02.01.08 – By Phil Santos – Overhandright.com: In 2007 Chad Dawson arrived as a World Champion and a serious threat to all Light Heavyweights. “Awesome” Dawson began the year as an undefeated prospect having just recently scored the biggest win of his young career. A victory over Eric Harding, in June of 2006, earned Dawson some recognition as well as the NABF Light Heavyweight title..
It may well have been that win that enabled him to secure a fight with then undefeated, WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Tomasz Adamek. In a fight in which many expected Dawson to suffer defeat he dominated Adamek, out boxing the champ in addition to dropping him with a body shot in the 7th.
Chad Dawson had made himself known. The soft spoken, modest world champ proceeded to dismantle Jesus Ruiz (TKO in 6) and Epifanio Mendoza (TKO in 4) before 07’ was through and in the process became one of the sports most avoided opponents. A combination of lightning quick hands, good power and solid boxing skills put Dawson way down the list when opponents are being selected for the divisions’ upper classmen. For Bernard Hopkins, Clinton Woods and Antonio Tarver there are safer opponents to be had. Tarver in particular had been the focus of Dawson, his camp and his fans for some time.
Now it appears that a fight with another of the divisions’ elder statesmen, Glen Johnson, will go off. A proposed date of April 12th 2008 has been reported for the clash. Dawson’s win over Adamek is more than adequate but to topple Johnson would catapult him in status and ranking in addition it would make avoiding him much more difficult. Having scored memorable victories over Roy Jones Jr., Clinton Woods and Antonio Tarver a bout with Glen Johnson should provide the perfect measuring stick for Dawson and his deserved position within the division.
At the risk of making a win over Johnson sounding like a piece of cake I strongly believe that Dawson will prevail and his youth and hand speed will be too much for the capable veteran to handle. Johnson is a hard worker who without question takes on the best competition available (a practice that is far to uncommon among top fighters) but his last two victories came over a faded Montell Griffin and Fred Moore who entered the fight riding a 4 fight winless streak. Provided Dawson can keep his sometimes suspect chin in check he should box circles around Johnson and coast to a win that closely mirrors his fight with Adamek.
The Ring Magazine currently ranks Dawson at #5 among Light Heavies with Glen Johnson, Antonio Tarver, Clinton Woods and Zsolt Erdei ranked directly above him along with Bernard Hopkins as the reigning champ. Despite wearing the WBC strap, for Dawson, wins over these five fighters are what matters in the eyes of most. Dawson has all the tools to become a great champion and he and perhaps Erdei pose the biggest threat to Hopkins position at the top. Is Chad Dawson the next great Light Heavyweight? I believe he is. Once he defeats Johnson he will similarly defeat an aging Antonio Tarver (if given the chance) and expose Bernard Hopkins as a carefully matched belt holder. Wins over a weakened Tarver and a smaller Winky Wright aren’t proof enough for me to believe that he can withstand the attack of a younger, fresher, much faster Chad Dawson.