CLARKSBURG, W.Va (WDTV) – Tommy Thomas is a name Clarksburg, WV locals are quite familiar with. His career (both of them) and his legacy brought a stage light to the Harrison County community. At the age of 19, Thomas discovered his passion for boxing out of pure coincidence. While waiting to watch a boxing match in Weston, Thomas, who had just finished eating a few hotdogs and in his street clothes, was asked to fill in for a boxer who was a no-show. After some convincing from both the fight organizer and his opponent, Thomas borrowed some boxing gear and stepped in the ring and to everyone’s surprise—knocked out his opponent in just 27 seconds. Even after his surprise fight, Thomas still wasn’t sure boxing was for him. His family and friends eventually talked the new found boxer into joining the Fairmont Boys Club.
At 23, he started his professional career, which stemmed from an inspirational conversation he had with the the late-great Philadelphia boxer Joe Frasier. Thomas would have a successful career in boxing, notching a 34-8 record, at one point ranking sixth internationally by the World Boxing Association (WBA) and hoisting the West Virginia Professional Heavyweight Boxing Championship belt. In 1986, Thomas hung up his gloves and spit out his mouth piece for the last time. Although he may have been done making an impact with his fists, there was still more he wanted to do for his community.
“He was a Clarksburg Police Officer the last few years of his boxing career, so he was boxing at the same time,” said Tommy’s brother Jerry. “Things happen, sometimes they are not planned and I think that was Tommy’s case, it tied in with his involvement in the dare program. He told me, ‘look, if I can help one kid a year’– he felt like he was doing something.”
In 19-98, with help from his brother and his wife susan, he opened up the ‘Tommy Thomas Boxing Club’ located within the ‘Clarksburg Recreation Center’ on Duff Avenue. Unfortunately, In 2021 after a battle with multiple illnesses, Tommy passed away at the age of 67. Now, in his honor, the entire building will be named the ‘Tommy Thomas Recreation Center providing not only boxing training, but exercise a place to play basketball, ping-pong and corn hole for anyone 12 years and older with no extra pay, which was Tommy’s idea.
“Tommy’s passion was to keep kids off the street and help them along,” said Susan. “He wanted it to be open to anyone for no extra cost, just to keep them in the gym and off the street and teach them about boxing.”
Not only will the inside look brand new, with new floors, painted walls, more boxing rings and equipment, but as guests come and go through the doors of the gym, they’ll be welcomed by a picture of Tommy in his boxing shorts a nod to the local legend that is Tommy “Franco” Thomas.
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