Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas, Nevada May 9th, 2009 IBF Light Heavyweight Title IBO Light Heavyweight Title
Re: Chad Dawson (27-0) vs. Antonio Tarver (27-5) II [9-May-09] (HBO) It is pretty bizarre that out of the top boxers in the light heavyweight division, Dawson is the youngest by TEN YEARS! Dawson (26) is much younger than his coworkers Bernard Hopkins (44), Tarver (40), Danny Green (36), Glen Johnson (40), Clifton Woods (37), and Roy Jones Jr. (40). You can even throw "retired" Joe Calzaghe (37) into that lot. Dawson is coming off of wins against two of his contemporaries, Tarver and Johnson, both by 12-round decision. Chapter 2 of the Dawson/Tarver saga was set to take place in March but was postponed. A win for Dawson sets up a big money fight with Roy Jones Jr. or Bernard Hopkins. A match with Calzaghe seems unlikely. A win for Tarver leads him down the same path, but likely with a third fight against Dawson coming first.
Re: Chad Dawson (27-0) vs. Antonio Tarver (27-5) II [9-May-09] (HBO) This says a lot about boxing today that the top fighters in a weight class, minus one, are all 37+.
Well, nobody watched the first fight, and I don't know if anyone watched the second, either. This was a fight nobody asked for (except for Tarver, via his rematch clause). It didn't advance Dawson's career or bring Tarver back into the discussion. Really, it was only going to be consequential if Dawson lost. I don't know if Calzaghe cares about Dawson. That isn't a big money fight. I think it is more likely that Dawson goes on to fight Hopkins.