12.06.08 – By Garfield Hodgson: Glamour is not a word usually associated with former world champion Carl ‘The Cat’ Thompson. Whilst his fellow mancunians worship Ricky Hatton in sell out venues at home and abroad, Thompson’s fists drummed out a different beat in the boxing backwaters of tough northern towns across England. But you wouldn’t hear Thompson complaining. He had always done it the hard way. With power in both hands coupled with a shaky defence and a tendency to always start fights slowly, this battle hardened warrior has been involved in some of the most savage action ever seen in a British ring.
In a wildly up and down 18 year career, Thompson epitomises the ‘have gloves, will travel’ attitude of a special breed of fighter. I defy anyone to name me a British fighter in the last two decades who has been in more wars and provided more thrills than ‘The Cat’. Nigel Benn maybe? After that, forget it! Thompson made an art form out of looking on the brink of defeat in virtually every contest.
A former world class muay thai fighter, his boxing career got under way in 1988 with little fanfare. He reeled off 8 victories in little over a year, then was thrown in with the heavy hitting Crawford Ashley. Ashley would later become the light-heavyweight European champion and 2 time world title challenger. Thompson was battered inside 6 rounds.
Things didn’t improve in his next few fight, dropping a decision to little known Franco Wanyama and being stopped by future European champion Yawe Davis in 2 rounds.
Most people might have thought about a new career path. But not Thompson. in his next outing he surprised many by stopping undefeated Nicky Piper in 3 rounds. This breathed new life into his career.
Having moved up a division, his next 5 fights saw him win the British Cruiserweight title and WBC International belt and by 1994, put him in line for a crack at the European champion Massimiliano Duran. The fight was to take place in Durans back yard. Thompson knew he would have to knock him out to win in Italy. He did. In 8 rounds.
Suddenly Thompson was the King of Europe. Still there was very little interest back home. So on his next outing he travelled to France. In what he would call his hardest fight of his career he stopped Akim Tafer in 6 rounds to defend his title, but not after taking a early beating himself. This would start to be the norm in many of his bouts.
A year later he got the chance he always craved. A world title fight in his beloved home town of Manchester. The champion, Ralf Rocchigiani, was given a sound beating. After 10 rounds, Thompson was well ahead on all the judges scorecards. But then in a typically bizarre moment befitting of his roller coaster career he injured his shoulder. He couldn’t carry on. Rocchigiani was declared the winner. And all this at his home-coming. You couldn’t make it up.
It took him two long years to get Rocchigiani back in the ring. This time having to go to Germany, he again pounded the champion. This time he would not be denied, even if one of the judges did try to cheat him out of it by scoring the fight to Rocchigiani.
Suddenly he was the champion of the world. Did anyone care? Not really! This was the time of Nigel Benn, Prince Hamed, Chris Eubank, Frank Bruno and Lennox Lewis. It seemed even winning a world title wouldn’t give Thompson the recognition he so richly deserved.
But then he got a break. Chris Eubank, admired and reviled in equal measure moved up not one but two weights. The former middle and super middle champion, famous for savage wars with Nigel Benn and Michael Watson would finally place Thompson firmly in the spotlight by challenging for his title.
The fight was to be staged in Manchester. But even then, in his own town, Thompson had to play a supporting role to the flamboyant and eccentric Eubank. In another hard fought war, Thompson recovered from a 4th round knockdown to win on points. The public demanded a rematch such was the thrilling nature of the bout.
This time Thompson administered a beating on Eubank, stopping him in the 10th. But instead of basking in the glory of such a fine victory, the media and public seemed more interested in the brave fight Eubank had put up against the naturally bigger man. It seemed credit would elude him for a little while longer.
His 3rd title defence would prove to be his last. His arch rival form across the Pennines, the Yorkshireman Johnny Nelson outboxed Thompson and stopped him in 5 rounds. Yet even then there would be controversy with Thompson claiming the fight was ended prematurely as he was acting possum to lure cagey Nelson into a mistake. Maybe it was sore grapes. Maybe he had a point. When you watch some of Thompsons subsequent bouts, he seems to have a voracious appetite for soaking up punishment and then roaring back. It is a fight that still rankles him today.
At the age of 34, it would be a hard slog back into title contention. Dangerous, yet unfashionable, nobody would be looking to do Thompson any favours. It would be back to dinghy leisure centres and smoky halls, trying to carve out a living in the most unglamouros surroundings.
In the next year he claimed back his British Title in a Rocky-like finish against world title challenger Terry Dunstan. With just a minute left of yet another gruelling contest both men landed simultaneous right hands. Both went crashing to the canvas. Thompson managed to haul himself back up whilst Dunstan was counted out. Only Carl Thompson seemed to be in these fantastic fights.
Then came the European title to put himself right back into the mix. Then a wild brawl with perennial contender Uriah Grant resulted in a 5th round KO for Thompson in which he picked up the lightly regarded IBO crown.
Next up was an astonishing slug fest with the fearsome punching Ezra Sellars. Despite flooring Sellars twice, Thompson was himself decked four times en route to a 4th round defeat. His renaissance looked over. He was now 36 and had the look of shopworn goods.
Three run of the mill victories followed, but then he was handed a surprise opportunity to reclaim the IBO crown. He would be up against the formidable South African Sebastian Rothmann. And whilst the IBO crown is hardly the most prestigious title, a chance to mix it with a world ranked opponent would prove irresistable.
At the age of 39 he whipped his creaking and battered body into shape for one last hurrah. Thompson was under no illusion that he was only in the ring to provide Rothmann with a ‘name’ for his record.
The fight itself? Well, if one fight summed up the entire career of Carl ‘The Cat’ Thompson this was it. The fight started at a whirlwind pace, then got wilder! Thompson was dropped in the 4th. He recovered and sent Rothmann to the canvas in the 5th. The action was see-sawing until Rothmann started to take control with his sharper combinations.
Ahead on points, Rothmann started up the 9th firing shots into Thompsons face with unerring accuracy. As a big right hand caught Thompson, he lurched back into the ropes. Hurt, he somehow took a couple of other big right hands before rolling off the ropes. The ref was watching closely, ringsiders shouting for the ref to stop it as Rothmann moved in for the kill.
What happened next was quite simply unbelievable. As Rothmann cranked up a fight ending right hand, Thompson, on pure instinct, got in first with a right hand so powerful Rothmann was literally out on his feet. The champion fell forward landing on his face. as the ref waved the fight over, a weary Thompson fell into a cornermans arms. He hardly had the strength to lift his arms in victory. The old warrior had defied all the odds again.
Building on this great win, Thompson would next meet the thunderous punching David Haye. Haye was the golden boy of British boxing. Undefeated, handsome with talent to spare, Haye was an overwhelming favourite despite Thompsons win against Rothmann. I myself thought the battle scarred veteran had probably bitten off more than he could chew. And so it was.
Haye came out bombing, looking for the early finish. For two rounds it seemed all the wars had finally caught up with Thompson. Haye’s full repoitoire thudded into Thompsons head. It was a severe beating. I know its a mans game and no one forces anyone to fight but I started to feel sorry for Thompson. He didn’t deserve for it to all end like this. However, in the 3rd a strange thing started to happen. Mouth agape, Haye was looking tired. Very tired. Had he punched himself out? Thompson finished the 3rd with a powerful right hand that shook the young fighter. Haye trudged back to the corner with a worried look on his face.
In the 4th round Thompson started to back Haye up. Haye was still punching but he looked spent. Thompson, always the slow starter was now warming to the task and applied constant pressure, keeping the fight at close range. I was thinking to myself ‘no, surely not. He can’t do it again can he?’
In the 5th round Thompson piled on the pressure. The young buck couldn’t keep up. Thompson was bullying him around the ring. Haye looked desperate. a big right hand sent Haye spinning to the canvas. He climbed to his feet, but the writing was on the wall. Once the action resumed, ‘The Cat’ pounced onto him. As a sickening right landed, Haye sunk into the ropes, resistance deserting him. Thompson strode forward to finish the job. Fortunately for Haye his corner threw in the towel saving him furthur punishment.
Immediately after the fight, Thompson had no thoughts of retirement as he planned to cash in on his title.
“I’m showing age is no barrier,” he said. “I’ve got my strength and I know what I’m in the sport for. I will fight anyone if people pay me the money. I was on the receiving end for most of it and I know I’m not the most talented boxer in the world but I hung in there and will give anyone trouble.”
After these two knockout victories I was expecting the unpredictable career of Carl Thompson to end fittingly in another world title shot. But no. Nothing!
A year slipped by. No big fights beckoned. One more fight followed, a points win over Frederic Serrat. That was in Nov 2005. And i’ve heard nothing since.
Thompson was 44 years old in May. It’s unlikely if he will get another title shot now. Those brawls with Rothmann and Haye were over four years ago. In fact it’s doubtful he will ever lace on a pair of gloves again.
And when you think that since those fights, Rothmann has fought for the world title and Haye won the undisputed Cruiserweight title, it seems that these magnificent victories went unrewarded.
But if ‘The Cat’ was never to return to the sport that he so gloriously and thrillingly graced over these last two decades, then i will take this opportunity to say “thank you carl. Thank you for the many years of excitement you gave all your fans”.