# Tommy Karpency

Thomas Karpency (born January 10, 1986) is an American professional boxer who fights in the light heavyweight division. A professional since 2006, he is a three-time world title challenger; first challenging for the WBO and IBO light heavyweight titles in 2012, as well as the WBC light heavyweight title in 2015. He holds a notable upset win over former IBF and WBC title holder Chad Dawson.

## Background

Karpency is from a "patch town" inside of Adah, Pennsylvania called "Palmer". Karpency was trained by his father, Tom Karpency Sr. There are four Palmer natives who are current professional boxers. Palmer has an approximate population of 200 people. Per capita, Palmer has one of the highest percentages of professional athletes in the United States. Karpency attended Albert Gallatin High School. During his last two years at Albert Gallatin, Karpency competed in wrestling, and was also an outstanding football player.

## Boxing career
### Early career

Karpency debuted in professional boxing at the age of 20 as a cruiserweight, after winning a Toughman contest. He has spent the majority of his career boxing on the American circuit managing to win the regional WBA Fedecentro title in 2009.
With a record of 19-1-1, Karpency made his overseas debut against Karo Murat in Germany for the WBO Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight title on May 1, 2010. Karpency was defeated via unanimous decision.

### First world title shot

Two years later in February 2012, Karpency again went overseas to Cardiff, Wales, challenging Nathan Cleverly for the WBO light heavyweight title. Karpency was again defeated via unanimous decision.
Despite being handed his first world title challenge and loss, Karpency next fought Andrzej Fonfara for the IBO light heavyweight title nine months later. Karpency was defeated via TKO.
Following a two-year layoff from his consecutive world title defeats, Karpency returned to professional boxing in 2014 picking up two unanimous decision wins before facing former world title holder Chad Dawson on October 4, 2014. In a significant upset, Karpency won via split decision, picking up the biggest win of his career to date, and moved to 24-4-1.

### Third world title shot

After winning the Pennsylvania light heavyweight title in his next fight, Karpency received another world title shot, this time for Adonis Stevenson's WBC title on September 11, 2015. Karpency was defeated via TKO.
A year later in 2016, Karpency made his return, getting a knockout win on the regional circuit before facing Oleksander Gvozdyk for the NABF light heavyweight title. Karpency was defeated by the current WBC light heavyweight champion via TKO. Karpency has since gone 3-0 (all TKO wins), fighting most recently as November 2018.

### Later career

In 2024, Karpency was a late replacement for a fight with David Nyika, an Olympic bronze medallist who had a 9-0 pro record at the time, and nearly a decade younger. The fight took place in Nyika's native New Zealand. Karpency lost by TKO in three rounds.

## Personal life

Aside from boxing, Karpency is also a registered nurse. Karpency has two younger brothers who are also professional boxers; Jeremiah and Dan. "The Bullfrog" Jeremiah, age 28, fights in the heavyweight division (holding a record of 15-2-1) while Dan competes as a super welterweight and is 8–2.

## Professional boxing record

| 37 fights | 29 wins | 7 losses |
| By knockout | 18 | 4 |
| By decision | 11 | 3 |
| Draws | 1 | 1 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 41 | Loss | 30–9–1 | David Nyika | TKO | 3 (10), 1:13 | Sep 15, 2024 | Viaduct Events Centre, Auckland, New Zealand | For IBF Inter-Continental and vacant WBO Asia Pacific cruiserweight titles |
| 40 | Win | 31-8-1 | Joe Jones | UD | 3 | Aug 10, 2024 | Packard Music Hall in Warren, Ohio | |
| 39 | Loss | 30–8–1 | Yunieski Gonzalez | KO | 2 (10), 2:03 | Sep 14, 2021 | Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, California, US | |
| 38 | Win | 30–7–1 | Mickey Scarborough | KO | 1 (10), 0:52 | Mar 13, 2021 | Southpaw Boxing and Fitness, Windham, New Hampshire, US | |
| 37 | Loss | 29–7–1 | Gilberto Ramírez | RTD | 4 (10), 3:00 | Apr 12, 2019 | Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, US | |
| 36 | Win | 29–6–1 | Marlon Hayes | TKO | 3 (8), 0:18 | Nov 21, 2018 | Castleton Banquet & Conference Center, Windham, New Hampshire, US | |
| 35 | Win | 28–6–1 | Rubin Williams | TKO | 1 (10), 1:00 | Nov 11, 2017 | Cumberland County Civic Center, Portland, Maine, US | |
| 34 | Win | 27–6–1 | Mickey Scarborough | TKO | 1 (8), 2:11 | Nov 18, 2016 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 33 | Loss | 26–6–1 | Oleksandr Gvozdyk | TKO | 6 (10), 2:21 | Jul 23, 2016 | MGM Grand Garden Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, US | For NABF light-heavyweight title |
| 32 | Win | 26–5–1 | Paul Gonsalves | KO | 1 (8), 1:39 | Apr 9, 2016 | The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Washington, Pennsylvania, US | Retained NABA-US light-heavyweight title |
| 31 | Loss | 25–5–1 | Adonis Stevenson | TKO | 3 (12), 0:21 | Sep 11, 2015 | Ricoh Coliseum, Toronto, Ontario, Canada | For WBC and The Ring light-heavyweight titles |
| 30 | Win | 25–4–1 | Rayco Saunders | UD | 8 | May 16, 2015 | The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Washington, Pennsylvania, US | Retained US Pennsylvania State light-heavyweight title |
| 29 | Win | 24–4–1 | Chad Dawson | SD | 10 | Oct 4, 2014 | Foxwoods Resort Casino, Ledyard, Connecticut, US | |
| 28 | Win | 23–4–1 | Dhafir Smith | UD | 10 | Jul 26, 2014 | The Meadows Racetrack and Casino, Washington, Pennsylvania, US | For vacant NABA-US and US Pennsylvania State light-heavyweight titles. |
| 27 | Win | 22–4–1 | Rayco Saunders | UD | 6 | Jan 31, 2014 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 26 | Loss | 21–4–1 | Andrzej Fonfara | TKO | 7 (12), 0:57 | Nov 16, 2012 | UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, US | For vacant IBO light-heavyweight title |
| 25 | Loss | 21–3–1 | Nathan Cleverly | UD | 12 | Feb 25, 2012 | Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff, Wales | For WBO light-heavyweight title |
| 24 | Win | 21–2–1 | Andre Hemphill | KO | 1 (6), 2:12 | Feb 12, 2012 | Zembo Shrine Building, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 23 | Win | 20–2–1 | Julius Jackson | RTD | 2 (10) | Jun 19, 2010 | Wheeling Island Casino Racetrack, Wheeling, West Virginia, US | |
| 22 | Loss | 19–2–1 | Karo Murat | UD | 12 | May 1, 2010 | Weser-Ems Halle, Oldenburg, Germany | For WBO Inter-Continental light-heavyweight title |
| 21 | Win | 19–1–1 | Mike McFail | TKO | 3 (6), 2:48 | Nov 25, 2009 | Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 20 | Win | 18–1–1 | Chuck Mussachio | UD | 10 | Aug 21, 2009 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | Retained WBA Fedecentro light-heavyweight title |
| 19 | Win | 17–1–1 | Eric Howard | UD | 6 | May 2, 2009 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 18 | Win | 16–1–1 | Cory Phelps | TKO | 2 (10), 2:27 | Jan 30, 2009 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | Won vacant WBA Fedecentro light-heavyweight title |
| 17 | Win | 15–1–1 | Willis Lockett | UD | 6 | Nov 28, 2008 | Caravan Club, New Castle, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 16 | Win | 14–1–1 | Lee Fortune | KO | 1 (8) | Nov 15, 2008 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 15 | Win | 13–1–1 | Eric Asher | TKO | 5 (6), 2:01 | Sep 25, 2008 | Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, Chester, West Virginia, US | |
| 14 | Win | 12–1–1 | Etianne Whitaker | TKO | 1 (4), 1:27 | Aug 22, 2008 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 13 | Loss | 11–1–1 | Rayco Saunders | UD | 8 | Jul 2, 2008 | Pullman Park, Butler, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 12 | Draw | 11–0–1 | Demetrius Davis | MD | 8 | Jun 13, 2008 | Du Burns Arena, Baltimore, Maryland, US | |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Etianne Whitaker | KO | 3 (8), 2:19 | Apr 26, 2008 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Derrick Holsinger | TKO | 1 (6), 2:36 | Feb 1, 2008 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Cullen Rogers | TKO | 2 (6) | Nov 21, 2007 | Avalon Hotel, Erie, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | James North | TKO | 1 (4) | Sep 22, 2007 | IceoPlex at Southpointe, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Eric Asher | TKO | 2 (4), 1:20 | Aug 23, 2007 | Mountaineer Casino Racetrack and Resort, Chester, West Virginia, US | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Cullen Rogers | UD | 6 | Jul 20, 2007 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Alan Snyder | TKO | 1 (4), 0:55 | Apr 20, 2007 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Larry Brothers | UD | 4 | Jan 26, 2007 | Waterfront Place Hotel, Morgantown, West Virginia, US | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Bob Wilder | TKO | 3 (4), 2:05 | Nov 22, 2006 | Avalon Hotel, Erie, Pennsylvania, US | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Derrick Holsinger | UD | 4 | Oct 7, 2006 | Wheeling Island Casino Racetrack, Wheeling, West Virginia, US | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Santiago Hillario | UD | 4 | May 19, 2006 | Wheeling Island Casino Racetrack, Wheeling, West Virginia, US | Professional debut. |