By Mark Vester
IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson is counting down the days until his rematch with Antonio Tarver on May 9. Dawson dominated Tarver last year to win the IBF title. He wasn't thrilled with having to fight Tarver again, but there was a rematch clause and Tarver exercised it. The rematch clause was not immediate. Dawson didn't want the rematch hanging over his head. He wanted to get it out of the way and focus on bigger things.
The biggest thing on Dawson's mind is Bernard Hopkins. With Joe Calzaghe's retirement, Hopkins is the biggest thing out there for Dawson at light heavyweight. Hopkins has been mentioned for a rematch with Felix Trinidad in November. The rematch is news to Hopkins. During a few recent interviews Hopkins told reporters that he planned to retire.
"I want Bernard Hopkins. I want to be the pound-for-pound champion, and he's the only light heavyweight left out there now that (Joe) Calzaghe retired. But for me to get Bernard, I've got to beat Dawson again," Dawson told the Las Vegas Review Journal.
If Dawson can't get a major fight at 175, he is willing to drop down to super middleweight. While the names are thin at 175, there are plenty of big fights at 168. WBC super middleweight champ Carl Froch is now a major player with his knockout of Jermain Taylor. WBA champion Mikkel Kessler is a huge draw in Denmark, and IBF champion Lucian Bute draws massive crowds to his fights in Canada. Jermain Taylor is still a player at 168, and middleweight champions Arthur Abraham and Kelly Pavlik should be there by next year. That gives Dawson a lot of options at the weight.
"Hey, I'll go where the fights are," Dawson said. "If nobody wants to fight me at 75, I'll go down to 68."
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