By Dan Ambrose: WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO’s) got some good news and some really bad news this week. Things started off well for him on Tuesday when the California State Athletic Commission overturned his 2nd round TKO loss to Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KO’s) and ruled the fight a “No decision.”

Hopkins, 46, was ecstatic because it erased a loss on his record and he was able to move with his career to pursue a fight with IBF super middleweight champion Lucian Bute. Hopkins and his promoters from Golden Boy weren’t interested in facing Dawson again for some reason. However, today it was learned that the World Boxing Council, in their annual WBC convention, has ordered that Hopkins and Dawson have to fight a rematch.

Dawson’s promoter, Gary Shaw, wasn’t pleased with the California State Athletic Commission’s ruling made on Tuesday. So he appealed to the WBC to have an immediate rematch between his fighter and Hopkins rather than letting Hopkins move on down the road with his career. Shaw’s appeal was approved and now Hopkins will have to decide whether to agree to take the rematch with Dawson or vacate his WBC title.

Although the Hopkins-Dawson fight only last less than two full rounds, Hopkins didn’t look good in the little action that did take place. He was getting hit, looked slow and was missing with his shots. Hopkins also looked visibly smaller than the 6’1” Dawson despite being listed as the same height. In the 2nd round, Hopkins fell over the back of Dawson when attempting to punch him. Dawson lifted Hopkins up and deposited him on the canvas where Hopkins injured his left shoulder. While Hopkins sat grimacing in pain, a disgusted Dawson walked around the ring suggesting that Hopkins was faking his injury.

Dawson now wants the rematch with Hopkins to prove that he’s the better fighter and to have closure. He needs this win to prove to boxing fans that he’s the best fighter in the division and if Hopkins doesn’t give him the chance by opting to go in another direction then it will leave a lot of questions still up in the air about who’s the best fighter at 175.

Will Hopkins elect to vacate his title rather than face Dawson? My guess is yes. I can’t see Hopkins taking that fight again because he didn’t look good and may have been on his way to suffering a humiliating defeat. Hopkins hasn’t been beaten since Joe Calzaghe defeated him three years ago in 2008. But Dawson looked to be someone that was going to beat Hopkins a lot more convincingly than Calzaghe did, and this may be one reason why Hopkins will choose to vacate rather than take this tough fight. Hopkins turns 47 in January and he doesn’t look to be the same fighter that beat Jean Pascal.