Haye using Tony Thompson as a sparring partner to train for Harrison bout

By William Mackay: WBA heavyweight champion David Haye (24-1, 22 KO’s) has one of the best heavyweight sparring partners in the division in 38-year-old southpaw Tony Thompson (34-2, 22 KO’s) to help Haye train for his November 13th bout against southpaw Audley Harrison (27-4, 20 KO’s). Speaking to the Dailymail.co.uk, Haye says “I’ve only had 45 seconds of southpaw experience in eight years of being a professional, which is why the main sparring partner I’ve got is Tony Thompson. I believe he’s the best southpaw in the world. He’s a world ranked fighter who has been on the cusp himself.” Haye is right.

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Tony Thompson vs. Friday Ahunanya and Kendall Holt vs. Jesse Feliciano on Ward-Green undercard on 6/19

By Eric Thomas: Former heavyweight challenger Tony Thompson (34-2, 22 KO’s) will be fighting 38-year-old journeyman Friday Ahunanya (24-6-3, 13 KO’s) on the undercard of the Super Six tournament bout between WBA super middleweight champion Andre Ward vs. Allan Green on June 19th at the Oracle Arena, in Oakland, California. Also on the card will be former World Boxing Organization light welterweight champion Kendall Holt (25-4, 13 KO’s) facing the tough Jesse Feliciano (15-9-3, 9 KO’s).

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Tony Thompson stops Chazz Witherspoon

By Jim Dower: Heavyweight contender Tony Thompson (33-2, 20 KO’s) was too much for fringe contender Chazz Witherspoon (26-1, 18 KOs) tonight, stopping him in the 9th round at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey. Thompson, 38, battered Witherspoon with right hooks and straight lefts until the fight was stopped at 2:13 with Witherspoon still on his feet but badly hurt. Shortly before the stoppage, Thompson hard hurt Witherspoon an earlier series of big shots that caused Witherspoon to back up to the ropes.

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Is Haye Any Better Than Juan Carlos Gomez or Tony Thompson?

haye4529By Michael Lieberman: I’ve always considered myself to be a shrewd judge of boxing talent, and that’s why I see both Juan Carlos Gomez (44-2, 35 KOs) and Tony Thompson (32-2, 20 KOs) as being better heavyweights than David Haye (22-1, 21 KOs). I realize that many British boxing fans probably don’t know who Gomez or Thompson is, since they’ve been somewhat sheltered in the UK away from outside fighters. But rest assured, I see Thompson and Gomez both as more sound fighters with better boxing skills than Haye can ever hope to have.

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Latest Boxing News – Toney-Thompson, Duddy, Manfredo-Bika, Taylor-Lacy

Image: Boxing News 24 Boxing News - Toney-Thompson, Duddy, Manfredo-Bika, Taylor-LacyLos Angeles, CA (November 11, 2008) – On December 13, 2008, a pair of prominent top heavyweight world title contenders will square off against each other with everything on the line, including their professional future at Morongo Casino Resort & Spa.

The winner of Toney vs. Thompson, ‘Now or Never,’ emerges as the next major challenger to the Klitschko brothers, the reigning Heavyweight Champions.

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Latest Boxing News – James Toney vs. Tony Thompson In December?

toney4234563.jpgBy Eric Thomas: James Toney (70-6, 43 KOs) will likely be facing 6’5″ Tony Thompson on December 6th for one of the lesser heavyweight title belts at stake. Toney stated in a recent interview on Versus that he has plans on facing Thompson on the 6th of December, and then after that, Toney plans on going after the other top heavyweights in the division. Thompson, 36, is coming off a disappointing performance against IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, who knocked Thompson out in the 11th round on July 12th in Germany. Thompson fought poorly and was never able to get his high volume offense untracked against the giant 6’6″ Klitschko.

For his part, Toney is coming off a three-round no contest with former heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman on July 16th. Toney, now 40, was doing well in the bout at the time the fight was stopped due to a large cut that Rahman had sustained over his left eye. However, Toney looked rusty and sluggish in the first two rounds, and it’s unclear whether he could have fought hard for the full 12 rounds against Rahman without tiring out and losing the bout.

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Thompson Wants Bout With Haye: “When I’m finished With Him [Haye] I Will Be The Reason He Returns his Ass To The Cruiserweight Division Where He Belongs”

haye6545561.jpgBy Jim Dower: Newcomer to the heavyweight ranks David Haye (21-1, 20 KOs) has had no shortage of potential opponents since recently moving up in weight from the cruiserweight a couple of months ago. The latest heavyweight among many to call him out is none other than recent title challenger Tony Thompson (30-2, 18 KO’s), who was chopped down by IBF/WBO heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko on July 12th, at the Color Line Arena, Altona, in Hamburg, Germany. Obviously wanting to get back on top as fast as possible, the 6’5″ Thompson seems the soft-chinned Haye was the perfect opponent to achieve his goal.

Haye, 27, has been calling out Klitschko at every opportunity in the media, while at the same time downgrading him and all the other heavyweights in the division, calling them “slow” and “fat slobs,” among other things. Klitschko, however, is tied up with a mandatory challenger Alexander Povetkin for his IBF heavyweight title and doesn’t have an open date for Haye. Even if he had, though, Wladimir wants to see how Thompson does against another heavyweight, preferably a good one that will test his skills. This is exactly what Haye wants to do, commenting often that he plans on taking on a top heavyweight in the division and doesn’t want to waste time by taking on a lower ranked fighter the way that many heavyweights often do.

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Klitschko Crushes Thompson: Are There Any Heavyweights Good Enough To Beat Wladimir?

wladimir42579.jpgPhoto courtesy of www.klitschko.com -By Aaron Klein: Wladimir Klitschko (51-3, 45 KOs) once again defended his IBF/WBO heavyweight titles this time stopping Tony Thompson (31-2, 19 KOs) in the 11th round to record his fifth title defense of his IBF title that he won in 2006 with a win over Chris Byrd. Though Thompson, 36, was thought to be a tough test for Wladimir going into the fight, it was never a contest as Wladimir easily dominated the tall 6’5″ southpaw Thompson with hard right hands and kept him from ever really getting his offense in gear. The end came in the 11th round when Wladimir sent a laser right hand down the pipe and nailed Thompson, sending him collapsing to the canvas in a heap.

The fight was stopped with Thompson, hurt and bleeding, not able to get up in time. The win showed Wladimir at his best, shooting rights often in the fight and hitting Thompson any time he wanted. Wladimir seemed to be following the textbook advice on how to fight a southpaw, that is, by throwing right hands rather than jabs or left hooks. Perhaps this is why Wladimir made it a habit early to hit him with rights. It wasn’t as if it was hard for him, because Thompson seemed unable to get out of the way of any of them. Wladimir was cut over his right eye in the 2nd round by a head butt. That was probably Thompson’s best shot of the fight, as he couldn’t land anything hard enough to crack Wladimir’s chin.

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