Can Dawson Beat “Old Man” Hopkins?
HOPKINS FINALLY MUSTERS COURAGE TO FACE DAWSON
Los Angeles, CA-Irony and the sport of pugilism go hand and hand. In what has become a regular occurrence in the boxing stratosphere is the practice of fighters who are on the losing end of decisions and or knockouts being rewarded with lucrative matches in return. The winners, thus become the more avoided. That being said, in this sport losing a fight can be a blessing in disguise. Performing poorly can get you a shot many times at a title, or as an opponent in a lucrative fight for a decent payday. It is rumored that Kermit Cintron (33-4-1, 28 KOs) will face Saul Alvarez (38-0-1,28 KOs) for his WBC jr. middleweight (154 lbs) title later this year on a proposed HBO triple-header.
CINTRON DESERVES A BUS TICKET, NOT A BIG PAYDAY!
This after producing two lackluster performances in a row, one a clear decision loss against the lightly regarded non-puncher Carlos Molina (19-4-2, 6 KOs) and a less than stellar victory over once promising prospect Antoine Smith (20-3-1, 12 KOs). That’s akin to the currently unbeaten Detroit Lions (5-0) of the NFL taking on the (0-5) Indianapolis Colts. And you wonder why some people are fed up with the bull s*it?
The Always Emotional Kermit Cintron
DAWSON LOSES AND GETS HIS DREAM FIGHT!
Former light heavyweight (175) champion Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) had to lose his title before he could could secure the mega fight he was seeking against current champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs) that will occur this Saturday.
It is well documented that in Hopkins’ first reign as 175 lb. champion (before losing to Joe Calzaghe) he wanted no part of the then unbeaten fellow African-American. Dawson later solidified himself as the best in the division with a decisive victory over current heavyweight contender and then WBC light heavyweight champion Tomasz Adamek (44-2, 28 KOs), lost his belt to Jean Pascal (26-2-1, 16 KOs)last year, who would in turn drop that belt to Hopkins in May. Sometimes losing a bout makes you look human and appear more vulnerable, thus deeming you a desirable foe for big time fights.
REMEMBER LARA’S WIN* OVER PAUL WILLIAMS? WHERE IS HE NOW?
Although Erislandy Lara (15-1, 10 KOs) beat the brakes off of Paul Williams (40-2, 27 KOs)earlier this year (even though he was robbed at gun point of the decision win), his promoter Golden Boy Promotions have kept him on the shelf thus far. He currently has no fight scheduled for the remainder of the year. What a way to piss away a river of momentum. The aforementioned Molina, who fought to a draw with Lara earlier in the year defeated Cintron in July. Lara, Cintron and Molina all reside in the 154 lb. weight class. However it’s Cintron, (who’s lost two of his last three) who is getting the title shot. Actions like this is what turns rabid (and casual) fans away from the sport and re-affirms that boxing is still the Red Light District of Sports. The ironic twist to all of this is that Lara’s draw with Molina set him up as the sacrificial lamb for Williams who had been stopped in a one punch knockout in round two of his rematch with current middleweight king Sergio Martinez (48-2-2, 27 KOs). Perception was that based on that performance, Lara was not ready for a fighter of Williams’ caliber.
BERTO GOT A TITLE SHOT AFTER A DEFEAT
Undeserving HBO staple Andre Berto (28-1, 22 KOs), a product of influential advisor Al Haymon, lost his WBC welterweight (147)title earlier in the year in a shootout with Victor Ortiz (29-3-2, 22KOs). Incredibly, his reward for getting his butt kicked was a title shot and another HBO appearance against the capable (but nothing to write home about) IBF titleholder Jan Zavek (31-1, 18 KOs). In what was a less than stellar performance after five rounds, Berto earned a victory when Zavek couldn’t continue because of cuts (cuts that in my eyes were caused by head butts) and won by TKO. While Berto at times makes for entertaining fights, he isn’t at fault here. However, his enablers, mainly HBO, who is doing more to hurt the game than help, the clowns at 1100 Ave. of The Americas in New York City, they fail miserably when it comes to getting the big picture. Too many fighters are rewarded for being on the losing end of fights.
THE TREND IS NOTHING NEW FOLKS!
Evander Holyfield after losing by knockout to Riddick Bowe, then looking past his prime in a stoppage victory over the much smaller Bobby Czyz, as a result was viewed as a safe opponent for then WBA heavyweight champion Mike Tyson (44-1, at the time) in 1996, and Holyfield came into the bout as a 16-1 underdog. We all know what happened there as Evander pulled off what was a huge upset and was awarded with the 1996 Ring Magazine Upset of the Year.
Kevin Perry