The Tiger roars!
Thompson asks WBO champ: Why won't you fight me?

August 11, 2007

By Gary "Digital" Williams

Photo: Goossen Tutor

The recent news that WBO Heavyweight champion Sultan Ibragimov is going to defend his title against legendary former champion Evander Holyfield sent shockwaves through parts of the boxing world.

The shock waves can best be described as negative ones in the city of Washington, DC, home of the WBO's mandatory challenger, Tony "The Tiger" Thompson.

Thompson and his management, PMG/Headbangers, say they were willing to wait when Ibragimov was slated to unify portions of the heavyweight title with WBA titleholder Ruslan Chagaev on October 14. But when Chagaev dropped out of the bout with a gastric injury and the WBO title shot went to Holyfield, Team Thompson said enough is enough.

"We heard Ibragimov say that after he beat Shannon Briggs (on June 2 in New York to win the WBO title), he was going to knock Tony out," said Thompson's co-manager, Nate Peake. "Where are those words, now?"

According to WBO regulations, a champion can have a voluntary title defense before he has to honor his mandatory defense. Peake told Fightnews that the Thompson camp was willing to honor that rule. However…

"When Chagaev dropped out," Peake said, "All bets should have been off, especially when we heard what Ibragimov said about Tony. Frankly, we were hoping that Ibragimov and Chagaev would meet so we would get a chance to get two belts."

Thompson (30-1, 18 KOs) said he feels Ibragimov had a change of heart after Thompson's fifth-round stoppage over Luan Krasniqi on July 14 in Hamburg, Germany.

"Once 'Ibragimuffin' saw what I did to Krasniqi in his own backyard," Thompson said with disdain, "He knew he would get the same treatment."

"He knows I've beaten better competition than he has faced and I know he wants no part of me," Thompson added. "I'm trying to be patient, though. He'll have to face me sooner or later.

The Thompson camp said that their heavyweight wants to stay busy and is looking at an October date for a bout.

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