by David P. Greisman

6PM ET: We're live from the XL Center in Hartford, Conn., where tonight HBO will be broadcasting the rematch between light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson, the former 175-pound champ and seemingly perennial contender.

I'll be checking in occasionally during the non-televised undercard, which includes two amateur bouts and five pro fights. Included in those pro fights are the man with the most consecutive first-round knockouts ever, middleweight prospect Tyrone Brunson (against some dude named Jose Medina), and an undefeated bantamweight prospect who's been featured on a few "ShoBox" cards, Chris Avalos (against some dude named Robert Daluz).

Make sure to refresh your screen often; I'll be updating more frequently once we get started, and quite often once we get to the televised card, which includes Alfredo Angulo against Harry Joe Yorgey, and then our main event.

Doors opened to the public about an hour ago. "The public" has yet to arrive. Jim Lampley and Harold Lederman are here already, though, chatting some 210 minutes before they go live.

6:27PM: Our first fight of the evening is a heavyweight bout between Emad Ali, 2-0, from New York City, and Kelsey Arnold, 1-3-2, from Tennessee. Arnold’s claim to fame so far is apparently as fall guy to heavyweight prospects Deontay Wilder and Tor Hamer.

6:31PM: The first knockdown comes off an Ali punch to the back of Arnold’s head. Arnold gets up before eight. “You want to fight?” the referee asks. “You sure?” He definitely does. He backs Ali into the ropes, and Ali gets stuck, his body through the ropes, the top rope in front of his neck.

Arnold tees off despite the referee yelling for Arnold to stop. Ali comes back and lands a series of straight rights to Arnold’s temple, following with a left hand. Arnold turns away, and the referee steps in. Time of stoppage is 2:39.

6:45PM: We’ve got an all Philadelphia battle for our second fight, middleweight prospect Tyrone Brunson, 20-0-1 (19), against Jose Medina, 15-15 (11).

"Knock his ass out," someone yells before the bell rings. Gotta love the acoustics of empty arenas...

6:48PM: We’ve got an all Philadelphia battle for our second fight, middleweight prospect Tyrone Brunson, 20-0-1 (19), against Jose Medina, 15-15 (11).

Brunson starts with a couple of jabs, then gets an “Oooh” from those in attendance with his first right hand.  Medina takes it, takes some more jabs, then jumps in with a left hook. Brunson, for the dude with the record for most consecutive first-round knockouts, is being patient.

Not too surprising, really. Brunson’s kayo streak ended in August 2008, when he was held to a draw. And in his last outing, which, interestingly, was just last month, he won an eight-round decision.

Medina’s made it to the second round. I don’t really think that means anything.

6:50PM: Two fights I’m missing tonight: David Haye’s decision win over Nikolai Valuev earlier today in Germany, and the MMA broadcast tonight featuring Fedor Emelianenko against Brett Rogers.

Brunson-Medina’s about to enter round three, according to the ring card girl.

6:57PM: Of all the shots that Medina’s taken, it was a left hook to the liver that ended his night in the third round. It was Micky Ward-esque in that Brunson hit Medina on his right arm before digging down to the body. Medina stayed on one knee for the full count. Time of stoppage is 1:31. Medina has now lost eight of his last nine.

Can we start moving Brunson’s level of opposition up? Former first-round kayo king Edwin Valero had a world title by now. Of course, Brunson is no Valero. Heck, even Valero might now be no Valero.

7:14PM: Here’s a nickname for you: Robert “Don’t Lose” DaLuz, the designated opponent for bantamweight prospect Chris Avalos.

“Now if your name is DaLuz, and your record is 12-21-3, you’re here to lose,” says the Associated Press reporter sitting to my right.

Yep.

DaLuz actually weighed in at junior featherweight. Not that it matters. Avalos is treating DaLuz like a punching bag. DaLuz’s trunks are almost up to his pecs, by the way.

“Hit him in the head,” yells a dude from ringside who has also gotten the attention of the ring card girls the two times they’ve been in the squared circle tonight.

Avalos responds. DaLuz makes it out of the round. Don’t know if he can do it again. And this bout is scheduled for eight.

7:19PM: Toward the end of the second round, something happens to Avalos, and DaLuz says quite audibly, “Are you okay?”

DaLuz, participating in a hurt sports, shows more compassion for his foe than that female college soccer player. The heck?

DaLuz makes it to round three. Some people are just masochistic. Me, I can’t hurt myself like that. I haven’t even watched Froch-Dirrell again yet…

7:30 PM: Here’s the rhythm of the fight: Avalos comes forward, throws tons of punches, hits DaLuz with most of them. DaLuz takes punishment, lands one or two good left hands, and talks trash. Rinse. Repeat.

7:34 PM: Avalos has a habit of switching from orthodox stance to southpaw and vice verse. But he does it seemingly without good reason, and he goes it with his hands low. A better fighter than DaLuz could exploit that.

Round seven, says the girl who, for this moment, is the target of wolf whistle.

7:47 PM: Avalos-DaLuz went the distance, surprisingly. This, the third fight of the night, was much better, much more competitive than expected.

Avalos takes the unanimous decision, 80-72 and 79-73 (twice). He improves to 13-0 (10 knockouts).

Avalos has a fan-friendly style. Yes, he’s been on a few “ShoBox” undercards, but otherwise he’s going to have to deal with being in a division few don’t pay attention to.

8:04PM: Do you know how hard it is not to break into your Harold Lederman impression while Lederman's five feet away?

Jim!.

8:13PM: Speaking of Harold, he’s doing his famous lines right now “…is scheduled for 12 rounds using the unified rules of the Association of Boxing Commissions. There is no three knockdown rule…” etc, etc.

We’re entering round six of a six-round undercard bout between Michael Oliveira (8-0, 6 knockouts) of Miami and Francisco Osorio (12-6, 10 knockouts), also of Miami.

But I’m more interested in what Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman are doing: the first 10 minutes of tonight’s broadcast, and, later, CompuBox numbers for Angulo-Yorgey, which, by the way, hasn’t happened yet.

It’s probably just rehearsing, but it’s fascinating to watch.

Oliveira and Osorio go to war for the final three minutes.

Or so I thought. The bout is entering the seventh round… huh?

8:21PM : Osorio remains in his corner before the eighth round. Oliveira picks up the win.

I’m going to sit down and enjoy the rest of this undercard until the broadcast begins. Will chime in occasionally until then with anything of note.

9:20PM: We’re coming up on the start of the broadcast. Fans have filled in, but there is still a good number of empty seats.

Fighters should be put in front of their hometown crowds more often (Dawson is from New Haven, Conn.), but this isn’t the kind of crowd that would bring Dawson back again. Part of the problem is that Dawson has been promoted in other states for so long, little has been done to build up a fan base here for him.

On the final non-televised undercard bout, Orlando Lora took an unpopular decision over Octavio Narvaez, brining his record to 26-0-1 (19 knockouts). Narvaez, who got robbed last year of what should have been a knockout win over Vivian Harris, falls to 7-8-1 with 4 knockouts.  Narvaez is a tough out.

9:31 PM: Harry Yoe Jorgey, 22-0-1, coming off a knockout win over Ronald Hearns, makes his way to the ring. Angulo is out next. Max Kellerman is receiving some last-minute make-up. Jim Lampley is fanning himself. A production screen in front of me shows the HBO Sports logo. Here we go…

9:34PM: Some people in the stands are chanting in favor of Yorgey while waiting for the fight to begin. “Harry Joe! Harry Joe!”

Doesn’t quite roll off the tongue, does it?

9:36PM: “Harold, this is the stupid shit!” Gary Shaw yells to Harold Lederman. The promoter is getting unhappy that the fighters are waiting in the ring while Jim Lampley and Max Kellerman set the stage for the broadcast.

9:43: Round one… They exchange jabs. Yorgey is letting Abgulo play the aggressor, trying to make Angulo miss and then countery. Yorgey’s going to need a lot of gas in his tank to keep moving all night, and Angulo’s going to need to show that he can be an effective pressure fighter.

Yorgey is using a jab and a short left hook to keep Angulo off him. Angulo is doing a good job cutting off the ring, working behind his own jab to keep Angulo’s back on the ropes. Angulo lands a good combination.

10-9 Angulo.

9:47PM: Round two…

Yorgey lands a good right hand 36 seconds into the round. Angulo sends a few jabs out, but nothing lands. Yorgey sends forth two uppercuts, seconds apart. Angulo has no head movement, and Yorgey knows Angulo will always be in front of him.

But that’s not always a good thing. Angulo hurts Yorgey with a right hand, closes in with a combination. Yorgey goes on the canvas, and Angulo hits him multiple times!

No penalty from the ref. This could be a crucial moment…

Angulo with another right. And another right.  Angulo chases after Yorgey, hits him on the back of the head. Yorgey stumbles into the blue corner. The ref pauses the action, but again, no penalty.

Yorgey is a sitting duck, getting straged with left hooks, right hands, and an uppercut.

10-8 Angulo, and it would’ve been that way even without the knockdown.

9:49PM: CompuBox at ringside says Angulo was 58 of 108 in the second round.

Round three... Angulo shakes Yorgey with a right hand 20 seconds in. His power is to much for Yorgey who holds on before falling to the canvas. No knockdown. Angulo closes in and Yorgey is doing nothing but throwing out weak arm punches.

Angulo catches Yorgey with a left hook, knocking him out, and hits Yorgey with some more punches before Yorgey hits the mat. The back of Yorgey’s head hits the canvas. It’s over.

9:50PM: Yorgey has regained consciousness. Gary Shaw came over and yelled at the HBO crew again, complaining about the referee. Time of stoppage is 1:03. Angulo improves to 17-1 with 14 knockouts. Yorgey suffers his first loss and is now 22-1-1 (10).

9:54PM: Some stats from Bob Canobbio of CompuBox: Angulo landed 63 percent of his power punches in the fight, 99 of 157. In the third round, Angulo landed 30 of 35 power punches. Brutal…

The TV schedule for tonight’s card was for two-and-a-half hours. I set my recording for 2 hours, 45 minutes. Guess that will prove to be quite unnecessary…

10:10PM: Johnson is in the ring. Dawson is in the ring. Dawson gets a huge hometown ovation when the ring announcer gets to “From New Haven, Connecticut…”

10:15PM: Round 1… “Do you really want a sign that says ‘Condom Depot’ on your ass?” says the AP reporter next to me,”referring to Dawson’s trunks.

Johnson throws a hard right to Dawson’d body, a hard right upstairs. Johnson is amping up the pressure early, and Dawson’s jabs aren’t doing much to keep him away.

Dawson comes forward with two lefts, nothing landing solid. Johnson lands a right. He looks markedly slower compared to his first fight with Dawson (at least when he throws to the body), but Dawson’s not taking advantage of it yet.

Dawson looks very focused, studying what the old man is bringing tonight.  What the old man is bringing is winning him the first round. Dawson lands a straight left to the body, and then another. Testing the 40-year-old gas tank.

They’re in the middle of the ring, and here is where the fight should belong to Dawson. Johnson sends out some jabs, which fall short, and then throws a right hand to Dawson’s body.

Johnson 10-9.

10:20PM: Round 2: Dawson sends out a few jabs to start. Johnson is troubled by activity (or at least has been in past fights), but he’s also good at timing Dawson and, at other times, waiting until Dawson’s not throwing but is still in range.

Dawson’s doing his best to remain out of range, jabbing and then moving in with left hands. Johnson is grunting with each punch he throws. He misses a one-two. Johnson lands a right hand. Dawson lands a left.

Dawson’s not committing to his jab now, which could allow Johnson to counter. Still, this is Dawson’s round so far, as Johnson hasn’t been able to do much except pressure.  Dawson with a combination in the final 10 seconds.

Dawson 10-9.

10:24PM: Round three… Johnson moving forward, but not landing. Dawson moving away, but not landing. This is a tactical fight that Dawson is putting forth, which is the right strategy considering how even their firefight was 18 months ago.

Dawson ducks the second half of a Johnson 1-2, then lands a couple of lefts, following those with a few more punches. Someone in the crowd, looking at Johnson’s yellow gloves and yellow trunks, calls Johnson “Big Bird.”

Johnson lands a right to the body. He lands a right hand while Dawson sends out a lazy southpaw jab, but Dawson responds with a flurry of snapping punches.

Dawson lands a left hand, which he seems to be timing when Johnson leans his head down in that direction.  He’s also jumping in with flurries whenever Johnson misses.

Johnson holds off on a punch that would’ve come just after the bell to end round three. Dawson gives Johnson a couple taps to the side as a “Thank you” or a “Good work” or an “I’m winning.

He is, too.

Dawson 10-9.

10:28PM: Round four… Dawson circling left, then right, making Johnson chase after him. Dawson counters a missed Johnson jab with a left uppercut. Johnson throws a 1-2, both blocked. Johnson misses a jab and a haymaker right hook.

Dawson is now keeping his right glove at his waist, trying to tempt Johnson to throw. Johnson is slowed down enough that Dawson can move away from the jab and the right hand that follows, then respond with shots of his own.

Johnson’s always been in good shape, especially for his age, but nobody beats Father Time. Even Bernard Hopkins had to learn to conserve himself over the years.

Dawson comes forward for a bit, and Johnson doesn’t do anything, either not sure what to do, or waiting to counter. I think Johnson doesn’t know how to deal with Dawson’s speed anymore. Had this fight happened a year ago, the action would be going differently.

Dawson 10-9 (39-37 Dawson).

10:32 PM: Round five: Johnson doesn’t get off his stool until after the bell rings to start the round. Johnson is still coming forward, but a pressure fighter isn’t a pressure fighter if he isn’t throwing punches. Unless, of course, you’re Arthur Abraham against Jermain Taylor.

Dawson is boxing, circling, jabbing, very confident considering Johnson had him hurt 18 months ago. Johnson hasn’t hurt him yet, and Dawson is controlling all the action with his foot speed and hand speed.

Dawson gets a rest mid-round by shouldering close to Johnson. There is no clinch, but Johnson obliges with the rest period. Soon, Dawson, replenished, throws a combination. Later, he tempts Johnson in and throws a left uppercut.

Johnson was so effective with that right hand in their first fight, but Dawson is angling himself so that he’s just out of range when the right hand comes.

It’s a slower round, but Dawson did more.

Dawson 10-9 (49-46 Dawson).

10:35 p.m.: Round six: Dawson with a 1-2.  Later, a left uppercut. After that, a left hand. Whenever Dawson finds himself on the ropes, he shuffles away and gets in the enter of the ring.

Johnson lands a couple of right hands to the body. Halfway through, Johnson appears to landa  right hand upstairs, but my view was obstructed by Dawson, so I couldn’t tell. A 1-2 from Dawson snaps Johnson’s head back.

Johnson is swallowing air, trying to get wind that would’ve been there in the past. Johnson jabs. Ddawson with a  left hand off Johnson’s arms. With 30 seconds to go, Dawson lands a left hand upstairs.

Johnson misses again with a  1-2, and misses the follow-up left hook.

Dawson 10-9 (59-55 Dawson).

10:40PM: Round seven: Harold gave the last round to Johnson, according to the screen in front of me. Really? You kidding me?

Either way, we have the same score so far.

Forty-five seconds in and nothing of consequence.  Dawson lets Johnson in, and Johnson lands a left to the body. Soon after, Dawson lands a right to Johnson’s body as a receipt.

Dawson ducks Johnson’s 1-2 again. This is the story of the night, the difference between last fight and this.

Amsuing: When the crowd chants “Dawson! Daw-son!” it sounds a bit like they’re saying, “Bull-shit! Bull-shit!”

Johnson lands a jab. Dawson ducks the right hand again. A Dawson left is blocked. Another misses. Johnson with a right. Dawson ducks and weaves away from more Johnson punches.

Johnson lands a right in the final seconds of the round, and Dawson lands a jab after the bell.

10-9 to Johnson, but barely. I could’ve scored this an even round, but I didn’t.

10:44PM: Round eight: A fight flies by when you’re doing round-by-round. Damn.

Don’t ask me to do math on what my score for the fight is so far. I majored in English.

Dawson with a right uppercut, a left hand, and then he spins Johnson away.

Dawson with a left uppercut, though not much behind it. Johnson still following, but the snap from his punches is gone, whereas one can hear the thud from the body shots that Dawson just landed.

Johnson throws a slow right hook. No snap.

We’ve got a stick and move fight. Not the most entertaining, but good drama if you’re waiting for Johnson to chase Dawson down.

10-9 Dawson. Six rounds to two. 78-74 Dawson. How’s my math?

10:48: Round nine: Johnson huffing for air before getting off his stool. I always thought Johnson looked like a skinnier Sonny Liston. Now, even more than ever.

Dawson with body shots, and then he moves away. Soon, they clinch, but it’s more like Dawson is holding Johnson’s left hand. Smart.

Dawson misses with a right uppercut. Great idea for when your opponent is coming in, head down, for the entire fight.

Johnson finally catches Dawson with a right hand, but Dawson isn’t hurt. Is that what Johnson needed to get his second wind? He backs Dawson to the ropes and lands three punches. They move off the ropes, and Dawson lands a few.

Dawson might be taking this round off, but he’s also playing with fire, staying right on the edge of Johnson’s range. Johnson still is moving more than punching, though, which allows Dawson to get away with resting. It also gives Dawson a chance to steal the round with a flurry before the bell.

Dawson, a close 10-9. I wouldn’t argue too much with someone who scored it for Johnson. A little, but not too much.

10:52PM: Round 10:  Dawson throws seven or eight unanswered punches from within the pocket, trying to send a message that he’s still in control of the fight, still got the energy that Johnson is desperately seeking.

Dawson with a  left. Later, his back on the ropes, he easily ducks a Johnson right hook. Again, Dawson gets on the ropes but isn’t made to pay for it. He throws a few left hands that land and moves away. He circles to his left, throws a left hand, jabs, weaves.

Johnson lands a right. Dawson jabs a few times. Johnson misses a right (Dawson ducks it), and then Dawson comes back with punches of his own.

Again, in the final 10 seconds, Dawson punctuates the round.

Dawson 10-9, 8 rounds to 2. 98-92.

10:56PM: Round 11: Someone in the crowd asks Dawson for a knockout. I’m not sure if that’s coming.

Johnson is still coming forward, Dawson ducks down, nearly to the mat, to duck a right hand. Later, he weaves and bobs away from some Johnson jabs.

The crowd boos. This is not earning Dawson fans, but it is earning him the win. Dawson gets trapped on the ropes. Johnson lets loose, but Dawson looks little the worse for wear.

Dawson moving, lands a jab. He lands a left uppercut as Johnson comes in. Johnson’s mouth wide open.  A left hand from Dawson, then another, followed by a right hand to the body.

Dawson 10-9, but barely. Not much going on that round.

11PM: Round 12:  Dawson is up from his stool at the 10-second warning before the round begins. Johnson remains seated until the bell.

Johnson knows he needs the knockout. Comes forward and lands a couple of rights, but whiffs with the right hook. Dawson playing prevent defense. Johnson seems revitalized. Dawson comes forward with a few punches, and the crowd is on its feet. Dawson ducks down, but Johnson wasn’t throwing anything.  Dawson comes forward and lands a left hand with Johnson on the ropes.

Johnson coming forward, Dawson moves away from the ropes. There went Johnson’s last gasp. A minute to go on the prominent portion of his career. Dawson jabs, then follows with a solid left hand.

Dawson counters a Johnson jab with a left cross. We’re at the 10-second warning. The crowd half cheers, knowing their man has won, and half boos, recognizing how, at times, their man won it.

Dawson 10-9, 10 rounds to 2, 118-110.

11:02PM: Glen Johnson stands on the ropes, raising his arms. The crowd boos. Gary Shaw yells to the crew at ringside: “Does he think he won that one, too?”

We go to the scorecards:

Duane Ford and Michael Pernick saw the fight 115-113, Glenn Feldman saw it 117-111, a unanimous decision for Dawson.

11:09PM: I'm heading to the post-fight press conference. Thanks for tuning in tonight. I'll be weighing in on tonight's fights this Monday in my weekly column, "Fighting Words."