PORTLAND – Anthony Thompson was a former amateur boxer who won the Maine Golden Glove Lightweight Championship in the late 1970s. He went on to build a successful career as a master technician for heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems.

Thompson, known by most people as “Antone,” died unexpectedly Saturday after suffering a heart attack. He was 49.

“He had the heart of a lion,” his daughter, Caitlin Thompson, said of her father’s boxing career. “He wasn’t afraid to get in the ring with guys twice his size.”

Thompson started boxing when he was 13 years-old while living in Nebraska. He moved to Maine in his teens and joined the Portland Boxing Club. Right from the start, he stood out.

Thompson boxed in tournaments throughout the state and New England. He won the Maine Golden Glove Lightweight Championship around 1979, and ended his boxing career with a 24-1 record.

Bob Russo, head coach and owner of the Portland Boxing Club, said Thompson was a respected competitor, who had a positive influence on aspiring boxers.

“From what I heard from the people who knew him, Antone was a real good prospect in amateur boxing and could have really done something,” Russo said. “He was a good guy and a real fan of the sport. He loved boxing and loved the club. He would stop in from time to time. He was always a positive influence.”

Thompson, formerly of Westbrook, was a master HVAC technician. He worked for several companies in the Portland area for 25 years including Bellino-Grosso Inc. Most recently, he was self-employed.

Thompson had a passion for hunting and fishing. His daughter said he hunted throughout the Lakes Region and enjoyed fishing at Sebago Lake.

“He knew all these crazy spots. If he wasn’t working or with us, he was hunting and fishing. He had to be outdoors,” she said.

Thompson was remembered by his two children on Wednesday as a dedicated father who worked hard and had a positive outlook on life.

During the last two weeks, Thompson spent a lot of time with his daughters and his granddaughter, Avery Jade of Westbrook.

Caitlin Thompson said her father was there for her daughter’s first birthday and her baptism.

“We had a lot of good quality family time,” she said. “It’s strange cause the last time my sister saw him, he told her that it was the best month of his life. I’m so grateful that I have so many positive memories. I don’t know how God planned that, but he did it really well.”

 

Staff Writer Melanie Creamer can be contacted at 791-6361 or at:

mcreamer@pressherald.comPASSAGES

Each day the newsroom selects one obituary and seeks to learn more about the life of a person who has lived and worked in Maine. We look for a person who has made a mark on the community or the person’s family and friends in lasting ways.

 

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