Things you didn't know about Chris Thompson
On this Saturday's NXTGEN show at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham, former Team GB standout Solomon Dacres (6-0, 2KO) will face Chris Thompson (12-4-1, 7KO) over 10 rounds, live worldwide on DAZN.
Trained by Max McCracken, ‘The Real Deal’ most recently defeated Rob Ismay inside two rounds to claim the vacant English Heavyweight Title in March 2023. In his seventh assignment and third consecutive 10-rounder, he faces an opponent with more wins on his record than anyone he has met so far, but who is Chris Thompson?
BBN have found everything you need to know about him below:
Chris Thompson was born February 2nd, 1995 in Guateng, South Africa.
His boxing nickname is "The Wolf".
He trains out of the Hot Box Gym with trainer Shannon Strydom.
Chris didn't have an amateur career, instead he started boxing in white collar events, as do many other boxers from South Africa .
He played junior provincial rugby in South Africa for The Sharks before embarking on his boxing career.
He won his professional debut on points on May 26, 2017, against Joshua Pretorius, who was also a debutant.
In June 2022, he won the ABU African and the South African heavyweight titles in his 15th fight.
He lost the belts in his first defence to Keaton Gomes at the "Young Guns" boxing tournament at Emperors Palace on December 11, 2022, exactly six months after winning them. But he can take comfort in the fact that not a single one of the champions who have held the South African heavyweight title in the past two years have managed to defend it successfully.
He was due to fight unbeaten Dane, Kem Ljungquist, in September 2022, for the WBC International bridgerweight title, but the bout was cancelled due to Chris being hospitalised in the build-up.
In his last bout, in March this year, he took highly-rated, unbeaten Russian Evgeny Romanov the distance over eight rounds, losing for the fourth time in his career, by unanimous decision.
He is the third ranked heavyweight in South Africa.
The South African southpaw is managed by Preiyshen Pillay.
He has sparred rounds with Brit boxer, Nathan Gorman, before. He has also visited the thriving Everton Red Triangle gym in Liverpool to spar rounds with their unbeaten heavyweight, Boma Brown.
His favourite sating is: "Fire in the belly, ice in the head".
He is a fitness freak. He spends all his time in the gym because he genuinely loves working on his conditioning and boxing skills. Basically he doesn’t ever go into a training camp because he’s always in camp!
His ambition in boxing is to get the highest level as possible and to be competitive in the heavyweight division.
He counts IBF World light-flyweight champion Sivenathi Nontshinga and former IBO World champion Ludumo Lamati as friends.
He is sponsored by Nissan dealership in Randburg, as well as Slayer Energy Drinks.
Despite being a professional athlete, he likes to smoke a cigar on special occasions.
He is also a keen golfer and loves swimming.
In August, 2022, he was rushed to hospital to have an emergency incarcerated hernia removed, which is known for being both life-threatening and extremely painful.
He and his wife, Desray Thompson, got married in April 2022.
They are dog owners of two staffordshire bull terriers, called Leilah and Leo.
What have they said?
Solomon Dacres: "I believe that I'm ready to go at any level. I've sparred all of the World Champions over the last few years. I've been round the world as an amateur on the GB Squad. I just want to fight and I want to win titles. I don't want to pad my record out or anything like that. I'm just ready to go. Even last week when Dillian Whyte was pulled out the fight, we don't talk too much I put the offer straight in and said we'll step in. I'm sure many other people did that as well. We just put our name forward straight away. We don't hesitate. We want to take fights and we want to improve. I like to work off what my opponent is doing. The last one with Ismay, he came to fight so I picked him apart with the openings. He didn't come to survive and hopefully my man over there is game and willing. I'm just going to pick him apart and do what I do in the ring."
Chris Thompson: "Thank you very much for having me here. Thank you to Matchroom. I'm excited for the opportunity. Sol Dacres is the current English Champion, me being the former South African and African Heavyweight Champion. I'm excited for the opportunity. I'm aware of the stage that I'm on and I know that I've got to take the opportunity with both hands and show the world what I can do. I'm going to enjoy myself in there. We didn't come as an opponent, we came to win. That's what I'm going to do on Saturday night, I'm going to come and I'm going to beat him. We'll be back on Matchroom shows before the end of the year."
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