School me on Turkey Thompson: How good was this gobbler?

Not saying I have a greater knowledge than you! I have him at number 10 on my decade's top 50 list for the 1940's, read a bit on him, he was good.

 

I have read a report on the first Ray fight that had Ray dominating but I've just found one that says they were fairly even, from the Associated Press.

 

He was part of the deepest era of HW history and really doesn't stand out in the context of it. Hes good would have probably gotten a shot at Louis if WW2 never happened just hes not someone that stands out in a very large crowd.

I would have him outside the top 50 for the 40s but he is way better then the people who hold that rank in other decades. I might be thinking 35-45 though instead of the 40s.

 

Apparently he was due to be Joe's next opponent after Walcott 1 but Jersey Joe did so well, we had the rematch.

 

11/17 and 11/18 with Dorazio and Al Hart is a little early to be Thanksgiving? It seems that was the closest.

Other way to look at it is he never fought during Thanksgiving because that was his special Turkey time.

 

Decent resume on paper but I’ve never seen any footage of him

 

He was good, but he was no Tire Iron Jones.

 

Beating him was a worthwhile feather in your cap.

 

To answer the original question Thompson was a well seasoned fighter.

 

Certainly there seems to be no chicken in him,but it's hard to be eggsact as he showed the white feather in his last fight. He was different gravy but hardly poultry in motion. Hard to keep abreast of these birds of a different feather.

 

The loss to Murray in 1944 was a very close but dull affair, Murray, a switch-hitter(you learn something every day) got the nod from the two judges but referee Arthur Donovan scored it a draw. Thompson was the first man to starch Pat Valentino, a feat only replicated twice more in 76 fights and one of them was in Pat's last fight, for the title, versus Charles.