Photo: Jessy Ross Thompson – A true one-man band, the coach has also become an ambassador for Rival Boxing in the U.S.
Jessy Ross Thompson is a renowned trainer in Quebec. Until recently, he ran his gym in Montreal, training dozens of boxers, both professional and amateur, while living in a lovely suburban home. It would have been easy to stay there, in the comfort zone many dream of. But his dream was something else—his dream was the American Dream.
Last March, the corner man left it all behind to start fresh in St. Petersburg, Florida, with his wife and their three children. It was a risky bet. Hard to predict and harder than expected, but nine months later, it’s starting to come to life.
“I’d say it was an introductory year. In Montreal, I had my reputation, people knew me and knew what I could do. Here, it was about presenting myself again, proving what I was capable of, making connections with boxers and managers, and getting my name out there,” says the trainer, who hasn’t stopped working since his move.
The proof is in the numbers: in 2025, he worked in more than 80 corners across the United States. It’s a record year, even for a trainer who practically learned to walk in a boxing gym.
Through Hurricanes and Hardships
In terms of boxing, it’s fair to say he had a blazing start. Restarting from scratch in a field where he knows how to rise was one thing. But outside the ring, it was no walk in the park.
For tourism, Florida is all about oranges and beaches. For moving, it’s the great unknown.
The transition was anything but simple. Even the everyday logistics were different—how to register a vehicle, enroll kids in school, understand taxes… even paying for water. Plus, to ensure the transition, the father of three first had to take a part-time job in building maintenance.
On top of it all, the transition unfolded in a trailer, which, much like the young family it housed, was put to the test. Call it belief or coincidence: as if Poseidon or Mother Nature wanted to test the Thompsons, two hurricanes hit the Sunshine State shortly after their arrival. When Hurricanes Milton and Helene passed, their resilient trailer had to be evacuated twice in emergencies.
“If I had to do it all over again, I don’t know if I would. I certainly wouldn’t recommend it to many people. And I have to give all the credit to my wife for making it possible because she held down the fort, often staying alone with the kids at home while I was working late at fight nights.”
Ah, the American Dream.
Land in Sight!
This dream, or promised land, now seems closer than ever.
By working the corners of 80 boxers, Jessy Ross Thompson has quickly built a solid reputation in the U.S. His kids are now enrolled in school, and his wife is even teaching at the French American School of Tampa Bay. “Everything is moving in the right direction, despite the challenges,” he assures, adding that they’ve just bought a home.
Goodbye to the trailer? Not quite. It will be relocated near the gym, steps away from the beach, to host international boxers.
“We have an amateur champion from France who’s 4-0 as a pro coming for three weeks, and another from Germany will follow… it’s starting to take shape,” he says, also inviting boxers from Quebec to try something different.
‘Think Big’
After spending 2024 on the road, often as a cutman or assistant, Jessy Ross Thompson plans to focus 2025 in the gym as a trainer, building his team.
“This is what I excel at and why I came here,” he notes, setting the bar high for the years ahead.
“The ultimate goal is to have a gym that competes with the likes of Freddie Roach and Robert Garcia. We already have the resources, with our nutritionists and strength trainers. With Coach Rick [Carorongan], we’ve got momentum right now. Having boxers like ‘Hot Rod’ [Kalajdzic], Cesar Tapia, and Connor Coyle gives us good arguments to attract others to train here too.”
As he points out, this is how all great trainers make a name for themselves—bringing a boxer to the top attracts others. Think Eddy Reynoso with Canelo, Robert Garcia with his brother Mikey, or even Marc Ramsay with Jean Pascal.
What helps ‘JRT’ here is that in the U.S., there’s a much larger talent pool.
“That’s the biggest difference from Quebec. The level of boxing and coaching isn’t inferior—it’s excellent, actually. But the talent pool—and therefore the opportunities—are so much bigger here, it’s not even comparable,” says the trainer, content with his decision.
“It’s not for everyone, but for me, it’s what I’ve always wanted to do.”
The American Dream isn’t without obstacles, but if you can overcome them, it’s without limits.
Timeline
Ramirez vs. Ziyatdinov
January 25, 2024 / Montreal: In one of his last corners before leaving for Florida, he led Artur Ziyatdinov in a much more competitive fight than expected against Albert Ramirez. “I’ve kept in touch with Artur, and he’s one of the guys who wants to come train here. It’s just a bit more complicated for him with visas.”
Poulin vs. Bouchard
March 23, 2024 / Drummondville: Jan Michael Poulin became the first Quebecer to follow his trainer to Florida. Returning visibly in top shape to Quebec, he claimed his second Canadian championship by winning a unanimous decision against Sébastien Bouchard. “I also know Simon Kean will come if a fight against Makhmudov materializes…”
Morrell Jr vs. Kalajdzic
August 3, 2024 / Los Angeles: Alongside trainer Rick Carorongan, he was in Radivoje ‘Hot Rod’ Kalajdzic’s corner for his WBA world championship fight against David Morrell Jr. That night, at the Riyadh Season debut in the U.S., ‘Hot Rod’ surprised many by giving the Cuban the toughest test of his career.
Plant vs. McCumby
September 14, 2024 / Las Vegas: Jessy Ross Thompson’s name and reputation began circulating in the U.S. Trevor McCumby’s team called on him as a cutman for his interim world championship fight against Caleb Plant. On the Canelo undercard, McCumby sustained a cut in the 5th round but never faltered. He delivered a fiery performance against ‘Sweet Hands’ Plant, even knocking him down. “McCumby is actually supposed to come do a camp with us this winter.”
Torrez Jr vs. Gutierrez
December 7, 2024 / Phoenix: On Saturday morning (Eastern time), I called Jessy Ross Thompson for an interview. We chatted a bit about the Navarrete-Valdez card since he was in the corner for two boxers on the undercard. One of them, Issac Gutierrez, faced super-prospect Richard ‘Kiki’ Torrez Jr. A few hours later, my friend Laurent Poulin from Boxingtown Quebec called and said: “I just saw the heavyweight with the best chin I’ve ever seen on a Top Rank card! You’ll never guess who was in his corner…”
