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By Jake Donovan - Bernard Hopkins versus Chad Dawson for the lineal light heavyweight championship of the world.
It was always a fight that was intriguing on paper from a historical context but threatened to bomb in the ring and at the box office.
A verdict reached by the California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday suggested the boxing equivalent of a wedding annulment. The original technical knockout verdict was overturned and changed to a no-contest, which is to suggest that the fight never happened at all.
Perhaps that’s what is best for all involved.
It’s certainly the direction in which Hopkins and his handlers are heading.
“I am happy this ordeal is over,” Hopkins (52-5-2-2NC, 32KO) said in a statement shortly after the CSAC voted by a 5-1 margin to return the championship back in his possession. “Now I can focus on continuing to rehab my shoulder and get ready to fight again, hopefully early next year.”
Who exactly lands in the opposite corner for his next fight is not immediately known. The only thing for certain is that a rematch with Dawson is not in the cards – not next, and perhaps not ever.
“I have zero interest in putting together that fight again,” stated Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. His company co-promoted the October bout along with Dawson’s promoter, Gary Shaw. The show featured a respectable undercard, but most of whom were – along with the main event players – East Coast-based, therefore not at all enticing to the local Los Angeles market.
Hopkins himself has never proven to be a draw on his own, but has always managed to help bolster attendance on the road when matched right.
Both of his fights with Jean Pascal were box office gold in Canada, given Pascal’s drawing power and the historical angle surrounding both fights. Hopkins entered their first fight in Dec. ’10 one month shy of his 46th birthday in seeking to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world title. [Click Here To Read More]
It was always a fight that was intriguing on paper from a historical context but threatened to bomb in the ring and at the box office.
A verdict reached by the California State Athletic Commission on Tuesday suggested the boxing equivalent of a wedding annulment. The original technical knockout verdict was overturned and changed to a no-contest, which is to suggest that the fight never happened at all.
Perhaps that’s what is best for all involved.
It’s certainly the direction in which Hopkins and his handlers are heading.
“I am happy this ordeal is over,” Hopkins (52-5-2-2NC, 32KO) said in a statement shortly after the CSAC voted by a 5-1 margin to return the championship back in his possession. “Now I can focus on continuing to rehab my shoulder and get ready to fight again, hopefully early next year.”
Who exactly lands in the opposite corner for his next fight is not immediately known. The only thing for certain is that a rematch with Dawson is not in the cards – not next, and perhaps not ever.
“I have zero interest in putting together that fight again,” stated Richard Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions. His company co-promoted the October bout along with Dawson’s promoter, Gary Shaw. The show featured a respectable undercard, but most of whom were – along with the main event players – East Coast-based, therefore not at all enticing to the local Los Angeles market.
Hopkins himself has never proven to be a draw on his own, but has always managed to help bolster attendance on the road when matched right.
Both of his fights with Jean Pascal were box office gold in Canada, given Pascal’s drawing power and the historical angle surrounding both fights. Hopkins entered their first fight in Dec. ’10 one month shy of his 46th birthday in seeking to become the oldest fighter in boxing history to win a world title. [Click Here To Read More]
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