We have a big HBO fight tomorrow featuring the WBC super Middleweight and the WBA Super World super Middleweight Champion, “S.O.G” Andre Ward, against the WBC Light Heavyweight Champion, “Bad” Chad Dawson. This is a fight that in the past week is now starting to get the buzz through TV and Radio media that it deserves, but I think this fight deserved even more of a build up because this fight SHOULD be looked at as the fight of the year. And yes, next week will be billed as the biggest fight of the month, but this fight will involve 2 current champions, in the prime of their careers, that have a combined record of 56-1. The world should be treating this fight with more respect and I plan to give it its respect.
The 28 year old, Andre Ward (25-0 with 13 KOs) is considered as a top 5 pound for pound fighter in the world today. He has an unquestioned resume from his decorated amateur career, as well as his level of competition in the pro ranks. He sported a 115-5 record as an amateur, including never losing a fight between 1998 and 2004. He won the National Championship for the under age 19 in 2002 and was a 2 time US National Champion at the Middleweight level in 2001 and 2003. He was a gold medalist in the 2004 Olympics. He was named fighter of the year in 2011 by Ring Magazine. He has wins over some of the top 168 lb guys in the world such as Mikkel Kessler, WBO super Middleweight Champion Arthur Abraham, and IBF super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch. Thanks in part to the Showtime Super 6 tournament, Ward has gone from a solid, little known, by the mainstream, type fighter, to now being 1 of the bigger and best fighters in the sport of boxing. Ward will be the favorite because Dawson chose to come down to 168 lbs, which is Ward’s normal weight class, from the 175 lbs that Dawson is used to. Ward is currently ranked as the #1 Super Middleweight fighter in the world.
The 30 year old southpaw, Chad Dawson (37-1 with 17 KOs), also has a great decorated amateur and pro career. He is considered a top 10 pound for pound fighter in the world. Dawson had an amateur career record of 67-13 and, like Ward, captured an under age 19 National Championship as well as a Silver in the World Championships in 2001. Ward may have the advantage on amateur accolades, but as far as pro competition, Dawson has a top notch resume. Since 2007, Dawson has defeated Tomasz Adamek, who was undefeated at the time, for the WBC Light Heavyweight Belt, he defeated Glen Johnson twice, Antonio Tarver twice, which was for the IBF and IBO Light Heavyweight Belts. And to cap it off, he defeated the future Hall of Famer, Bernard Hopkins in what was practically Hopkins backyard to win the WBC Light Heavyweight Belt. His only professional loss was to Jean Pascal, in Pascal’s home country of Canada, when the fight was stopped in the 11th due Dawson getting caught with an accidental headbutt and not the doctor saying that he would not be able to continue. At the time Dawson was ranked as the best in the world at 175 lbs, while Pascal was ranked #2 in the world at 175 lbs. Dawson is currently ranked as the #1 Light Heavyweight fighter in the world.
Because neither of these fighters have big time power, I don’t expect this fight to end by KO. However, since these 2 are 2 of the most technically sound fighters in the world; I expect boxing fans to be talking about this one for a while. The biggest advantage that Ward has is he’s great at fighting an ugly fight; he doesn’t have to be pretty to win rounds. Although Dawson is coming down in weight, John Scully, Dawson’s trainer says has to bulk up to make the 175 lb limit. The biggest advantage that Dawson has is not actually his weight, as most people don’t know that his natural weight is around 175-180, but his advantage will come in his reach. Dawson has a 77 inch reach from arm to arm while Ward has a 71 inch reach from arm to arm, so as long as Dawson takes advantage of that and uses his jab, he has the ability to control the fight.
When it comes down to it, I’m going with Dawson by decision. I feel that Dawson is not given as much credit as he should be given. Most people are saying Ward will win because he is the better boxer, but it’s extremely close and Dawson does have more power. When it’s all said and done, this fight will be close, and could even end up as a draw, but I’m going with a 7 rounds to 5 rounds win for “Bad” Chad Dawson as he will jump right into the top 5 pound for pound fighters in the world today. No matter what happens, this fight is a MUST watch for not only the hardcore, but the casual fan because this should be as good as we expect it to be, enjoy the fight.
