Klitschko Puts the “Tiger” to Sleep in Eleven!
(photo by Jim Everett)
By: Jason Sardelis
July 12th, Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany heavyweight champion Wladimir “Dr. Steelhammer” Klitschko, 51-3, 45 Ko’s defended his IBF,WBO and IBO titles with a long over do right hand on the chin of former sparring partner Tony "The Tiger" Thompson, 31-2, 19 Ko’s. Thompson ,cool and calm like the “king of the jungle” won the first round with Klitschko again appearing uncomfortable facing a southpaw. Klitschko was slapping down Thompson’s punches as he did in February against Sultan Ibragimov.
In the second round “Dr. Steelhammer” started to find his right hand, then Thompson landed a good left and the two clashed heads cutting each fighter over the right eye. Rounds three and four were more of the same Klitschko pawing the “Tigers” jab and firing his big right. The crowd came to a roar on every Klitschko power punch, whether it scored or not.
In round four Thompson began to attack the champion’s body with Klitschko still looking to drill a right through Thompson’s high guard.
In the middle rounds Klitschko would answer Thompson’s body shots with some of his own which opened up some more room for that big right hand.
By now Thompson began to look more like a pussycat than a tiger. His punches lacked any pop he never appeared to just let it go. In the latter third of the fight Thompson had clearly adapted the sparring partner mentality continuing to look to referee Joe Cortez for help and stalling after a tangled fall to the canvas. In round eleven Klitschko unloaded a perfectly timed right catching the “Tiger” like a “Siegfried & Roy” sedative shot dropping the challenger to the canvas. Referee Cortez began the count while Thompson struggled to his feet but called it at 1:22 of round eleven when the “Tiger” began to teeter.
On the undercard: Jonathan Banks 19-0, 14 Ko’s won the vacant IBO cruiserweight title with a majority decision over Italy's Vincenzo Rossitto 36-5-4, 22 Ko’s.
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Thompson Must Test Klitschko’s Chin!
By: Bill Ethan
Saturday, July 12th, Color Line Arena. Altona, Hamburg, Germany, heavyweight champion Wladimir “Steelhammer” Klitschko, 50-3, 44Ko’s will defend his IBF/WBO/IBO belts against WBO mandatory challenger 36 year old Tony Thompson, 31-1, 19Ko’s. Klitschko has put together eight straight victories since his loss to Lamon Brewster back in 2004. The “SteelHammer” is coming in of a sub par outing with southpaw Sultan Ibragamov and a six round stoppage of Brewster in their rematch.
The challenger Tony “The Tiger” Thompson, 31-1, 19 Ko’s has 27 straight wins since losing to Erik Kirkland July 2000, his 5th fight. “The Tiger” is coming in with two straight TKO victories, one over Luan Krasniqi 30-2-1 in a WBO Inter-Continental heavyweight title July 07. The latter a WBO heavyweight title eliminator over Cliff Couser 26-12-2 September 2007.
Klitschko, four years younger is the more skilled of the two and has fought the tougher competition. The “SteelHammer” and the “Tiger” are evenly matched in size but Klitscko is definitely the stronger of the the two. Fighting overseas should not effect Thompson he has fought outside the US three times. James Gaines in Ontario, Canada, 2003, Vaugh Bean in Quebec, Canada, 2004 and stopped Luan Krasniqi last July TKO five in Color Line Arena, Hamburg, Germany the site of Saturday nights fight.
With only 19 Ko’s in 32 fights Thompson isn’t a true power puncher by any means but add in Klitschko’s questionable chin with the big men anything is possible. Klitschko has hit the deck three times against Sam Peter, dropped by DaVarryl Williamson, four times by Corrie sanders and was stopped by Brewster and warhorse Ross Puritty.
Several of the knockdowns were a result of fatigue which trainer Emanuel Stewart seems to have addressed. Thompson’s best chance is to keep a tight defense, take away the Klitschko jab use his straight left and right hooks and he must take Klitschko out of his comfort zone. It’s a tall order and I think the “SteelHammer” pounds him out in three.
