Dawson Vacates IBF Title, Johnson Fight Nears

[big_james10]

Chad Dawson prefers to fight 40 year olds rather than younger, dangerous opponents like Tavoris Cloud and Adrian Diaconu.

He should have taken care of his mandatory first, then rematched Johnson. There's no reason he can't fight three times in a year.

Actually, there is a reason he can't fight three times in a year. He can only fight if he can make a decent payday. And the only way he can make a decent payday is if HBO or Showtime buys the match. Promoters don't put fighters in non-televised matches anymore where they have to be responsible for all the expenses; and the only way they are going to put someone on PPV is if they think they can make enough to pay them. That is not the case with Chad Dawson. So he can only fight if one of the networks buys the fight and pays the fees, and there are only so many dates available per year and a lot of fighters and promoters want those dates.

[Iceta]

Well, you can look at it two ways I guess. Maybe you can accuse Dawson of ducking Cloud since it was a mandatory. But where Cloud messed up is staying so inactive after that impressive performance against Julio Gonzalez and Cloud's team requesting the IBF to strip Dawson without making an effort to try to negotiate a fight with Chad. I can't really fault Chad for vacating his belt and going for the Johnson rematch since HBO has no interest in Tavoris at the moment, because Glen got robbed against Chad in my view, and I'm giving him a damn good shot to finish what he started on Dawson in the rematch. If Chad ever decides to fight Cloud he's gonna get beat though, make no mistake about it. Cloud is the real deal regardless of how ****** his career is being managed. If his handlers are smart, they will try to get his IBF title fight on the undercard with Chad so HBO will have the victorious man in Johnson and Dawson fight the winner of his fight with Woods whom he'll either beat convincingly or score a stoppage over. Woods is a scrub. But that's not Cloud's fault.

[j69madrox]

Glen Johnson is the loser in this fight even if he wins it.

[TOBYLEE1]

Well lets see who is the better fight Cloud or Johnson. Of course Johnson, we don't need belts to dictate who is the better fighter. I know they are rules and up and comers should have a shot but this fight has to be made. If Dawson comes out victorious any other of the paper champions will fight him because of the money its gonna generate. Cloud will get his shot, all he has to do is to keep winning.

[Dave Rado]

Actually, there is a reason he can't fight three times in a year. He can only fight if he can make a decent payday.

I'm glad he's giving Johnson a rematch, but if Woods can fight Cloud, I don't see why Dawson can't. Presumably the Woods-Cloud money is coming from somewhere.

[Dave Rado]

Because you heavily expose to a bad dissision in Germany as time has proven over and over

There's a very simple solution to that, which is for Dawson to insist on the referee and judges being international and not hometown, like Lacy did for the Calzaghe fight.

I don't understand why it isn't mandatory in all title fights involving two nationalities for the ref and judges to be international in any case.

plus why should the name and draw at 175 go over and fight someone on his home turf.

Because that's where the money is; and if he fought and beat the other belt holders - and especially the lineal title holder - and became the truly undisputed champion, he'd have a much stronger legacy and his long term commercial clout would increase massively.

[SkillspayBills]

This the type of **** I HATE from boxing fans. First they say Chad is a ***** for not giving Glen Johnson a rematch, he gives him a rematch and now he is a ***** and is ducking someone else? You can't have it both ****ing ways.

[IMDAZED]

I'm glad he's giving Johnson a rematch, but if Woods can fight Cloud, I don't see why Dawson can't. Presumably the Woods-Cloud money is coming from somewhere.

It sure is but isn't HBO bread. For once, Glen Johnson is not only the better fighter he's also the bigger draw. Simple decision between Cloud and the Road Warrior.

[Dan...]

This the type of **** I HATE from boxing fans. First they say Chad is a ***** for not giving Glen Johnson a rematch, he gives him a rematch and now he is a ***** and is ducking someone else? You can't have it both ****ing ways.

Unfortunately there are certain posters on here with an agenda against Dawson. They are prepared to manipulate their arguments to suit the situation in order to put **** on chad in any way they can.

[Iceta]

This the type of **** I HATE from boxing fans. First they say Chad is a ***** for not giving Glen Johnson a rematch, he gives him a rematch and now he is a ***** and is ducking someone else? You can't have it both ****ing ways.

Even though I give Chad his just due and not tear him down for ditching his strap to give Glen Johnson his deserved rematch doesn't mean I don't view Tavoris Cloud as a threat to him. Cloud is an aggressive puncher with a high work rate and good stamina. Two things that Chad lacks and they happen to be his kryptonite. I will admit that a lot of times the sanctioning bodies come up with scrub ass mofos as mandatories, but this is one instance of where they got it right. Just because you are a fan of Chad doesn't mean that you shouldn't have the inability to put yourself in other fighters' shoes. How do you think Chad would have gotten his shot at Adamek and a belt if mandatories didn't exist? Or Kelly Pavlik at Jermaine Taylor? The list goes on and on. The sanctioning bodies are money grubbing though and I can name some undeserving mandos off the top of my head like Mzonke Fana, Steve Molitor, Ray Austin, or Clinton Woods for that matter. But Tavoris is the future of 175 and he will beat Dawson if the fight ever happens. I don't think Chad is capable of scoring a stoppage over Julio Gonzalez. He would have played it safe like he's done in all his fights.