28.04.04 – By Ben Carey
Carl Thompson: “The only thing I’m guilty of is protecting a friend”
Carl Thompson’s stunning one-punch knockout over Sebastian Rothmann to capture the IBO cruiserweight title in February will be remembered within British boxing circles for years to come. Few gave the 39-year-old Bolton bomber a chance beforehand, but one booming right hand in round 9 dramatically turned the fight on its head just as Thompson was on the very brink of defeat.
It brought the sold out crowd at the Ponds Forge Arena in Sheffield to their feet to salute this proud warrior’s magnificent comeback against all odds. Thompson was on top of the world, but was brought back down to earth earlier this week with a sickening thud that threatens to overshadow his memorable accomplishments in the ring that night.
Following an investigation into a glove tampering incident before the Rothmann fight, The British Boxing Board of Control have banned Thompson for 6 months and fined him £2,000 in addition to ordering him to pay £750 costs. In a story that will shock the British Boxing fraternity, reports circulating in the Manchester press state that Thompson was found guilty of having the thumbs cut in order to detach them from the main body of his gloves. Though Thompson denied knowledge of the slits, a lab report is alleged to have confirmed that they were made deliberately.
Unsubstantiated reports also allege that evidence was given to the Board that stated that the gloves were delivered to Thompson’s dressing room in perfect condition. But upon checking them in the ring, referee Richie Davies discovered that the webbing had been removed from the thumb and promptly made Thompson switch to a new pair. Keen to present readers with both sides of the story, British Eastside contacted a distraught Carl Thompson last night who was grateful for an opportunity to set the record straight.
“The Board found me guilty and said that I must have known that the gloves were detached from the thumb, and I’m saying that I didn’t know. They said that in all my years of experience being involved in this sport that I must have known. But, in my defence, if I’d have known that the gloves were detached after all my years of experience, would I go in the ring knowing full well that the referee was going to check my gloves, my mouthpiece and my grinder box?” argued Thompson.
“This is what I’m saying to the Board but the Board said that I must have known at the time that the thumbs were detached. I’m saying I did not know. I remember putting my hands in the gloves but I don’t remember looking at the gloves and thinking ‘hey, my thumbs are detached,’” he recalled.
It should be stressed that Thompson did not box and defeat Rothmann wearing the tampered gloves, but was made to change to a new pair in the ring by referee Richie Davies which brought about a delay before the contest could finally get underway. A point Thompson is keen to re-iterate:
“I never fought with the (tampered) gloves on. The gloves were taken off me in the ring because the referee spotted it. But leading up to the ring I did not know. I repeat to you. I know that my gloves are going to be checked. Every time I go into a ring they are going to get checked. But the official is saying that he checked my gloves at the time and that both thumbs were attached. I’m saying that the official did not check my gloves. There is no way on earth that anyone touched my gloves once they were on my hands.”
“Let’s think now (said in a sarcastic tone)… I’m warming up, you’re holding the pads, I’m doing combinations. I have to stop to draw attention in order to get my gloves cut? I have an official that is with me at all times. I did not leave the changing room. I have Brian Meadows in the room, Jack Doughty, Ensley Bingham and Maurice Core. Not once did they see anyone approach me in order to get my gloves tampered with. The room is a very small room. There is no way that I could hide. Those gloves were cut before they touched my hands but I did not know that the thumbs were detached until I got in the ring like everyone else,” stated Thompson.
One of the most respectful, mild-mannered individuals within the game, Thompson is widely acknowledged as one of British Boxing’s finest ambassadors. ‘The Cat’ insists that he would never have knowingly had his gloves cut to endanger the health of one of his opponents.
“I’ve been in two British title fights, 2 European fights, 7 world title fights including this. Sebastian Rothmann is the gentlest person I’ve come across. At the press conference he gave me a present and said to me, ‘It’s an honour to fight you. God bless my family’. I was gutted because I didn’t have anything for him. I had no animosity towards this guy for me to prompt someone to cut my gloves,” he stressed.
So with Thompson maintaining he was unaware that his gloves had been cut before he put them on, then who did know?
“At the time I didn’t know who did it but I do know now but I’m not going to say because I’m taking the punishment. It’s not right for me to say that I don’t know now (who did it) but when it actually happened I did not know. I am on speaking terms with the person because I know it wasn’t done with intent. It was one stupid moment of madness. I’ve asked the person why he did it but he can’t even come up with an answer. If I thought he did it with intent then he would no longer be my friend but I’m not going to say who it is” said Thompson.
Carl is well aware that his vow of silence is likely to result in his own character being scorned. “The press are so willing to jump on things like this. I think I’m going to receive more publicity now for what I got when winning the belt,” he acknowledged.
“That’s what hurts me so much. Now some people in the press think I’m a cheat. This is one of the reasons why I want to have my own space and keep my profile so low because this is so hurtful. If my profile was as high as some of these top people (celebrities) my word I’d be ready to commit suicide. Throughout all my boxing years I’ve never shown my character to be not a nice person. I respect most boxers. The only boxer I had a disrespect for was Johnny Nelson but that was because he got on my nerves. But I respect most boxers because it’s a hard, bloody game.”
Although bitterly disappointed that The British Boxing Board Of Control are of the opinion that he must have known that his gloves had been cut before he entered the ring against Rothmann, it would seem that Thompson has no indefinite axe to grind.
“At the end of the day I have to give the Board some credit because they are only trying to do their job but my God it does feel personal. They are only doing their job, and there are people out there who go ahead and do these things, but I feel as though people were out to get me. The only thing I’m guilty of here is protecting a friend. I never thought it would go this far,” he admitted.
Despite being inconsolable over this, fortunately for Thompson this black cloud has a silver lining.
“The IBO are letting me keep the belt because they believe that I had no intent. The ban (Thompson is banned for 6 months) started from the date of the Rothmann fight (6 Feb) so I can fight again in August/September” he told British Eastside.
“It is good news but I don’t know how to talk to you without crying right now. I hope some people will believe what I’m saying. I don’t expect everyone to believe me. If I was on the outside looking in then I don’t know what I’d believe. I thought people in Boxing would know how I function by now. I’ve been in the sport long enough. I thought the Board would know that.”
In spite of the tidal wave of negative publicity that will surely come Thompson’s way over this incident, the current IBO champion insists that he has no intention of not resuming his career once his ban has been completed. “I’ve got a living to make just like everyone else. Boxing is the only way I know.”