by David P. Greisman
Undefeated junior welterweight/welterweight prospect Semajay Thomas was arrested last week and remains in jail after being accused of punching two men early in the morning after July 4, according to the Chicago Tribune.
The alleged assault occurred in the city at 1 a.m. on July 5 while the victims were cleaning up fireworks, the article said. Thomas, two other men and one woman were arrested after officers saw a vehicle that matched the one described in a 911 call. He’s facing charges of “battery and mob action,” the article said.
Online jail records list his bail as being set at $350,000. The records also say he was 250 pounds, which likely isn’t accurate given that Thomas was just at 143 pounds for a fight in late April, was apparently due to resume training for his next fight, and doesn’t appear to be anywhere near that heavy in the admittedly limited mugshot posted online.
When Thomas was a teenager, he was falsely implicated of being involved in a fatal beating in 2009. After witnesses’ stories changed, Thomas was found not guilty and set free in 2010.
“It felt like the best moment of relief," he told the RedEye newspaper last year in an article looking back at the case. "I had an option the next day to stay home and party with family and friends I didn't see for 15 months or go to the boxing gym. I was in the boxing gym while everyone came to my mom's house to get together.”
Thomas, 22, turned pro about two years ago and has gone 6-0 with 4 KOs. He is trained by Ronnie Shields, who told the Tribune that the allegations detailed from this recent arrest are “very out of character for him,” and he is signed with adviser Al Haymon.
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