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by Cliff Rold - Chad Dawson (31-2, 17 KO) remains the Light Heavyweight Champion of the World. Too bad, as he prepares for his first defense of the lineal crown he wrested from Bernard Hopkins in April 2012, it feels like a consolation prize.
It might have something to do with a bad September night between Hopkins and Saturday’s showdown in Montreal with big punching Adonis Stevenson (20-1, 17 KO).
When the choice was made to drop down to 168 lbs. and challenge Andre Ward for the Super Middleweight crown, without putting the Light Heavyweight crown on the line as well, that was the risk that was run. It could just as easily have been done differently, treating 168 as both a limit and catchweight sort of like what happened years ago in the Sugar Ray Leonard-Donny LaLonde fight.
There have been plenty of post-facto reports, and some believable reports before the fight as well, that Dawson’s decision to move down in weight ended up a sucker bet. He may not have had his best stuff that night, certainly looked weaker than had been the case in the past, and took a beating for most of ten rounds.
Dawson had been vulnerable in the past. Eric Harding had him on the floor. So did Tomasz Adamek. Glen Johnson didn’t but he beat Dawson all over the ring in spots during their savage first encounter. That Ward, not known as a massive puncher, would score his first stoppage since 2009 wasn’t totally out of the realm of the possible. [Click Here To Read More]
It might have something to do with a bad September night between Hopkins and Saturday’s showdown in Montreal with big punching Adonis Stevenson (20-1, 17 KO).
When the choice was made to drop down to 168 lbs. and challenge Andre Ward for the Super Middleweight crown, without putting the Light Heavyweight crown on the line as well, that was the risk that was run. It could just as easily have been done differently, treating 168 as both a limit and catchweight sort of like what happened years ago in the Sugar Ray Leonard-Donny LaLonde fight.
There have been plenty of post-facto reports, and some believable reports before the fight as well, that Dawson’s decision to move down in weight ended up a sucker bet. He may not have had his best stuff that night, certainly looked weaker than had been the case in the past, and took a beating for most of ten rounds.
Dawson had been vulnerable in the past. Eric Harding had him on the floor. So did Tomasz Adamek. Glen Johnson didn’t but he beat Dawson all over the ring in spots during their savage first encounter. That Ward, not known as a massive puncher, would score his first stoppage since 2009 wasn’t totally out of the realm of the possible. [Click Here To Read More]
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