I don't completely agree, I think he does have an inside game watch the first Glen Johnson fight. He has a good inside fighting game but it didn't match up to Johnson and almost cost him the decision.
Which is why he has been reluctant to use it recently, I think his inside game isn't as good as Pascals or Calzaghe when he was active (who had an underrated inside offense)
I think Calzaghe would beat him for that very reason. Dawson used to fight like an action fighter he'd return fire with fire and I think the Glen Johnson fight beat that risk taking Dawson away and the defense orientated safety fight Dawson sprung out hopefully we see some of that old Dawson come out now.
There's not many fighters that can fight in the inside period. It's a lost art
Duran, Whitaker, and Hop were great at it. Ward seems like he can do it. But I agree, it's a lost art
Dawson does have an inside fight game, he just doesn't use it, so he doesn't take return fire. Just look at where he let his hands go the most.
pascal would have adjusted anyways. hes too technical for dawson and dawson knows it. hes shook