More talented, Chad Dawson or Andre Direll?

OP isn´t talking about resumes or even boxing IQ.

I think Dirrell was the better athlete. Dude was amazing at his best. A truly wasted talent. I just don´t get why he is so inactive. He had 3 quick back to back fights in 2014 and got a title shot. Just shows how easy things are if you can keep active.
But he lost a close fight to DeGale and started fighting once a year again.

 

2 hugely wasted talent in the higher weight divisions. Dawson was the smoother operator and more skilled boxer while Dirrell was the more athletically talented. Both had very underwhelming careers but I think Dawson did a bit more for his career, and at least he didn't need to act his way into victory. They both couldn't keep it together but at least Dawson showed a bit more grit and willingness to face anyone. Dirrell made himself look like a joke for his refusal to face Ward and his meeting with "Dr Shaw High".

 

Dawson had a good run, he had rivals. Dirrell never did. The latters career was nothing but stop and go, stop and go.

 

I agree. Career and boxing stylewise he's a stop and go fighter.

 

One must not forget that atrocity of a fight that was Andre Dirrell vs Curtis Stevens. All that athletic talent and speed like RJJ only to be a hit and run fighter.
Dawson had some stinker fights himself but at least he was more aesthetically pleasing to watch at times.

 

In terms of speed, athleticism, quick twitch muscle fibers, etc, they were both way up there. But Dawson was taller, longer and seemed to better utilize his talents a little better as a fighter and probably had a little more dog in him too despite his Pascal fight.

 

True, which goes to show how important skill and smarts are in boxing. You can almost argue both were a tier above Ward as an athlete.