By Chris LaBate
In a stunning twist, WBC-interim light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson has parted ways with trainer Emanuel Steward. Dawson is on the eve of the biggest fight of his career, taking place on October 15th against full WBC champion Bernard Hopkins.
Steward told Tim Starks of The Queensberry Rules that Dawson's lawyer informed him two days ago that Dawson wouldn't be reporting to the Kronk Gym in Detroit for training because he wanted to stay in his home state of Connecticut. Steward, currently training several other boxers for their upcoming fights at the Kronk Gym, like middleweight Andy Lee, is unable to leave the state for the sole purpose of training Dawson at home.
Not the first trainer to part ways with Dawson, who was previously trained by Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Floyd Mayweather, Sr., Dan Birmingham and John Scully. Steward lasted for only a single fight, as he trained Dawson for his May win over Adrian Diaconu.
"I've been waiting on him to show every week," Steward said to Starks. "His lawyer called and said want to be closer to home. I don’t know. I respect that he wants to be close to his family, but I’m definitely not in agreement with him."
"Whoever it is [training him], it's not a good idea to be changing at the last minute," Steward said. "This is a very, very serious fight with Bernard. You can’t do that with Bernard. He's got a solid team. You've got to respect him."