Why I love Carl "The Cat" Thompson...

[Guest]

Now THIS guy is the nuts. You can see his record at boxrec and hear an amateurish but entertaining interview here.

But why isn't this guy a bigger star? I'm sure he'd go down a treat in the US market. Admittedly at 41 he's a little too old for it now, but operating in the Cruiserweight Division he's not exactly being challenged. His record of 33-6 (25 KOs) includes two wins over JuyJuy's beloved Eubank (including a TKO stoppage) and a much-contested stoppage loss to Johnny Nelson (the referee was standing behind him when he made the decision).

Thompson was WBO champ from 1995-1999, and IBO champ in 2001 and IBO champ from 2004 to the present date.

So why do I like the guy? Apart from his bizarre interviewing technique (a mild chip on the shoulder combined with a lisping Northern rasp - "Do you not underssssssstand my funcccccction?") the guy's style is crowd-pleasing to the max.

Basically, Thompson has one-punch KO power in the right circumstances, and has almost insane levels of pain resistance. If he was more well-known Stateside his "come from behind" ninth-round KO of Sebastian Rothwell may well have been knockout of the year 2004. He finished up the year by taking a two-round caning off up-and-coming David Haye before taking him out in the fourth.

Thompson CAN be stopped. Ezra Sellers managed it in four back in 2001. But basically the formula for a Thompson fight is this: Carl takes a hammering, and gets up, keeps coming, no matter what. He walks through anything - yes, even Chris Eubank - and lays them out.

His last two fights have been some of the best I've seen. The guy is a STAR.

[Rovers]

i saw the sebastian rothman fight , how did he come back from that beating lol

[barryboy]

His fights with Sellers, Rothmann & Haye were all little classics, he & Sellers were up & down more times than a hookers drawers! And the Rothmann ko was something else I jumped out my seat with that one, the Haye fight was classic Thompson, take a beating then it's my turn
Yeah you gotta love the cat.

[Manny_P]

stop hypin up European nobodies please.

[Guest]

stop hypin up European nobodies please.

Why comment on a fighter you evidently don't know? Shut up.

[barryboy]

The guys at the end of his career, a bit late for hype don't you think More of a tribute to an old warrior.

[theironone]

hes very entertaining, gets hit wobbles like his legs are gone then just finds that bit extra, great power and great heart, ****in game as mustard

[JUYJUY]

He wasn't even able to budge Eubank but at Cruiserweight I don't think anybody would of been able to budge Eubank. That damage he did to Eubank's eye though was brutal, it wasn't just completely closed but it was swelling the size of a cricket ball.

Thompson is a real warrior

He had zero amateur fights but switched to boxing from kickboxing. I don't know his kickboxing credentials though.

[JUYJUY]

(from secondsout.com)


To conclude the rundown of the top 10 most exciting pugilists in the British Isles, we arrive at the selection of the number one active warrior.

Carl Anthony Thompson, a WBO, IBO and British and European cruiserweight champion, didn't pick up boxing until he was 24 years of age. The indelible impression he's made on the brains of fans, and the brains of opponents, has been everlasting, however.

He checks in as numero uno.

1.Cruiserweight Carl Thompson - 33-6 (25)

(Includes Interview)

By Elliot Worsell: Carl Thompson is the modern day Matthew Saad Muhammad, billed out of Bolton and fighting at just under 200 lbs. They even look the same. The similarities in style and reliance on that booming right hand are uncanny.

Saad, formerly Matthew Franklin, was a big-punching buzzsaw of a fighter who terrorized the world light-heavyweight division in the late 70's, and early 80's, banking heavily on his heart, resolve and concussive, fight-ending power. He'd take brutal beatings, get put down, and rise on eight, sliced up, shaken, and catapulted to the verge of defeat - before spinning his fortunes in an instant, with that solitary right hand.

Fast-forward some 10 or 15 years, and Carl 'The Cat' Thompson is carrying the come-from-behind baton passed on from Saad, and has been doing his destructive, brutally effective 'thing' since June 1988 when he knocked out Darren McKenna in two rounds, on his professional debut.

A late-bloomer in the pro ranks - Carl turned pro at 24 years of age - Thompson enrolled in a tough education, and was derailed as early as his ninth bout, when he was stopped by Crawford Ashley in a Central Area light-heavyweight challenge. Carl was bludgeoned in six rounds by the Leeds ****er, and yet the heartbreak didn't end there.

In his rebound bout from the Ashley setback, Thompson was floored and out-pointed by the unheralded Franco Wanyama. Two fight's later, Thompson was stopped once again, this time by Ugandan southpaw Yawe Davis.

A patchy 9-3, and an unwanted commodity on the British fight circuit, in September 1991, Thompson was fed to the unbeaten Welshman Nicky Piper to bolster the Cardiff man's 10-0-1 stats, and move him towards a domestic title bash. Thompson tore up the script. He knocked Piper out inside three rounds. Piper would go on to last 11 rounds with WBC world champion Nigel Benn and seven rounds with WBO world champion Dariusz Michalczewski. Yet Thompson got the prospect out of there in three short rounds.

It proved to be a pivotal turning point in the career of Thompson, and a win that was to a certain extent regurgitated some 14 years later, nearly to the day, when Carl stopped another touted British hope with 10-0 credentials and a glossy reputation.

After the Piper win, though, Thompson created a niche for himself, and was seen as more than a decent domestic trier on the British fight scene. He went on to beat Steve Lewsam in July 92', picking up the coveted British cruiserweight title in the process, and then travelled to Italy to double up his Lonsdale belt with the European title. Carl smoked Masimilliano Duran in eight rounds, and his European reign marked the start of a legend.

A legend not in the traditional sense, however. There's nothing stylish or aesthetically appealing about what Thompson does. He never claimed to be the second coming of a 'Sugar' - merely another Saad. A warrior.

In Carl's first defence, he took on Frenchman Akim Tafer in Epernay, and the rest writes itself.

"It was one of my favourite fights," Carl explained to Secondsout.com.

"I say that because I was literally getting my backside kicked for round after round! I was really up against it. He was a good boxer, had good technical ability, and was just a lot better than me. So to come from behind and knock him down in the fifth and then stop him in the sixth was great."

"I just had uncontrollable excitement after I won that fight because it felt as if someone from above was with me for the whole fight. It was just great to be flying back on the plane with that European belt in my hands."

Thompson retained via a sixth-round knockout, and proclaimed his readiness for world honours. The cult hero still faced his critics, however, for the manner of his win.

"Despite winning by KO, I still got criticised," explained Thompson. "People still focused on my bad points, and were saying I'd been taking a beating for most of the fight. I just don't think I fit the criteria these people wanted me to meet."

There's no doubt about it, Thompson does ship a worrying amount of blows at times. He's almost like a man without a gun, and without the necessary protection, being pelted relentlessly by paintballs, until he has the chance to rise from his claret-covered fog and deck the one holding the gun. Carl has no flashy, honed weapon to use against superior riflemen.

"My best point is my heart," the incredibly humble Thompson admits. "I know I'm not the greatest boxer in the world, but there's not many fighters out there that can match my heart and my will to win."

"I always feel that, so long as I'm standing in front of you and can deal with what you throw, I have a chance of beating you," he continued. "Obviously I'm in a bit of trouble if I can't deal with it! But so long as I can get hit, hurt or put down and get up from it, I think I can deal with it."

In June 96' Thompson finally arrived on the world stage via a long-awaited WBO title tilt against Ralf Rocchigiani in Manchester. In a fight that he appeared to be holding his own in, the then 18-3 Thompson, folded in the 11th round, and the belt headed back to Germany with the brother of Graciano.

It wasn't conclusive, it wasn't career ending, and it wasn't enough to deter a man with the resolve of Carl Thompson, however.

Following three quick-fire comeback wins, Carl embarked on a trip to Germany to once again slug it out with Rocchigiani. This time there would be no late-round collapse, or injured shoulder. Clearly a lover of adversity on away soil, Thompson brought the title home, and announced his arrival on the world stage.

He proved the critics wrong, too, Carl explains.

"The only occasion I've ever boxed the way I wanted to was in the second fight with Ralf Rocchigiani," he said.

"I showed a bit more of what I can do against him. I showed people that I could actually box and that I had good skills when I needed them."

"The reason I don't use them all the time, though, is that I simply have to pressure my opponents to take away their height and reach. Nine times out of ten my opponents are taller than me and I can't afford to stand off and get my head boxed off. So I have to get inside and fight my kind of fight."

With WBO belt in tow, Carl Thompson sought national recognition in April 1998 when facing British hero and engaging enigma Chris Eubank in defence of his championship. In a give and take affair, that saw the granite-jawed Eubank withstand everything 'The Cat' could hurl his way in the last four rounds or so, having decked the champion a few times in the early and middle rounds. Thompson's thudding jab had created nasty swelling on Eubank's left eye that meant Eubank couldn't see Thompson's powerful counter rights. Thompson produced a late surge to retain his title after 12 tumultuous rounds, leaving Eubank's eye completely closed.

As per every Carl Thompson classic, a second instalment was a must.

Three months later in Sheffield, Thompson and ex super-middleweight king Eubank did it again, but this time the final bell was redundant. The heavier artillery of Thompson won the day, with the referee calling the fight off after nine rounds despite Eubank's protests, with Eubank's left eye looking grotesque. It was a breakthrough fight for Thompson, in that it pronounced his abilities to a wider audience and legitimised his claim as WBO titlist.

[JUYJUY]

If Carl eventually swatted the intelligent, punch-picking style of Eubank, the next defence of his crown, would prove to be the litmus test of his capabilities.

Sheffield's sharp, clever, often-negative, Johnny Nelson tackled Thompson in March 99', and broke the champion's heart. Yes, even that heart. Not in a destructive or dominant way, however.

Thompson was struggling with Nelson's nifty back-foot style, but was always in range and always ****ing his famed right hand. Once the fifth round came, and a few Nelson lefts and rights were felt, Thompson found himself stopped by referee Paul Thomas. He couldn't believe it then, and still can't believe it now.

"I know in my heart Johnny Nelson didn't beat me, it was just because of a mistake by the referee," argued Thompson. "You can't knock Johnny Nelson, though, as he's very good at what he does."

Despite a defeat that has haunted him to the day, Thompson can still boast one thing.

"I'm the only fighter that has ever put Johnny Nelson in an entertaining fight," Carl stated, meaning every word of it.

Thompson took nine months out after the Nelson defeat, and returned to capture the British title that had eluded him back in 1992. Seven years on from his first title shot, Thompson whacked out mammoth hitter Terry Dunstan in the 12th and final round of a heated struggled in Peterborough. It would prove to be Terry's last fight in a 20-bout career that saw him spark Alexander Gurov in one round for the European crown, and challenge Imamu Mayfield for the IBF world cruiserweight belt - losing in 11 rounds.

The victor had plenty left, however.

Thompson trudged on to once again pick up the European crown, and mark his name as a two-times European titlist, when beating Frenchman Alain Simon in Barnsley inside six rounds. Carl then followed the title-winning victory in September 2000, with his first successful defence of the crown against Alexei Illin - stopping the Russian in two rounds.

Then came the success-filled, and great fight-filled, IBO title reign. A fringe, often frowned upon title, maybe, but under the stranglehold of Thompson, the belt helped deliver some sterling cruiserweight bouts to the British Isles.

Carl first won the belt in February 2001, when ****ing out the man who appeared to end the career of the legendary Thomas Hearns 10 months previous. Uriah Grant, a Jamaican-born, Miami-based puncher who twice failed in IBF belt bids, succumbed to the heavier fists and unmatchable heart of Thompson in five rounds.

Another American IBO title challenger faired better nine months later, in a yo-yo slugfest that will live long in the memory.

Sledgehammer-fisted southpaw Ezra Sellers swaggered into the Wythenshawe Forum, Manchester, as underdog and challenger, and left, with title in hand, and Carl Thompson in a heap on the floor - having traded an astonishing six knockdowns.

Inside four hectic, action-packed rounds, Thompson hit the deck four times and Sellers twice, before Carl was stretched via a left hand counter in the fourth.

A fight that is now recognised as the standard-bearer for all multi-knockdown tear-ups.

That was the end for Thompson, in many people's eyes. He'd seemingly bowed out in the way many expected him to. On his back, following an incredible slugfest, which was up for grabs until the final blow struck. The up and down course of Thompson's career was diluted into four sickeningly brutal rounds that night.

It will take more than an Ezra Sellers left hand too keep Carl Thompson down, however. Following a 19-month hiatus, opposing fierce criticism, Thompson returned to the ring in pursuit of titles.

"I was always confident about getting to the top again," Thompson said, explaining his decision to return. "I'll always respect the other British cruiserweights out there, but I really thought I had the beating of them. I watched them on TV, and kept thinking I could do what they were doing."

"No one in Britain showed the skill needed to get the better of my massive heart."

Carl returned in June 2003, when stopping Phil Day in four rounds. He followed that win with a one round blitzing of Hastings Rasani, and then cruised through six rounds against tough as nails journeyman Paul Bonson, all in the space of five months.

Thompson did what was expected, but didn't sparkle or dazzle. Promising British cruiserweight prospect David Haye fancied his chances of devouring the comebacking Thompson. They all fancied it.

In February 2004, South African IBO titlist Sebastian Rothmann duly felt it. Having brashly showboated his way through the opening three rounds behind a laser-like left lead, Rothmann dropped Thompson heavily in the fourth round, and appeared all set for a comprehensive title win.

Thompson, however, had other ideas.

Carl kept chucking his right, amid a hailstorm of counters, much in the way Saad did all those years before, in the hope of hitting the jackpot. In the fifth session, Thompson levelled the knockdown-count, flooring Rothmann towards the end of the round. On unsteady legs, the South African got off lucky.

It appeared as though Thompson's slim, unlikely chance of dethroning the champion had faded. With each second that passed, Rothmann's lead and Carl's facial disfigurement picked up pace. There was a playful air to Rothmann that belied the intense, painful situation he was in. It was all too easy for the ****y IBO king.

In the ninth round, however, Thompson set a new standard.

Rocking on unsteady pins, riddled by lefts and rights, and on the verge of buzzing the self-destruct button, Carl reeled back to the ropes and launched that Saad-like right hand. It never worked for Matthew against Dwight Muhammad Qawi in 1981, but Carl's luck was in 13 years on. Rothmann was nailed by the right and collapsed in a heap, to the roar of a jubilant Sheffield crowd.

Carl Thompson was the new IBO champion, in incredible, unbelievable circumstances.

In the dressing room after, Thompson and Rothmann united amid the memory of such an astounding rumble. Even ex-rival Johnny Nelson congratulated Carl backstage. It was a celebration of Carl's on-the-edge career.

A celebration to some; the end to others. Despite his miraculous title win, many felt the victory overshadowed a more worrying matter. Critics pointed to the punishment Carl took, and that without his famed right hand, there wasn't all that much left.

Then 23-year-old amateur star David Haye got his chance. The chance to rid the old veteran, and fling himself to towards the world top 10. Many felt there were sufficient frailties shown against Rothmann to prop the inexperienced Haye up as a heavy favourite going into his bout with Thompson.

It was young against old, and this old 40-year-old was deemed older than most, given the path his rollercoaster career had undertaken.

On September 10th 2004, Thompson would go on to show that age is merely a statistic.

Seventeen years Haye's senior, Thompson had to concede speed, skills and punch variety to the talented Bermondsey youngster, and through the first three minutes, those deficiencies were brutally exposed. Haye, a big puncher with a 100% KO ratio from 10 wins, danced his fists on Carl's cranium for the first round, and then followed up his hectic assault with further success in the second and third rounds.

Yet, following a manic first round, Thompson's chances improved by the minute. Despite his inferior technical ability, Carl did, of course, have the edge in toughness, experience and the ability to dig deep and win. Haye, after all, had never been beyond four rounds.

This time Haye would do, but proceed no further than five. In the fifth round, Thompson capped another incredible seesaw slugfest with a surge of big right hands and left hooks that shook a fatigued Haye to the ropes, from where he was rescued by his corner.

Recalling his last bout, Carl said: "I had to pull David Haye into my kind of fight. That's what I had to do against both David Haye and Sebastian Rothmann, and it worked."

"I made it will against will not skill against skill. When I manage to do that, not many will beat me. To break my desire you have to be someone really, really special."

"A lot of people said David Haye could have beaten me if he used his jab and moved more, but they don't understand that I would make him fight my fight."

Thompson had done it again. Against the odds, following another beating, 'The Cat' prevailed.

In the pre-fight press conference, leading up to the Haye showdown, Carl - when asked about his ability to dig deep in gruelling fights - stated: "I've been doing this **** for years."

Seventeen to be precise. Since 1988 Carl has been honing the unique art of confounding the doubters, shaking off his opponents blows, and finding a way to win. An art mastered successfully by Matthew Saad Muhammad in his WBC title-winning pomp. A unique homage from a unique fighter.


* Thompson is currently sidelined by injury, but hopes to fight again in the new season should a big money fight come his way.