Stephen Dunn - Getty Images
More thrills like this one could await the viewing audience if there's a Hopkins vs Dawson rematch in 2012. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)
Not that anyone's clamoring for it, necessarily, nor did the first fight succeed on any level, but Gary Shaw will look to begin negotiations for his fighter Chad Dawson to land a rematch with light heavyweight world champion Bernard Hopkins. From RingTV.com:
"I will be calling [Golden Boy Promotions CEO] Richard Schaefer this week to start a negotiation," said Shaw, referring to Hopkins' promoter. "Chad Dawson is ready, willing and able to fulfill his obligation to challenge Bernard Hopkins for the WBC world title."
Dawson (30-1, 17 KO) was briefly declared the new WBC titleholder after initially being ruled a TKO-2 winner over Hopkins on October 15, but that didn't last. The Ring never shifted their world championship to Dawson, and the WBC returned their belt to Hopkins just five days later. In the end, that all wound up fair, as the California State Athletic Commission recently ruled the fight a no-contest, which was expected for two months but didn't become official until the bureaucrats finally sat down together to go, "Yup."
Can you even really call it a rematch if it does happen? They didn't really fight the first time.
Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO) and Dawson drew a lousy gate at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, and the HBO pay-per-view returns were minuscule to the point of being embarrassing, with just 40,000 total buys.
But to be fair on both counts, the fight never should have been in LA, and it wasn't originally meant to be -- Newark was the original destination, but Main Events pulled a power play with the Prudential Center to block the fight from happening there, which was petty, but also kind of funny.
And the fight never should have been on pay-per-view, either, but the HBO budget was strapped and they couldn't afford to put it on World Championship Boxing.
Personally, there will never be a time when I look at a Hopkins vs Dawson matchup and actively desire seeing the fight. I think it's a horrible style clash, don't think it has any hope of being exciting, and just don't find the fight attractive. But sure, I'd be perfectly content to watch it on a Saturday night on HBO. It's significant in the sense that they're two of the best fighters at 175.
If the fight cannot be made -- and there's a good chance Hopkins doesn't want to do it because it's not really worth it from a risk-reward standpoint -- then Shaw says Dawson would be willing to rematch Jean Pascal, or face IBF titleholder Tavoris Cloud. From a pure fight standpoint, I like both of those fights better than a Hopkins fight.
0 recs | 11 comments
do it in canada
on hbo.. the weekend after a big ppv.. with the replay shown before and im in
Eddie Gonzalez - January 3, 2012
bhop doesnt want this fight..i think he wants bute way before this one..i want cloud vs dawson or cloud vs pascal or dawson pascal 2 anyway
Vicmatic1 - January 3, 2012
Will HBO be willing to put up enough money to make this fight happen? I know it was only on PPV because of the budget problems from last year, but since it was shaping up to be as ugly as predicted, I’d be kind of surprised if they offer Dawson the same amount of money again. They’re on the hook to pay Hopkins for one more fight anyway, but I doubt this would be their first choice.
bachwards - January 3, 2012
I wish they wouldn’t waste money out of their annual budget on this. However, if they put it on ppv it would die a terrible death which means I assume it will be on regular HBO as the 1st fight was originally intended. Of course, that’s like saying getting shot in the chest is better than getting shot in the head. It’s not gonna be good either way.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
The other problem is that it’s hard to think of a more cost-effective credible opponent for Hopkins from HBO’s perspective. Bute’s still at Showtime and doesn’t want to move up. Hopkins doesn’t want to bother with Pascal again. Cloud appears to now be a Showtime fighter and King’s involvement makes it difficult to get anything done anyway. I guess that leaves Cleverly, but would it really be cheaper to carry that fight from Wales rather than just paying Dawson for a fight in the States?
bachwards - January 3, 2012
Yeah Bute is not only with Showtime but tied up with Froch as well. I would be shocked if Hopkins fought Cleverly because of his lack of name value in the U.S. Some people have suggestes Ward, but he has been on Showtime too. Also don’t know if Hopkins would want to face a young fighter with the temperment of Ward. If Steve Cunningham still had his cruiserweight title it could have been an all-Philadelphia showdown for cruiserweight supermacy, but not now.
Kory Kitchen - January 3, 2012
Hopkins has also said he’ll never fight Ward or Cunningham because he’s too close to them. Cunningham’s trained by Richardson as well.
bachwards - January 3, 2012
Ugh. Let him fight Bute and get his ass kicked
Boss Man - January 3, 2012
NEVER COUNT BHOP OUT. I and many others have learned the hard way…
Sammlung - January 3, 2012
I'd watch that fight
I just don’t really care to watch Chad that bad(ly)
pakinpower - January 4, 2012
Hopkins wins
Via 3rd round ground and pound.
TheMysticalNinja - January 4, 2012
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