12 years ago
Wladimir Klitschko vs Tony Thompson II
Date: 7th July 2012
Venue: Stade de Suisse, Berne, Switzerland
Title: WBA, IBF, WBO & IBO World Heavyweight Titles
Promoter: Tom Loeffler
Tv: RTL & Inter
Wladimir Klitschko
(
57
-
3
-
0
)
Weight: 249 lbs
Tony Thompson
(
36
-
2
-
0
)
Weight: 244¾ lbs
On July 7, 2012, the Stade de Suisse in Berne, Switzerland, hosted a highly anticipated heavyweight title rematch between reigning champion Wladimir Klitschko and American challenger Tony Thompson. The fight aired on various international networks, including RTL in Germany, SF Zwei in Switzerland, and Inter in Ukraine, and saw Klitschko defend his IBF, WBO, WBA Super World, IBO, and The Ring Magazine heavyweight titles.
Klitschko, who entered the bout as The Ring Magazine's top-ranked heavyweight, weighed in at a career-high 249 pounds, with the added weight appearing pure muscle. Thompson, ranked 10th by the same publication, came in at 244 3/4 pounds, nearly 11 pounds lighter than his previous fight. Despite the weight difference, Thompson was a significant underdog, with odds of 12½ to 1 against him.
The rematch came four years after their initial encounter in 2008, which saw Klitschko stop Thompson in the 11th round. Thompson had won five consecutive fights in the intervening years, earning him the mandatory challenger status from the IBF. However, he had been out of action for over 13 months before the rematch.
The fight began with a cautious opening round, followed by a scrappy second, during which Klitschko twice wrestled Thompson to the canvas. Thompson managed to land a solid left hand to Klitschko's face in the third round, briefly showing signs of increased aggression. However, Klitschko began to take control in the fifth round, landing a powerful straight right hand that left Thompson reeling on the ropes as the round ended.
In the sixth round, Klitschko cornered Thompson and unleashed a barrage of punches to the head. While no single blow appeared to cause critical damage, the cumulative effect was evident. Referee Sam Williams gave Thompson a standing count before ultimately stopping the fight at 2:56 of the round, giving Klitschko the victory by TKO.
The win marked Klitschko's 58th as a professional, with 51 of those coming by way of knockout. For Thompson, it was only the third loss of his 38-fight career, with both knockout defeats coming at the hands of Klitschko.
After the fight, Klitschko expressed his satisfaction with the win, acknowledging that Thompson was a challenging opponent to box. Trainer Emanuel Steward, who celebrated his 68th birthday on the day of the fight, praised Thompson's defensive skills, noting that he was "very hard to hit" and had been "watching Wladimir's right hand all night."
The victory further solidified Wladimir Klitschko's dominance in the heavyweight division, a reign he shared with his older brother, Vitali, who was in his corner for the fight and set to defend his own WBC title against Manuel Charr in Moscow later that year. The Klitschko brothers' continued success left little doubt about their status as the preeminent forces in heavyweight boxing.
Wladimir Klitschko vs Tony Thompson 2 on YouTube
