Hopkins vs. Dawson is basically done, says Shaw

By Boxing News - 05/28/2011 - Comments

Image: Hopkins vs. Dawson is basically done, says ShawBy Dan Ambrose: Former IBF/WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KO’s) is finally getting a crack at 46-year-old WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO’s), as the two fighters are reportedly close to having a fight put together between them. ESPN is reporting that Gary Shaw, the promoter for Dawson, met with Golden Boy Promotions CEO Richard Schaefer to put together a fight between the two top light heavyweights and things are looking good.

There still isn’t a venue selected but they want to find a location where the fight will make the most money. Hopkins recently defeated Jean Pascal to capture the World Boxing Council title. Now Hopkins will be making his first defense of the belt. If he can beat Dawson, Hopkins wants to go after Lucian Bute.

Dawson fought on the undercard of the Hopkins vs. Pascal fight, beating Adrian Diaconu by a 12 round unanimous and looking good. Most people will probably be picking Hopkins to beat Dawson. However, this may turn out to be a huge upset with Dawson taking it because he’s got all the qualities that Hopkins has struggled with in recent years – speed, power and defensive ability. Hopkins barely beat Pascal, and that’s not a sign sign going into a fight against Dawson. It doesn’t matter that Dawson lost recently to Pascal by an 11th round technical decision. Dawson has improved under new trainer Emanuel Steward and he could be more than what Hopkins is ready for. Dawson is a superb boxers and he does well against fighters that come up him the way that Hopkins likely will.

Shaw said this at ESPN: “Richard [Schaefer] called me and said he wanted to discuss making the fight and I was excited because we were on the same page. We talked about places we could do the fight, but we want to do the fight whereever we can make the most money. He agreed.”



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