Thompson: Wladimir's Opponents Give Too Much Respect

By Bill Emes

Mandatory heavyweight contender Tony Thompson (36-2, 24KOs) has promised to give IBO/WBA/WBO/IBF champion Wladimir Klitschko (57-3, 50KOs) no respect in the ring on July 7th in Berne, Switzerland. Wladimir stopped Thompson in eleven rounds in 2008, but the challenger believes he pushed Wladimir to the limit in their initial contest and the opponents that followed were looking for one big shot and had no actual strategy to win.

Since the win over Thompson, Wladimir has beaten Hasim Rahman, Ruslan Chagaev, Eddie Chambers, Samuel Peter, David Haye and Jean Marc Mormeck. Only Haye lasted the distance. Thompson is going to come inside, push Wladimir around, and win the rounds.

"I think they give him too much respect. They run around and wait for that one big shot and hope that his chin doesn't hold up. We're heavyweights, all of our chins are suspect if we get hit right. That's not my strategy. My strategy is to go in there, push him around and be the boss. He fought some people, but he hasn't fought anybody that pushed him like I did. He had to show some things against me and he hasn't had to do that in his last few fights," Thompson said.