08.02.04 – By Elliot Worsell: In an early contender for fight of the year, and a near on cert for comeback of the year, wily old Manchester veteran Carl Thompson 32-6 (24 KO’s) crushed the aspirations of IBO Cruiserweight Sebastiaan Rothmann with one mammoth right hand in the 9th round of a gruelling up n’ down contest in Sheffield on Friday night.
Thompson can add this astonishing performance to his already awe-inspiring list of classic rumbles, which includes a 4 round shootout with US banger Ezra Sellers, the two fight rivalry with nemesis Chris Eubank, his title winning efforts against Ralf Rochigianni in Germany and the much anticipated showdown with Johnny Nelson. Nearing 40 years of age, many were wondering beforehand whether a title tussle with a fighter as ambitious and dangerous as Sebastiaan Rothmann would be a wise idea. Carl Thompson cast aside all those doubts with a solitary right hand and a bucket full of guts and courage.
Rothmann started a firm favourite, and was looking to add the scalp of Thompson to his already impressive list of UK conquests, which included Mark Hobson (KO10), Crawford Ashley (KO8), Rob Norton (KO8), Paul Bonson (pts 8) and most recently Garry Delaney on points over 12. Great things are expected of the South African stylist, and many believed he had the potential to climb the top 10 cruiserweight rankings in the not to distant future. Carl Thompson on Friday night in Sheffield was reading a different script altogether.
Starting bullishly on the front foot, Thompson was looking to cut off the ring on Rothmann, who was content to wheel away flicking out fast jabs and right hands.
The general impression before the fight was that Rothmann was a good fighter with bundles of talent, unfortunately for him, it appeared he was aware of this also. Almost arrogantly, Rothmann goaded and teased Thompson, with his hands down by his side and a sly smile planted across his face. It was Thompson’s test; to make sure he had plenty of right and left’s across that face too.
In fairness to Thompson, despite being inferior to Rothmann in the speed and movement departments, he kept with the South African through the early rounds and applied enough educated pressure to take it’s toll on the champion. In the 2nd round ‘The Cat’ connected with a well picked left hand that caught Rothmann’s attentions on the ropes, and the Manchester puncher rallied furiously to try and make an imprint on the skilful champion.
Those tactics were key to Thompson’s success in the fight. Irrespective of how rounded and accurate Rothmann looked, it was Thompson’s job to apply constant pressure, and pin all hopes on his heavy right cross, which was having a field day getting in over the top of the South African’s low left hand.
Take nothing away from Rothmann though. Despite conceding the edge in power to Thompson, he shifted some hefty looking overhand rights in rounds 2 and 3 which caught the attention of the gap toothed challenger in front of him. Time and time again Rothmann would serve up the jab for Thompson, and Carl would stalk forward eating every mouthful. Rothmann threw a very, snappy, accurate jab, and it was the weapon that brought him most success in the early rounds.
In the 3rd, there was slight concern over a cut near the ear of Rothmann. The doctor had a look, but gave the go ahead, and Rothmann remained cool and composed throughout the three minutes. He peppered Thompson time and time again with jabs, and then brought over tasty looking overhand rights that were banging into the face of his charged up opponent. Thompson was void of ideas when his opponent was on the offensive, but when he managed to get the champion going backwards, Thompson enjoyed his purple patches.
Thompson gained noteworthy success in the 4th as he began to work over the body of the champion, and alternated with impressively picked chopping right hands to the head as Rothmann covered his mid region. Carl knew he had to slow the quicksilver champion down, if he was to get his meatier shots off.
Thompson was building momentum in this round, as his honey punch, the right cross, was honing in on Rothmann with continued regularity. The Israeli born champion showed his mettle though, as he traded fire with fire on the ropes with Thompson and put the proud former WBO champion down on one knee, with a furious barrage of shots, most notably the straight right cross which met the chin of Thompson with frightening speed. Thompson’s been floored before, and in all probability he’ll be floored again, but it is the recovery and heart that Thompson shows time and time again that wins fight fans over.
This time was no different. He came out for the 5th round full of intent and menace and set about taking the fight to Rothmann as he had done with some success in the preceding 4 rounds. A right cross, left hook combination bounced off the chin of the champion, and merely drew a smile from Rothmann. It was an encouraging sign for Thompson though, as he knew he could at least tag the faster man in front of him.
Rothmann was in cruise control at this point and was intent on out talking Thompson as well as out boxing him on the inside. Referee Richie Davies gave both fighters a ticking off for dishing out more words than punches in the 5th.
That was possibly bad news for Thompson though. Rothmann duly got back down to business and was finding his range with worrying regularity. A big left hook, right cross combination shook Thompson to the soles of his boots, and instinctively the Manchester man tried to trade back. Bad idea. Rothmann took advantage of Thompson’s gung ho approach and continually nailed the challenger with booming right hand leads and well picked upper cuts. Thompson was reeling at this point, and the fight was in grave danger of being stopped. That was before ‘The Cat’ picked out an almighty great right uppercut on the bell that nailed the buoyant South African and plumped him on the seat of his pants. It was a huge shot, and a fight changing one at that. Rothmann rose groggily to his feet, his legs deceiving him. In a round where Thompson looked all but spent, it was Rothmann doing the wobbly legs routine back to his corner.
Thompson came out on fire in the next round, adamant he would continue the success he had a minute or so previously. He stalked Rothmann down, ramming out fast right hands and heavy uppercuts when he backed the champion to the ropes. Thompson knew what he had to do in this round, but it was as if the punches wouldn’t flow like he wanted them too. There was definitely something taken from the cheeky chappy that was Sebastiaan Rothmann, but Carl failed to really capitalise in this round as he would have liked. Instead it was the South African who rode the early storm, and came back firing in the form of some lightning quick left leads and right crosses that bloodied the lip of the gutsy challenger.
The same pattern followed in the 7th round as Rothmann used good ring generalship and varying angles to deceive and confuse the rugged, older man in front of him. By this point in the fight, Thompson, buoyed by the success he had in the 5th round, was looking for the one fight changing shot. He knew he had the power to hurt the champion. Rothmann was again cruising at this point, and was shooting out accurate single shots at will, as Thompson looked to be tiring. Four flush jabs banged into the battle-scarred face of Thompson, and sent him unsteadily back into a neutral corner, where Rothmann began to unload. There didn’t seem a lot left in the Thompson tank, and Rothmann appeared to be taking over.
This thought was confirmed in the following round as Rothmann had it all his own way. Spinning off the ropes when Thompson cut off the ring, Rothmann would flick out some stinging counterpunches that were shaking Thompson up and making him look increasingly unsteady on his legs. A big overhand right, teed up superbly with the jab, landed flush on Thompson in the centre of the ring, and Thompson, spitting blood and face marking up, seemed to be hanging on desperately to remain upright.
The confidence Rothmann was regaining now was evident as he wound up his arm, stuck his tongue out, and generally acted the clown in the 9th round, as his brave opponent sucked in huge gulps of air. Thompson was swinging for the home run, but the pitcher wasn’t letting him hit the target. It was Rothmann who was time and time again posting fast left jabs and straight rights to the face of Thompson. Carl couldn’t take much more, and in the middle of the round, the courageous challenger suddenly went. Thompson sagged wearily onto the ropes, and the public execution looked over as Rothmann began letting the heavy shots go. Richie Davies watched closely as Thompson ate a series of fight ending right hands and left hooks. Then out of absolutely nowhere, Thompson launched a huge right cross Rothmann’s way that heavily decked the champion, and spun the fight on its head.
Everyone sprung to their feet as Rothmann lay on the canvas, his back arched towards the ceiling, struggling desperately to regain his thoughts and get to his feet. He rose unsteadily at 7, and Richie Davies had no other option but to wave off the fight, and end a truly remarkable spectacle. Carl Thompson after staring defeat point blank in the face had turned the tables on his world-class opponent and become IBO champion once again. Rothmann, like the many in attendance, couldn’t believe what he was witnessing.
A truly amazing fight, and a fight that should be remembered as the night Carl Thompson brought Rocky Marciano’s famed ‘Suzy Q’ equalizer from Brockton to Sheffield. This was pure undiluted boxing drama, the stuff Rocky films are made of, and in any people’s eyes will not be bettered for many years to come.