Who is the best Light Heavyweight in the world?

[SplitSecond]

Proof? You ever heard of google?

yea, has'nt helped, nothin on it

[Vivid Intent]

Yep. Neither Calzaghe nor Hopkins were interested. None of them should be rewarded an imaginary win against him. There's no evidence to suggest it would be a foregone conclusion. In fact, I'd bet that a prime Dawson would've been as difficult as any of their toughest bouts.

He would definitely be a handful for both although I'd favour Hopkins and Calzaghe.

[dans]

Yep. Neither Calzaghe nor Hopkins were interested. None of them should be rewarded an imaginary win against him. There's no evidence to suggest it would be a foregone conclusion. In fact, I'd bet that a prime Dawson would've been as difficult as any of their toughest bouts.

Chad would represent a challenge at least as great as any other of Joe or Bernard's toughest fights.

[Kris Silver]

I don't think using the fight against Calzaghe is a good barometer of Hopkins-Dawson. You bring up workrate as if it's a part of Dawson's game, like it was a Calzaghe. It's not. And there's no evidence he could do that to Chad. Hopkins doesn't lower everyone's workrate.

You also mentioned Dawson being unable to adapt, which is false. What makes you say that? If anything, it's been his opponents who've had difficulty adapting. Some needed two tries.

Finally, you're last sentence seems off. Are we talking in an all-time list? Because as far as I know, Calzaghe is retired. And Hopkins' achievements against LHW's aren't as impressive as Dawson's.

I don't think it's un reasonable to draw comparisons about any past fights if the point is valid, though I accept it can easily go out of context and be misleading. I don't think that's the case here.

It was said Dawson would beat Hopkins on work rate. My answer to that is simply, Dawson has a lower work rate than Calzaghe whom only just got a decision.

It's also, that Hopkins lowers everyones work rate and he would do Dawson as much. I don't think Chad would respond well to being made to often miss by an illusive Bernard. He does get a little frustrated/disheartened at times I think if he's not having his own way. Against Johnson 1, he was drawn into a fight that didn't suite him so much, and as much as it's easy for him to realise that AFTER the fight, a great fighter realises during and changes QUICKLY. When I say great I just kind mean that, as in not just a top elite, but something a little extra. I don't mean any more by that.

Calzaghe was patient, experienced, throwing enough still, savvy enough to land on Hops as much as he could to get a close decision.

I simply don't accept Dawson would be quite on the same level there to thrash out a decision. He may be a little more accurate perhaps, and move better at times. But those things aren't winning the fight alone.

Quite simply, he doesn't land on Hopkins enough to win a decision IMO.

He's not there to be hit like Johnson and Tarver was. Put him in with a verteran like Hopkins, he's missing, being out smarted, and out hustled.

[djtmal]

Yep. Neither Calzaghe nor Hopkins were interested. None of them should be rewarded an imaginary win against him. There's no evidence to suggest it would be a foregone conclusion. In fact, I'd bet that a prime Dawson would've been as difficult as any of their toughest bouts.

glad to see you keeping it real

[Vivid Intent]

Are you talking about Calzaghe fighting Dawson? I was talking about Bernard fighting Dawson.

Oh...I was talking about Calzaghe

yea, has'nt helped, nothin on it

"Immediately following the loss to Dawson, Adamek decided to move up and test his luck in the cruiserweight division. It was apparent at that time, that he was too weight drained to continue campaigning as a light heavyweight, but making the jump from 175 to 200 pounds is no easy task. "

http://www.********boxing.com/news.php?p=18169&more=1

"Weight-drained and weary, he moved up to cruiserweight (200 pounds) afterward. That's when New Jersey comes in."

http://www.nj.com/sports/index.ssf/2..._is_makin.html

"In his only defeat, Adamek was well beaten by Chad Dawson, but he was struggling to make the light-heavy limit at this time and moved up to 200 pounds immediately after the fight. Even though he was probably at least a little bit weight-drained, Adamek managed to knock Dawson down in that fight"

http://www.fightwriter.com/?q=node/2094

[IMDAZED]

glad to see you keeping it real

I always keep it real, bud. Sometimes that lands you at odds with people.

[Adamantium]

Chad would represent a challenge at least as great as any other of Joe or Bernard's toughest fights.

Dawson vs Calzaghe, would of been a great fight.

[Boxing Scene]

Not ****ing Hopkins who fights middleweights now and nobodies. We're actually lucky we don't get to see Hopkins hold, cheat and headbutt Dawson all night long.

[IMDAZED]

I don't think it's un reasonable to draw comparisons about any past fights if the point is valid, though I accept it can easily go out of context and be misleading. I don't think that's the case here.

It was said Dawson would beat Hopkins on work rate. My answer to that is simply, Dawson has a lower work rate than Calzaghe whom only just got a decision.

It's also, that Hopkins lowers everyones work rate and he would do Dawson as much. I don't think Chad would respond well to being made to often miss by an illusive Bernard. He does get a little frustrated/disheartened at times I think if he's not having his own way. Against Johnson 1, he was drawn into a fight that didn't suite him so much, and as much as it's easy for him to realise that AFTER the fight, a great fighter realises during and changes QUICKLY. When I say great I just kind mean that, as in not just a top elite, but something a little extra. I don't mean any more by that.

Calzaghe was patient, experienced, throwing enough still, savvy enough to land on Hops as much as he could to get a close decision.

I simply don't accept Dawson would be quite on the same level there to thrash out a decision. He may be a little more accurate perhaps, and move better at times. But those things aren't winning the fight alone.

Quite simply, he doesn't land on Hopkins enough to win a decision IMO.

He's not there to be hit like Johnson and Tarver was. Put him in with a verteran like Hopkins, he's missing, being out smarted, and out hustled.

The inverse of what you just said could easily be as true. Again, Dawson having a lower workrate than Calzaghe doesn't mean anything. Most fighters have a lower workrate than Calzaghe. I don't think Dawson's workrate will be the issue here. If anything, it'll be Hopkins'. He's the guy who throws very little and capitalizes on impatient opponents. Couple his low workrate with Dawson's defense and you have a guy who won't be landed much at all.

Which begs the question: If Hopkins is throwing 15 punches around and landing 3, do you see him winning a decision? I think not.

But the hypothetical is hypothetical. The fact remains that Dawson is much more accomplished at 175 then Bernard Hopkins and thus, should be ranked the division's best fighter today--the question the TS asked.