47-year old Bernard Hopkins got what he wanted defensively against Chad Dawson in their rematch, it was lack of offensive Execution that failed him Saturday night. Hopkins, the master at blunting his opponents offense, limited Dawson to an average of 13 punches landed per round/36 thrown per round. Dawson had averaged 17 landed/49 thrown in his previous ten fights at 175 lbs. That’s a 24% drop off in landed punches and 27% in thrown.
They are the two best fighters in their divisions, 168 and 175 lbs. respectively. They are also the reigning lineal World Champions of those domains. Saturday night, after finishing his business with Bernard Hopkins and winning the World Light Heavyweight Championship, the larger man, Dawson, suggested he’d love a showdown with Super Middleweight king Andre Ward.
Bill Emes speaks with the new WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson to discuss his rematch with Bernard Hopkins, how the fight played out, what he plans to do next and more.
by David P. Greisman - Cleaner is better. Bernard Hopkins is the master of dirty tricks, of head butts and low blows thrown in with thrown punches, a master of grabbing and mauling and doing everything he can to make sure his opponent can’t. But what Hopkins doesn’t always do enough of is land clean punches himself. And instead of allowing Hopkins’ tactics to take him out of the fight, Chad Dawson weathered the dirty stuff and let his clean punching speak for itself. That mindset, successfully implemented, has made Dawson the new light heavyweight champion of the world, the winner of a majority decision over Hopkins in front of an announced 7,705 people at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
Bill Emes catches up with trainer John Scully, the trainer of WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, to discuss the recent victory in the Bernard Hopkins rematch.
Bill Emes catches the post-fight press conference to the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson post-fight press conference. Hear from Dawson, Hopkins, Seth Mitchell, Gary Shaw, Oscar De La Hoya and more.
There was a time when Chad Dawson was the young light heavyweight titleholder in a division full of experienced big names — none of whom were fighting him. But Dawson has since had two bouts with Glen Johnson, two bouts with Antonio Tarver and now has had two bouts with Bernard Hopkins.
WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31-1, 17KOs) says it was far from easy on Saturday night, when he secured a twelve round unanimous decision over Bernard Hopkins at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.
As exultant as promoter Gary Shaw was in victory after Chad Dawson took the light heavyweight championship from Bernard Hopkins on Saturday, he still made sure to direct some ire at the judge who had scored the bout a draw, Luis Rivera.
Bernard Hopkins is furious. The 47-year-old veteran believes he was robbed on Saturday night at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. He lost a twelve round majority decision, and the WBC light heavyweight title, a rematch with Chad Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs).