Thompson's Fans Frustrated By Outcome

Twenty of Tony Thompson's friends and family formed a circle in the living room of Kenny and Rochelle Dunbar's Bowie home before yesterday's boxing match, joined hands and prayed. They prayed for Thompson's health. They prayed for Thompson's future. They prayed that Thompson's trip across the Atlantic Ocean would not be in vain.

Then they settled down to watch Thompson fight heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko for the title, live from Hamburg, on his cousins' 65-inch television screen.

Eleven rounds later, Thompson fell to the canvas as gasps percolated around a room that had been lively throughout the fight.

"I am so [angry] right now," said Kenny, 41, moments after the final bell. "I didn't think he'd get knocked down. . . . I thought it was at least going to go 12 rounds. He looked so sluggish. It didn't look like him."

HBO boxing judge Harold Lederman showed a card that favored Thompson only in the first round. Although those at the party often disagreed with Lederman's judgment, the row of "10s" next to Klitschko's name caused concern as the fight progressed.

"Tony didn't knock him out and they kept cheating him on the points," said Rochelle, 47.

Partygoers began offering their own analyses.

One attendee said Thompson should have left for Germany earlier. (He departed late last week.) Another commented that Thompson should have remained in Washington to train. (Instead, he trained in Vero Beach, Fla.)

Although Thompson came into the fight as the underdog, the assembled group of fans did not concede that point, hissing when an HBO commentator mentioned the unlikelihood of an upset.

The most difficult part for the Dunbars might be doing it all over again. The first party was for the live screening of the fight. Later last night, they were expected to host a different group of 40 or more family members and friends who did not know the outcome.

Rochelle did not plan on watching the second time, but will wait at the airport to cheer for Thompson next week when he returns.

The Dunbars thought they would welcome home the heavyweight champion, but instead they will greet a fighter who lost his title opportunity and was knocked out for the first time in his career. It is unlikely that Thompson ever will be as celebrated in his home town as he might have been had he won his 32nd fight.

"I don't know where he goes from here," Kenny said. "I don't think he'll ever get another championship fight again."