Right Jab Key To Victory For Dawson
CAN’T KNOCK B-HOP’S ACCOMPLISHMENTS…OR CAN YOU?
San Francisco, CA– Having went over the professional record of Bernard Hopkins, his claim to fame is not at his current weight, light heavyweight (175 lbs), but rather as a middleweight (160). That being said, let’s look at the middleweight reign of the man they call “B-Hop.” The only Hall of Fame fighters Hopkins faced as the 160 lb. titleholder were Roy Jones, Oscar De La Hoya and Felix Trinidad. Seeing Jones easily bested him in their 1993 clash, Hopkins’ claim to fame at middle is beating Oscar and Trinidad. Outside of that, both smaller men and welterweights, his championship resume is unimpressive. William Joppy, Antwun Echols (twice), Morrade Hakkar, Syd Vanderpool, none of these names are etched in the minds of either fans or historians.
DROPPING THE MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AFTER 20 FIGHTS & 11 YEARS!
Losing the championship to Jermaine Taylor in 2005, as well as a rematch, this should have closed the book on the fighter from Philadelphia, but it didn’t. After beating Winky Wright and Antonio Tarver, ‘Nard as he’s called by some, seemed to reopen the book on his boxing career and wrote a new chapter. After knocking down soon to be Hall of Fame member Joe Calzaghe in the first round, Bernard went on the defense and lost convincingly in my mind, albeit a split duke. Six months later, still in 2008, Hopkins destroyed the psyche of Kelly Pavlik, then reigning middleweight champion over 12 rounds.
HOPKINS SEEMED SEMI-RETIRED…….FINISHED!
Fighting once in 2009 over a no-name foe, twice in 2010, one being a redemption win over Roy Jones, Hopkins just would not quit. Even though he was about as exciting to watch as paint dry, the Philadelphian secured a match with Jean Pascal, a Haitian fighting out of Canada for the WBC 175 lb. trinket. After 12 frames, Hopkins appeared to be the winner, but not so surprisingly in boxing, the bout was ruled a draw.
OUT OF NOWHERE HOPKINS BECOMES BETTER THAN EVER!
In the 2011 rematch, Hopkins threw combinations like I had never seen him do prior. I mean, I was miffed, perplexed, here was a 46-year old man looking better offensively than he had in the 20+ years I had been watching display his wares. Although Pascal insinuated he was using Performance Enhancing Drugs, Hopkins denied it and won a decision setting up a fight with the man who had lost the WBC 175 lb. trinket to Pascal, Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs).
BEFORE I CONTINUE LET ME PREFACE
Having watched Bernard over the years, there is nobody slicker at playing a referee, ring Dr., to his credit, Hopkins should have been nominated for an Emmy award more than once. That being said, I thought he was acting when referee Mills Lane pushed him out of a Las Vegas ring while initiating a break between Hopkins and Robert Allen (who he fought thrice). Having witnessed what I perceived as an “act” in the flesh, I felt Hopkins was playing it up when Chad Dawson clubbed down a clutching Hopkins last October.
RUSSELL MADE ON THE SPOT DECISION
Will Dawson End B-Hops Acting & Boxing Career?
At first, Pat Russell, as competent a “referee” as they come, he too thought Hopkins (52-5-2 32 KOs) was “fronting” and ruled it a TKO win for Dawson. Changing his mind, whether he was prodded to or just admitting a gaff, Russell, according to Dawson, sung a different tune at the California Commission meeting in which the Dawson victory was nullified and declared a “No Contest.” In the photograph here, Hopkins whether he is either in pain or acting, to me it looks like he’s illustrating pain in his lower body, not his left shoulder, as you might remember Bernard claimed it was an injured ankle that got him the Emmy nomination for the Robert Allen fight.
MANDATED REMATCH SATURDAY ON HBO
Which brings us to Saturday’s second Hopkins-Dawson match. Having witnessed Dawson, a southpaw, punch with his dominant hand, I thought he could hit like a mule. But that was in 2007 against Epifiano Mendoza in Sacramento, CA. That also happens to be the last time Dawson knocked anybody out, having had six fights and one no contest in the four years and seven months that have transpired since the Mendoza contest. While I have yet to put forth the Odds/Predictions for the weekend fights, I will list Dawson an 11-5 favorite.
HOW CAN YOU NOT FAVOR DAWSON?
Our preview-expert John Signorella is of the opinion that Dawson, who at 29 is 18 years fresher than Hopkins who recently turned 47 per the Roman calendar, will halt Hopkins in his tracks and wrest the WBC title from the oldest champion in boxing history. As tricky and slick as Hopkins is, some feel that’s not likely. But if the law of averages and common sense are the rule and not the exception, Bernard Hopkins should get thumped and forced into retirement Saturday evening.
TAKE PART IN OUR HOPKINS-DAWSON “WHO WINS” POLL!
Cast your vote as to who will win this battle of youth vs. experience in the left hand margin of this page.
Pedro Fernandez