05.02.07 – Chad Dawson: This was a long time coming and I trained my ass off. Six or seven long weeks and I reached my potential. I’m just happy.” He [Adamek] caught me with a good punch and it was a flash knockdown. I got back up and I went back to the game plan. He didn’t hurt me at all.
“I will fight the best fighters, whoever they bring to the table. I do most of my talking in the ring but I give Adamek credit for agreeing to the fight. I came out to do a job tonight and I did it. We did what we had to do. Look for me in the future and I will be on top for a long time..
“I was cautious after the knockdown but I did my job.”
[On Floyd Mayweather Sr., his trainer]: “When I switched trainers, I knew it would be for the best. It paid off. We had our differences but we buckled down. Floyd Mayweather is the best trainer of all time.”
Floyd Mayweather Sr. [Dawson’s trainer]: I really thought Adamek won one or two rounds only. Chad was dominant from the start.
“I liked Chad’s speed but I didn’t like his combinations. When he had him hurt, he could have finished him. He needs to press more and pick his shots, then really dig in.
Tomasz Adamek: “Chad was quicker than I was tonight. It was a difficult fight because he was fast. He was the fastest I have ever seen.
“I was not knocked down in the seventh round. I was tripped.
“He survived after I knocked him down in the tenth. I thought I was going to get him.
“I was prepared for the southpaw but I prefer conventional fighters. Dawson didn’t always want to fight like I do.
“I thank Chad Dawson for a great fight. Chad was a better fighter tonight but I will come back and be a champion again.”
Buddy McGirt [Adamek’s trainer]: I knew Chad was a good fighter. When Tomasz threw punches in bunches, he knocked Chad down.
“He was waiting, trying to counter-punch. You can’t do that with a fast guy. You have to throw punches in bunches.”
Jesus Chavez: I was being a little defensive, trying to maintain a fight. It [Chavez’s right knee] felt a little weird when my knee went out. This [my right] was my good leg. I wear the brace on my right knee for support. [He previously had ACL surgery on his left knee, and then injured the right knee while jogging in the mountains Chihuahua, Mexico about four years ago.]
“I lost the title and I pass it along to Julio and I hope he does well with it.
“I love boxing. Now I have to back home to heal and what the doctors have to say.
Julio Diaz: “I told him he was a great champion but it’s my time now. I think I was just too sharp for him from the beginning. He knew I was too fast for him.
“I thought he had a lot of soul but I didn’t see it tonight. He must have injured himself.”
“I had a great team. They prepared me well. I didn’t have a Christmas or a Thanksgiving. I’ll take my win as it came. I was prepared for a war but it didn’t turn out that way. I showed my skills. I was too big, too strong. It’s my division. He was moving up. I was naturally stronger. Chavez was a great warrior.
Hopefully Don King will bring Juan Diaz out to play when he’s not studying his books. It’s time for D-Day [Diaz vs. Diaz]. We’ll see if Don King can do it.
Cory Spinks: “I feel satisfied with my performance tonight. He’s a long, rangy guy so I had to outsmart him. He’s been in the game a long time, a veteran, but I was the superior boxer. I used my athletic talent and smarts to win.
“I want the cash cows. They know who they are: Mosley, De La Hoya, Mayweather, Vargas. I’m ready. It just depends on whether they’re ready for me.
“I want to thank Don King for another chance to exploit my talent.”
Kevin Cunningham [Spinks’s trainer]: “I was happy Cory was able to defend his title. Rodney put on a game performance. We could have made $2 million in another fight but Rodney deserved his shot.
“So know I’m asking the world’s greatest promoter to do what he does and get us out there in a high-profile fight.”
Rodney Jones: “He [Spinks] just boxed. I was trying to box with him a little bit and tried to hurt him with my left hand. I tried but he kept running. He boxed real good. I tried to get in on him but I couldn’t.”