Hopkins needs to fight a lot better in rematch to beat Dawson

By Michael Collins: 47-year-old WBC light heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KO’s) will get another shot at trying to beat challenger Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KO’s) in their rematch a little later on this month on April 28th, at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Hopkins may not have wanted the rematch but the World Boxing Council ordered the rematch after Hopkins was injured in his fight with Dawson last October.

Hopkins has a tough job to do against Dawson on the 28th, because he didn’t appear to be doing well in the two rounds of action last time they fought. Although you could say that the fight was just getting started and that Hopkins is a notorious slow starter, you could still see that Dawson had too much size, speed and boxing ability for Hopkins to do what he had done against Jean Pascal in taking his WBC title.

Dawson was a much different match-up for Hopkins and it didn’t look like it was going to go Hopkins’s way before he injured his shoulder after Dawson lifted him off the ground and dropped him on his left shoulder in the 2nd round. Hopkins injured his shoulder in the fall, but he’s now recovered and is in training for the rematch.

For Hopkins to win this fight, he’s going to have to try and smother Dawson’s offense by taking the fight to the inside with his in fighting ability. Hopkins’ punch and grab routine may not work for this fight, because he’ll have a hard time landing his initial shots. Besides that, Dawson is stronger than most of Hopkins’ opponents and he’s not someone that Hopkins can pin to the ropes with his wrestling. Dawson will push Hopkins away if he tries that tactic with him and land uppercuts. Hopkins will have to try and stay close to Dawson the entire fight because if he gives him any space he’ll end up giving Hopkins a lot of problems with his long reach, excellent jab and fast combinations.