Boxing: Thompson eager for Klitschko bout

LOS ANGELES: Tony Thompson has already been stopped by heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko once in his career but the American southpaw is talking tough ahead of a mandatory title-bout rematch with the Ukrainian star in July. Thompson, 36-2 with 24 knockouts, is the mandatory IBF challenger set to face Klitschko, who improved his record to 57-3 with his 50th career knock-out against Frenchman Jean-Marc Mormeck in Dusseldorf. Ever since Klitschko stopped Thompson in the 11th round at Hamburg in 2008, Thompson has won five fights in a row — none of them going the distance. “I’m ready [for Klitschko],” said Thompson. “I’m looking forward to becoming the heavyweight champion of the world.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 7^th, 2012.