tiger” Thompson during Monday’s media workout at Headbangers Gym in Southeast D.C. Thompson did his best to convince a small contingent of local fight writers that he has a shot to upset Wladimir Klitschko and win the heavyweight championship on July 7 in Berne, Switzerland.
Thompson has been here before; the fight comes almost four years to the day after he lost his previous shot against Klitschko by getting caught with a straight right in the 11th round. The stoppage has served as a reminder of just how potent the Ukrainian champ’s right hand can be. Thompson insists the punch is his primary concern going into the rematch.[[MORE]]
“You have to be an absolute idiot to stay in a straight line with him, and that’s exactly what I was,” Thompson told reporters. “I was an idiot.”
Having taken up boxing at the advanced age of 27, it’s impressive that Thompson has even managed to reach the heights that he has. At 6'5", his size should give him more of a chance at range than the typical Klitschko opponent. But Thompson said his primary concern is staying away from Wlad’s jab, which the champ uses to set up his monstrous right hand. Tony plans to press the fight, stay busy, and test Klitschko’s chin early and often.
“Heavyweights, all of our chins are suspect if you get hit hard enough,” Thompson said. That is undoubtedly true about Wlad, whose three losses have all come by knockout (to Ross Purrity, Corrie Sanders and Lamon Brewster). But what makes Thompson think he can be the fourth, particularly after he was dominated in the previous fight?
Thompson admitted that getting stopped by Klitschko broke him mentally, prompting plenty of soul-searching and crying alone in the dark. But going into his previous fight, he nursed a knee injury in secret, not wanting to risk his chance at the heavyweight belt. He now calls that was a mistake.
“I wasn’t physically ready” for the first fight, Thompson said, adding that the knee injury had detracted from both his conditioning and movement.
He said his fitness has improved dramatically for the rematch, and he won’t have to drag his right leg around the ring for 12 rounds. Thompson’s team is also planning to be in Switzerland two weeks before the fight, to get over any jet lag and grow comfortable in the environment.
“He grew up from the last fight,” said Thompson’s trainer and Headbangers boss Barry Hunter. Hunter described Klitschko as one-dimensional, and believes anyone that can reduce the impact of his right hand could upset the champ. But doing so would require following the gameplan, which Thompson admits he failed to do last time around.
“He [Thompson] beat the odds already” just to get a title shot, Hunter said. “Now he got to finish it.”
Thompson said he has no interest in fighting any lower-ranked heavyweights and believes he would dominate against anyone besides Wlad or his brother Vitali. But he is not taking the champion lightly, acknowledging that “his whole being concerns me.” Thompson also had some kind words for the Klitschkos as people, calling them role models and champions. But that won’t prevent him from trying to shock the world. Will it be enough?
In our view, probably not. Thompson is a large, awkward southpaw, making him a handful for any heavyweight. He has a decent punch and it’s not unthinkable that he could land one big shot and put Klitschko down. But Wladimir is the champ, and there’s no reason to think he will come into this fight unprepared. He hasn’t lost since 2004, and has faced better competition than Thompson has in recent years. That long jab and big right hand should be enough to win the fight, even if Klitschko fails to land a big punch.
Thompson’s preparations included sparring with Alabama heavyweight prospect and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Deontay Wilder; he is also close to rising Maryland heavyweight Seth Mitchell. By the time one of those two is ready to challenge for the crown, Klitschko may have faded enough to make him vulnerable. But we have seen no signs that he will be anything less than menacing next weekend.
Thompson is an underdog, and not an especially live one at that. The lack of buzz surrounding this fight is probably evidence that most of the boxing world feels the same way. But he is also a D.C. boxer fighting for the world heavyweight championship, a fact that merits attention by itself. Prospects are exactly that, and most never even reach this stage. So Tony Thompson will carry the banner for American heavyweights on July 7th, until the next big thing comes along. We wish him luck.