Carl Thompson won't be fighting David Haye then
Posted: 05 Jan 2004, 17:15
Former WBO and IBO cruiserweight champion Carl Thompson is being lined up to challenge for his old IBO title against Sebastian Rothmann of South Africa (nothing confirmed as yet) on the Clinton Woods-Glencoffe Johnson bill in Sheffield on February 6. If it comes off, it's a tough fight for the 39-year-old Manchester warrior, who has been calling out Bermondsey sensation David Haye and I suppose sees this as the best way to lure Haye into a big-money showdown (by beating Rothmann and defending against his domestic rival). But beating Rothmann is a lot easier said than done. Rothmann hasn't lost since he was outpointed in his pro debut in fact, way back in 1997. And he lost to a man who went on to win the South African light-heavyweight title (Melusi Khoza), so it was hardly a disgrace.
Rothmann then put together an unbeaten run of 10 fights (two draws) to secure a shot at WBU cruiserweight champion Rob Norton in September 1999, a man who was defending on home soil at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre. But Rothmann walked through the useful Norton to win by knockout in the eighth round - and trounced several other British cruisers in subsequent defences: Mark Hobson, Crawford Ashley, Garry Delaney and Kelly Oliver to be exact. Only Delaney was able to last the distance.
After six successful defences of his WBU title, Rothmann followed suit with other South African fighters, and switched allegiance from the WBU to the IBO, stopping New Zealand's Anthony Bigeni in five rounds to lift the IBO cruiserweight title in October 2002. He's fought only once since, when he defended the title with a unanimous decision over the vastly experienced - and dangerous - Argentinian, Jorge Castro in South Africa last July.
So he's hardly been active of late, but at 29, the agressive and compact champion must be fancied over the impressively-built but aging Thompson, whose punch resistance came into question again in his last fight when he was shaken by Yorkshire journeyman Paul Bonson in a six-rounder at Sheffield in November (Thompson won on points; Rothmann has also outpointed Bonson, in an eight-rounder in Dublin in 1999).
Thompson won the same IBO title with a solid fifth round stoppage of Jamaican warhorse Uriah Grant in 2001, but lost it in his first defence when American Ezra Sellers floored him four times and knocked him out in the fourth in Carl's own hometown of Manchester. (Sellers subsequently vacated the title to go after Johnny Nelson's WBO crown, and Rothmann picked up the vacant title with that win over Bigeni).
He was out for 19 months after that one, but has put together three wins on his comeback.
Rothmann then put together an unbeaten run of 10 fights (two draws) to secure a shot at WBU cruiserweight champion Rob Norton in September 1999, a man who was defending on home soil at the Aston Villa Leisure Centre. But Rothmann walked through the useful Norton to win by knockout in the eighth round - and trounced several other British cruisers in subsequent defences: Mark Hobson, Crawford Ashley, Garry Delaney and Kelly Oliver to be exact. Only Delaney was able to last the distance.
After six successful defences of his WBU title, Rothmann followed suit with other South African fighters, and switched allegiance from the WBU to the IBO, stopping New Zealand's Anthony Bigeni in five rounds to lift the IBO cruiserweight title in October 2002. He's fought only once since, when he defended the title with a unanimous decision over the vastly experienced - and dangerous - Argentinian, Jorge Castro in South Africa last July.
So he's hardly been active of late, but at 29, the agressive and compact champion must be fancied over the impressively-built but aging Thompson, whose punch resistance came into question again in his last fight when he was shaken by Yorkshire journeyman Paul Bonson in a six-rounder at Sheffield in November (Thompson won on points; Rothmann has also outpointed Bonson, in an eight-rounder in Dublin in 1999).
Thompson won the same IBO title with a solid fifth round stoppage of Jamaican warhorse Uriah Grant in 2001, but lost it in his first defence when American Ezra Sellers floored him four times and knocked him out in the fourth in Carl's own hometown of Manchester. (Sellers subsequently vacated the title to go after Johnny Nelson's WBO crown, and Rothmann picked up the vacant title with that win over Bigeni).
He was out for 19 months after that one, but has put together three wins on his comeback.