Chad Dawson and his team actually did turn down an offer from Mikkel Kessler.

[BattlingNelson]

And Dawson would fight comfortably at a catchweight at 172. Dawson would have no problem fighting at SMW right now. Maybe Tarver activated the rematch clause before Dawson the fight could be made, who knows.

BatTheMan do you know anything about IBF mandatory rules? I know IBF rules are different from the WBC and Dawson needs to Tavoris Cloud sooner or later. Does Dawson have to fight Cloud after he beats Tarver?

I know they have a rule and that the champion is required to defend against the mandatory. But I dont know the time-frame.

In WBA the timeframe normally is to for the champion to make a mandatory within 6 months. I believe WBC is quite similar. WBA has exceptions when the champion unifies and becomes a 'superchampion'. Then there is 18 (I think) months between required mandatories.

WBO has no stipulated requirements.

[slicksouthpaw16]

He fought injured against Mundine and injured against Calzaghe. Both times in his opponenst backyard. Do you question his courage still?

He has fought in the US. He KO'ed Isreal Ponce in 2 rounds on the Gatti-Damgaard undercard in Las Vegas.

Honestly i question his courage( or his management's courage) but not his skill, he has all the talent in the world although he hasn't been back to that elite level because he doesn't get the fights that he needs. Him turning down the Miranda fight i still think was a mistake. Imagine if he blew Edison out the way Abraham did? He would get so much more press worldwide and would receive far less criticism then he does now. He also claimed that everyone is avoiding him and has been teasing us with possible fights with Johnson, Taylor, Froch, Hopkins and Dawson, and neither of them happened. How come the Johnson fight is not happening. We all know Johnson would fight him right there at his own house.

I will actually make a bet with you if that the Kessler fight is still offered to him after Tarver, that Dawson will take the fight. He needs big fights and Kessler is seen as the man at 168. I remember when Dawson fought Mendoza, Steve Albert said in the post fight interview that Dawson would have no problem fighting either Kessler or Calzaghe. And lets be real, ''Ponce'' was a nobody.

[Grand Champ]

No known fighter is going to fight Kessler.. And not now when Kessler sues his team.. Kessler is going to die of old age before fighting another name.

[Truth]

Shaw is sticking by that 175 lb standard.

[OTSS]

...And rightfully so, why should Dawson have to meet at a catch-weight?

Niether is a huge draw but nobody knows who Kessler is.

[The Hammer]

According to this site

http://www.badlefthook.com/2009/1/14/720563/re-examining-the-kessler-m

Mr. Marley also is adamant that they've tried to make other big fights, as well, including one that may surprise you.

"Recently, Chad Dawson turned down a catch weight fight on HBO for March 14 [the date that wound up being Dawson-Tarver II] against Kessler. Kessler agreed to fight at 170, 171 or even 172 pounds but Gary Shaw rejected that even as we agreed to possibly fighting Dawson in his home state of Connecticut.

"About this time, Gary put out the statement that 'Dawson will fight anyone at 175 pounds.'"


****ing ****** ass Gary Shaw.

This shows Dawson is a naturally bigger man than Kessler. If they were the same size, the fight could take place.

[BattlingNelson]

...And rightfully so, why should Dawson have to meet at a catch-weight?

Because Dawson called out the lighter man.

[OTSS]

Because Dawson called out the lighter man.

Yeah, come see me. At my weight not ill meet you half way...or did he?

I didnt read the article. I'm just saying, if I was him I'd make him come up to 175.

[Dave Rado]

Him turning down the Miranda fight i still think was a mistake.

Huge mistake - but I've seen no proper explanation for why he pulled out - any idea what really happened?

[BattlingNelson]

Huge mistake - but I've seen no proper explanation for why he pulled out - any idea what really happened?

From the article:

"We had two chances to fight Miranda, one on Showtime and then on HBO," he says. "The Showtime deal was rejected because Miranda's promoter reneged on how Kessler's purse would be paid.

"Then HBO came calling about the same fight and Kessler accepted the fight, all the terms for the fight including holding the bout at the Seminole Tribe Hard Rock Casino in Hollywood, Florida. In other words, Kessler accepted fighting in Miranda's promoter's home ring.

"Kessler's acceptance was done in writing and sent to HBO officials and to [promoters] Leon Margules and Lou DiBella... It was Miranda's guy, Mr. Margules, who stabbed HBO in the back, ducking out to fight Abraham. He was double dealing HBO. HBO was pissed but they couldn't do anything about it."

In retrospect he should have taken the fight the first time around. The second time Kessler was ditched by Miranda who preferred a return with the abrahammer...