BoxRec

Anyone watching?

Cagey opening couple. Dawson down in the 3rd

Dawson down again in the 4th.

Good 6th round for Ward. Can only see this being a ridiculously wide UD or a stoppage for Ward

Brutal 8th round for Dawson. He might not last here

Fight stopped in the 10th after another knockdown. After 9 I had it 90-81 to Ward.

What next for both men?

There doesn't seem to be many options for Ward at 168 and I don't know if he's planning to move up to 175, although he might not be able to bully people at that weight (Dawson is a LHW but had boiled down). Maybe big fights at catchweight?

Not a lot changes for Dawson I guess. He can just put it down to a failed experiment and go back to 175 where he still has his title

Who does Ward fight next? Not really any challenges at 12st for him.

Grim spectacle after the first couple. Dawson was fighting 2 battles in there.

Tavoris Cloud is the only credible option for Ward. It's a sad situation really, he's by far the best at SMW and has beaten the best LHW. The likes of Groves and DeGale are surely not going to be in the same league as Ward. I think Ward is p4p the best boxer on the planet. He's not going to get any credit for beating the likes of Froch again, bit of a Klitschko situation IMO. Not his fault, but what more can he do? Clev, Cloud, Froch, Abraham, Dirrell?

Ward might well see Cleverly as an easy option for picking up a belt at LHW if he does decide to step up.

Doubt it could ever happen, but I do think Andre Dirrel could give pose a few questions.

Fair play to Ward, I was expecting a dull points win for either guy. I didn't expect either guy to dominate. I am suprised tho that Dawson has been made out to be some kind of wrecking ball and has been called the undisputed #1 guy at LHW. He hasn't beaten Cloud and lets not forget he lost to Pascal, ok it was controversial but if he is so good why didn't he crush Pascal. Really good win for Ward but I have a feeling the American media will over-rate the win.

stujones wrote:Doubt it could ever happen, but I do think Andre Dirrel could give pose a few questions.

He appears to be the only credible opponent at the moment. I think ward beats Froch everytime. If he steps up to 12st 7 there are some challengers but as someone mentioned he's done a number on the number 1 at that weight.

ShadrachSimmo wrote:

stujones wrote:Doubt it could ever happen, but I do think Andre Dirrel could give pose a few questions.

He appears to be the only credible opponent at the moment. I think ward beats Froch everytime. If he steps up to 12st 7 there are some challengers but as someone mentioned he's done a number on the number 1 at that weight.

A no1 at that weight who got that mantle for only 1 win over Hopkins. There are plenty of other light heavyweights up there who could give Ward some different problems, it aint like Dawson cleaned up at LHW before challenging Ward.

Does anyone think this fight would've been any different?

I think Ward vs. either Dirrell or Hopkins would be a terrible spectacle. But I guess either of those 2 at LHW, or Pascal or Cloud maybe.

I reckon before long FW will come out of the woodwork saying Ward turned down the chance to fight Clev at the Millenium Stadium. He's running scared!

Dunno James, when you think Dawson's beaten Adamek, Tarver & Johnson at light-heavy over the past five years, & admittedly slipped up a couple of times along the way, he's got the best claim after beating Hopkins (who beat the last bloke to have beaten him) to being top dog at the weight. The man who beat the man etc...

But yeah, whilst he's good, I've not really ever thought Bad Chad was anything too special. Good fighter though, & to thrash him definitely makes a statement.

damianhucker1 wrote:Ward might well see Cleverly as an easy option for picking up a belt at LHW if he does decide to step up.

I doubt Ward's interested in the WBO.

jameswilson wrote:

ShadrachSimmo wrote:

stujones wrote:Doubt it could ever happen, but I do think Andre Dirrel could give pose a few questions.

He appears to be the only credible opponent at the moment. I think ward beats Froch everytime. If he steps up to 12st 7 there are some challengers but as someone mentioned he's done a number on the number 1 at that weight.

A no1 at that weight who got that mantle for only 1 win over Hopkins. There are plenty of other light heavyweights up there who could give Ward some different problems, it aint like Dawson cleaned up at LHW before challenging Ward.

He didn't clean up at light heavy but It would hard to see him getting beaten by any of the top 5.

Ward was the most strong and determined I've ever seen him.

By contrast, Dawson was the worst I've seen too.

Chad's stamina nearly got him knocked out by Glen Johnson at 175. He passed the rematch though. But moving down to 168lb when your 6'2 and broad like he is, simply weakened him and sapped his fighting instinct.

Maybe, he's just not that good at the end of the day too.

But Ward was superb.

ShadrachSimmo wrote:He didn't clean up at light heavy but It would hard to see him getting beaten by any of the top 5.

I can easily imagine Dawson getting beaten by one of the other top light heavyweights.

Having just rewatched it, I've got to do this: at Ward's right hand to the body.

Fighting a southpaw? Unable to hit him on the chin with a lead right? Fearful of being countered by the right hook as you throw your left hook?

Throw eleven thousand straight right hands to the body! To the pit of the stomach! The ribs! The chest! The shoulder! Make 'em hard!

After he began to get the timing on that & Chad started turtling to stop being hit by them, the left hook (which is his best punch & when brought over a southpaw's lead hook can feck him) was there all night. He did run him over, watching that again.

Ouch. Chad never got over knockdown number one, imo. He was never in it after that. Just didn't look right.

Horse wrote:

ShadrachSimmo wrote:He didn't clean up at light heavy but It would hard to see him getting beaten by any of the top 5.

I can easily imagine Dawson getting beaten by one of the other top light heavyweights.

Possibly Pascal but none of the others for me. Not that I think Dawson is all that, he's well skilled and moves well but is a bit one paced and I'm not sure he's that mentally tough. I just think the rest of the Light Heavyweight division is pure garbage, thats all. Cloud, Shumenov and Cleverly are not world class fighters - no where close at the moment.

Datsue wrote:Having just rewatched it, I've got to do this: at Ward's right hand to the body.

Fighting a southpaw? Unable to hit him on the chin with a lead right? Fearful of being countered by the right hook as you throw your left hook?

Throw eleven thousand straight right hands to the body! To the pit of the stomach! The ribs! The chest! The shoulder! Make 'em hard!

After he began to get the timing on that & Chad started turtling to stop being hit by them, the left hook (which is his best punch & when brought over a southpaw's lead hook can feck him) was there all night. He did run him over, watching that again.

Ouch. Chad never got over knockdown number one, imo. He was never in it after that. Just didn't look right.

nice roundup

Kilburn wrote:Grim spectacle after the first couple. Dawson was fighting 2 battles in there.

If Froch beats Bute and Kessler then Ward-Froch in Nottingham could be a big money fight for him.
I don't like how boxers don't unify titles anymore. If I was him I'ld take on Frich and Abraham again and become one of the GOAT super-middles... then go up and beat Dawson again and Clev, unify both divisons!

danconnollyeire wrote:

Kilburn wrote:Grim spectacle after the first couple. Dawson was fighting 2 battles in there.

If Froch beats Bute and Kessler then Ward-Froch in Nottingham could be a big money fight for him.
I don't like how boxers don't unify titles anymore. If I was him I'ld take on Frich and Abraham again and become one of the GOAT super-middles... then go up and beat Dawson again and Clev, unify both divisons!

There will never be enough cash to bring Ward to Nottingham. I doubt Carl fancies it, either. Despite him "wanting to face the best", he rarely shouts Ward's name. Mack, Bute and Kessler seems to be the plan.