https://www.facebook.com/ross.thompson.7547 Baylor TV,'s Ingram Jones & Me Interview Former world boxing contender Ross Thompson inducted into the Buffalo Veteran Boxers Association Ring 44 Hall of Fame. Ross Thompson never got to headline a professional boxing card in his hometown, even though he's one of the most gifted fighters in Buffalo history. He was never dubbed "The Third Franchise," and only Western New York's most avid followers of the sport knew of Thompson and his world-class talent during his rise to prominence during the late 1990s. But Thompson was Buffalo's link to big-time boxing before Joe Mesi began his career ascent, and for that reason Ross "The Boss" will get to relive the glory days with family, friends, proteges and -- yes -- the local community. Thompson, a five-time national amateur champion who fought for the world light middleweight championship 13 years ago, headlines this year's class of inductees into the Buffalo Veteran Boxers Association Ring 44 Hall of Fame. The dinner and induction ceremony begin at 6 p.m. Friday at Salvatore's Italian Gardens. Tickets cost $50 and can be purchased by calling Jack Green, president of the Buffalo Veteran Boxers Association, at 316-5120. Others receiving the Hall call from Ring 44 include longtime trainer Ray Casal of Niagara Falls and the late boxer and artist Tony Sisti. Ring 44's Sergeant-at-Arms and former boxer Dick Wipperman will be honored as the organization's Person of the Year. Marcus Floyd of the PAL Boxing Club is Ring 44's Amateur Boxer of the Year. Thompson is the second modern-era type of boxer to be honored by Ring 44 the past three years, joining unbeaten heavyweight and former No. 1 title contender Mesi -- who in 2011 took his spot in the Hall of Fame. "I'm real excited about it. It pretty much is a lasting moment of my boxing career," said Thompson, who now trains boxers at Victory Gym in North Tonawanda after finishing his pro career with a 27-16-3 mark with 17 KOs. "Most of the guys when they get in there, they're pretty old. It feels good," getting in the Hall at age 40, "kind of like being first ballot getting in there. That's a day where I'm just going to be happy, celebrate my career with everybody ... just enjoy it with everybody. It's a big night for me." It will be perhaps Thompson's biggest moment in the sport since Aug. 26, 2000, in Las Vegas, where he fought and lost to then unbeaten light middleweight champion Fernando Vargas. No Buffalo-area fighter has won a world title since Tommy Paul in 1933, and Thompson was just the third Western New Yorker (excluding southern Ontario-based boxers) to earn a shot at the title since 1971. Thompson's amateur national titles included three PAL crowns (1984, '86 and '87), one Silver Gloves (1987) and one Golden Gloves (1991). Thompson's older brother Jermaine beat him in the 1985 PAL final to interrupt the string of national titles at that event. "You don't get to a world title fight without being talented, without being a good fighter," said Don Patterson, the state Golden Gloves Tournament president and a local trainer. "As far as Buffalo boxing, he deserves to be in the Ring 44 Boxing Hall of Fame based on his merit as a fighter and his accomplishments as an amateur." Despite all of his amateur success and the highs he experienced early in his professional career, the loss to Vargas still haunts Thompson, even though his own promoter at the time, Don King, didn't expect him to win. Thompson brought a 24-3-1 record into the fight, but King had already started plans for a super fight with Vargas involving one of his other clients, Felix Trinidad, Thompson said. "He looked at it as Trinidad-Vargas looked sexier than Trinidad-Thompson," Thompson said of King. "He told me, 'If I beat Vargas, I'd meet Trinidad,' but he knew that wasn't the fight people were clamoring for." Thompson's time with King did serve a purpose. It gave Thompson a chance to fight in an elimination bout to become a No. 1 contender. It allowed Thompson to earn what was perhaps the signature triumph of his professional career, April 24, 1999, when he went into then-MCI Center in Washington and beat hometown favorite Antonio Reese by fifth-round TKO to become the top contender. Later that year, he went on to win the WBA North American 154-pound title via unanimous decision over Derrick Graham. That was the second of three minor titles Thompson won as a professional.

• published: 01 Nov 2013
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