Insider Notebook: Schaefer Blasts Dawson, Roach Talks

By Robert Morales

Who is Chad Dawson to call Bernard Hopkins "a p*ssy," the way he did after his way-out two-round fight with the living legend Saturday in Los Angeles? That's what Richard Schaefer wants to know.

Schaefer is the CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, which promotes Hopkins. When reached in Mexico City on Tuesday and queried about Dawson's remarks after his "technical knockout" victory, Schaefer became peeved.

"If you look at what Dawson has acheived and what Bernard has achieved, it pretty much speaks for itself," Schaefer said to BoxingScene.com.  "And it shows you that Chad Dawson really did not belong in the ring with Bernard Hopkins. Never did and never will and never should."

Schaefer was just beginning. He hit hard. He said that typically there are satellite tours the week of these pay-per-view cards, where the PR team sets up the fighters for radio and TV interviews. Schaefer said not one radio or TV station requested Dawson, but they did request guys like Hopkins, undercard fighters Jorge Linares, Antonio DeMarcos and Paulie Malignaggi and promoter Oscar De La Hoya - president of Golden Boy.

"Let me give you another example," Schaefer said. "In every fight we do, always, the fighters, they get their comp tickets. They get like 10 each, or something like that. Fifteen, whatever it is. And they always buy tickets. Some buy more than others. But even the undercard guys, even the non-televised guys, they're buying tickets. You know how many tickets Chad Dawson bought? Zero."

Schaefer seemed to get more perturbed as the conversation continued. It was like the enormity of Dawson calling one of the all-time greats "a p*ssy" was finally hitting him full on. 

"So this guy really has gall to call Bernard Hopkins a p*ssy," Schaefer said. "What has he accomplished? Where is he ever going to fight again? Who ever wants to see this guy again? I mean, if you open up the dictionary and you look at 'boring,' you probably see Chad Dawson's name right behind it. I mean, this guy actually calls Bernard Hopkins a p*ssy? It's like a joke, you know? It's like a joke."

Worse than that, Schaefer suggested.

"And I think this is disrespectful because he might not like him or whatever, but one thing Bernard Hopkins has earned - from everyone - is respect," Schaefer said. "You've got to respect the man for where he came from, for how he turned his life around and for what he has accomplished.

"And for somebody...I mean, to call him a p*ssy. This is like, I mean, it's is so beyond anything somebody should say. But it just shows you the guy has no class, no charisma, nothing."

Roach Chimes In

One interested observer Saturday was trainer Freddie Roach, who worked the corner of Jorge Linares in his semi-main event lightweight title fight against Antonio DeMarco. Roach suggested that perhaps Dawson got caught up in the moment when he called Hopkins "a p*ssy."

"Yeah, you know, I think people's emotions get a little out there because Bernard knows how to play mind games and he got under his (Dawson's skin) and he made the guy mad at him and the guy came out with those comments," Roach said.

"When he calms down, I think he'll change his opinion. He has to have respect for Bernard. ... Bernard gets under people's  skin, so I'm sure that is what caused him to call him a p*ssy. When someone pisses you off, you always retaliate and we don't always think before we retaliate."

Roach said he believes the fight will eventually be changed to a no-contest.

Protest is On The Way

Schaefer said the official protest to the California State Athletic Commission is on the way. Golden Boy believes Dawson's take-down of Hopkins should have resulted in the fight being ruled a no-contest; Hopkins was diagnosed with a separation of the A-C joint that connects the collar bone and shoulder blade.

"I have not heard from anyone - media member, fan or whatever, who doesn't agree that it was a foul and a TKO is totally the wrong decision," Schaefer said.

Moreover, Schaefer shudders to think about the future of boxing if this kind of thing is allowed to take place.

"It's very clear that Chad Dawson lifted Bernard Hopkins off his feet and if that is not a flagrant foul, or a foul, then I don't know what is," Schaefer said. "To go for somebody's legs, lift them off the ground ... and there's only one goal with that move, and that's to have the guy lose his balance and have him fall to the canvas.

"You don't lift somebody's legs up in boxing. All of us in boxing, we cannot accept that because if that is going to be legal, where does that put boxing? It puts boxing closer to M M A and wrestling."

The 'Ice Man' Speaks

Dawson was reunited with former trainer John "Ice Man" Scully for Saturday's fight. Contacted via email, Scully on Wednesday responded to Schaefer's rant.

"What Mr. Schaefer needs to understand is that sometimes fighters don't see other fighters the same way that fans see them," Scully said. "The fact that Bernard has done some truly great things in the sport doesn't change the fact that numerous times over the course of that career he has shown almost a habit of doing this type of thing.

"Against Roy Jones in their rematch it actually seemed as if Bernard was trying to draw a disqualification victory over  Roy by exaggerating and rolling around on the ground like he was shot."

That was in April 2010. Jones landed a vicious rabbit punch in the sixth round, dropping Hopkins to the canvas. Hopkins finished the fight and won a wide decision, but he said he was seeing stars from that moment on.

Scully also suggested that Hopkins and his camp can't expect the ultimate in respect because of the way he treats his opponents.

"Also, Bernard through his words and actions is often very disrespectful to the men he is fighting and that in itself disqualifies him from receiving automatic respect in return," Scully said. "A man like (Manny) Pacquiao gets respect because he doesn't trash talk whatsoever; he just goes about his business in the ring in a very honest manner. Hopkins talks a lot and seems to believe that his accomplishments allow for him to say anything he pleases and that his word is gospel and it isn't.

"He's a fighter just like Chad is a fighter. Bernard has achieved great things in the ring, definitely he has. But Chad trained extremely hard and came to win. He was motivated and excited and in the midst of the disappointment of the way the fight ended he verbally lashed out. If Mr. Schaefer had ever trained as hard as these guys do and got himself mentally and physically motivated and prepared for an event such as this, he would understand the outpouring of emotions that come out with a disappointing ending like this." 

Scully, who said Hopkins intentionally tried to head-butt Dawson in the first round and smacked Dawson in the hips when the referee (Pat Russell) wasn't looking, talked about the move that put Hopkins on the canvas.

"Bernard has a history of doing things like that where he basically uses maneuvers to manhandle opponents," Scully said. "He ended up on Chad's back and what was Chad supposed to do? Let Bernard stay there? The man sloppily put himself on Chad's back and on the spur of the moment he instinctively decided to get him off.

"We could understand if this type of thing happened once before but the fact is that this type of thing has happened numerous times before. You could make a lengthy highlight video of all the moments where Bernard Hopkins ended up grimacing in pain on the canvas in what appears to be severe agony from something his opponents supposedly had done to him. How many times can this type of thing happen to one man in a single career? It's mind boggling."

In another instance, Hopkins was accidentally pushed out of the ring by Robert Allen in the fourth round of their first  fight in August 1998. Hopkins was injured and could not continue.

That fight was ruled a no-contest.

As for Dawson not selling any tickets, Scully scoffed.

"The fact is that Chad lives 3000 miles away from where they inexplicably put this fight," Scully said. "Did Hopkins  personally sell a whole bunch of tickets to this event? Or is it the promoters job to sell the tickets? If they were actually relying on Chad Dawson to carry the event and make a real dent in the attendance by selling tickets of his own to people back in Connecticut, then maybe we are missing something in terms of how to fill the house.

"Promoters promote and sell tickets and fighters fight and then talk about it afterward."

Attendance was 8,431.

Pacquiao Update

Roach likes the way things are going for Pacquiao, who trains under Roach's guidance at his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood.

Pacquiao will defend his welterweight championship against Juan Manuel Marquez on Nov. 12 at MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

"He's on fire right now," Roach said of Pacquiao, who has a draw and a split-decision victory against Marquez. "We had a great start. We started boxing eight weeks out helping Linares get ready for DeMarco. He has had some great work in the Philippines.

"He is really motivated for this fight. I see Manny knocking this guy out."