Dawson vs. Hopkins: This time Chad will get win and keep it

By Dan Ambrose: The last time former two-time WBC light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KO’s) fought WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO’s), Dawson got the win by a 2nd round TKO win Dawson lifted Hopkins off of his feet and shucked him to the canvas in the 2nd round of their fight last October.

Hopkins somehow was injured in the fall resulting in the referee giving Dawson a 2nd round TKO win. Unfortunately, the fight result was overturned upon appeal to the World Boxing Council and the California State Athletic Commission, who both turned the win by Dawson into a no contest. Dawson will now fight Hopkins in a rematch on April 28th at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey in a fight where hopefully there won’t be anymore down time by Hopkins with a fight ending injury. Dawson wants to fight Hopkins once and for all the finish the job that he started last October.

In looking back at that fight, Dawson looked to be in command of the fight and stalking a timid looking Hopkins around the ring, nailing him with jabs and hard combinations. Hopkins was doing what he often does, grabbing Dawson in clinches to try and slow the action down to a crawl. However, it wasn’t working well, as Dawson was easily getting loose from Hopkins’ clinches and keeping the fight on the outside and that favored Dawson because of his ling reach. Dawson’s hand speed was a level above Hopkins and his jab and power looked to be better as well.

Dawson should handily beat Hopkins on April 28th as long as Hopkins doesn’t get injured again early in the fight. I just have a feeling that if things start to look bleak for Hopkins, he’ll hit the canvas and won’t get up again with some kind of malady. I want Hopkins to stay on his feet and/or go out on his shield but I think there’s going to be another injury from Hopkins and I see it happening early, before the 4th round.