Chad Dawson (left)
TIME TO STICK A FORK IN DAWSON?
New York, NY– This past weekend boxing fans got a chance to see the brief and ultimately unfortunate return of “Bad Chad” Dawson (31-3, 17 KOs). The WBC light heavyweight (175 lb.) championship bout didn’t last as the relatively unknown career super middleweight (168) Adonis Stevenson (21-1 18 KOs) stopped Chad in the first round, becoming the newly crowned champ. This was supposed to be Chad’s opportunity to reset his career after his stoppage loss at super middleweight, courtesy of Andre Ward (26-0, 14 KOs). But all is definitely not well in Dawsonville as Chad now finds his career teetering on limbo after being stopped twice in consecutive appearances.
”SUPER” IRONY IN BEING HALTED
Moving around in divisions does not usually end well in boxing. Fighters like Chris Byrd and Roy Jones come to mind as fighters who had success at heavyweight only to fall victim at lower divisions and were never the same. Chad had never been stopped prior to dropping 7 pounds to face Ward at super middleweight. And he blamed his loss on the weight, making a good case as evidence has shown prize fighter’s to become chinny after dropping an uncomfortable amount of weight. Chad may have figured his chances were better fighting a super middleweight who was to debut at light heavyweight, but he was dead wrong.
DAWSON A “PATSY” FOR EXODUS?
Chad recently made some statements about his career which were very interesting. Chad said that he believed he was essentially set up to take the Ward bout because HBO wants to make Ward into a star. This may be true as Ward is becoming the next top pound for pound fighter and aside from shoulder surgery has shown no signs of slowing down. If this is true, Dawson’s services may no longer be needed and what better way is there to open up the budget than serving up knockout artist with a Haitian background and athletic styke closely resembling the only other man to defeat Chad, Jean Pascal (27-2-1, 16 KOs).
WHAT TO DO AFTER GOING BAD?
Aside from avenging his losses there probably won’t be a stampede to catch the next Dawson bout. If HBO doesn’t approve rematches for Chad, it’s likely lights out for Chad’s career unless he can defy the odds and make a reemergence as a new fighter. But with 10 trainers in 11 years it’s not likely much can be done at this stage of his career. Not to mention that Dawson displays the charisma of particle board and hasn’t necessarily maintained relevance throughout his career. It looks like the writing is on the wall.
Jarrad Woods