Chad Dawson: Why Isn't He A Star And What Can He Do To Get More Fans?

Chad Dawson is a modern day Harold Johnson type...and thats a GOOD thing.

 

He needs a new bird. One of them skinny, bitchy ones that Dirrell has.

 

He is boring and has no charisma. Paul Williams has the same problem.

 

On this board, Dawson gets plenty of props and it's rare to see a P4P list on here that doesn't mention him. He's got haters, but so does every good, accomplished fighter. It comes with the territory.

What hurts Dawson more than anything else is inactivity and his competition. If you're only going to fight once or twice a year, the fans don't want to see a fighter that coasts against OK competition. It's not that Glen and Tarver are bad fighters at all- but both are well past their best and that's been the last 3 years of Dawson's career. There's been a number of fighters who've actually accomplished more and don't get the P4P rating, HBO backing, and respect Chad's received over the past few years.

I'd say he's gotten pretty well rewarded for what he's done on this board, in the boxing media, and in his bank account. If he wants more mainstream fans, he needs to do the things that attract them- showcasing his skills a little more often would be a great start. Better marketing by his team to get his name out there would be, as well. Do some charity work to get his name out there while he's not fighting, for example.

 

He won't fight Tavoris Cloud or Jean Pascal.

 

He's fighting Pascal later in the year.

My answer to the thread would be his lack of charisma, the fact that he isn't dynamic or truly great at any one area, and the fact that he's from New Haven and not a big city or a boxing-crazed country. Dawson should just keep defending his title, have 3 fights each year, and make a name for himself with consistency and being #1 in the division for a long period of time.

For those who think he's right behind Mayweather in terms of skill, he's not. May is a few levels above him. Pac and JMM are more skilled than Dawson. Dawson isn't anywhere near being a great counterpuncher. B-Hop is pretty much finished now, but compare Dawson's fights with Tarver and Johnson with some of B-Hop's best performances...night and day. Ward is in Dawson's league too, he just fights in a different style. Dawson is a real solid pro, but not great. I really don't ever see him being a "star". I like Dawson too-but I'm just being realistic...this era is so void of great talent that these solid/real good fighters are being touted as future greats.

 

And Dawson is fighting the weaker (say less challenging
more rewarding $$$) side of this division ...

to give an example since Adamek-Dawson, Adamek moved up, beat Bell,
Cunnnigham, scored Ring CW title, then beat top contender Banks,
then moved up beat Golota, Estrada and Arreola and is now almost
challenging for the HW title ... even thu he is barely top 10 p4p fighter.

Dawson other way was ducking his mandatories Diaconu and Cloud
fighting instead veterans Tarver and Johnson 2x each and
he is considered top5 p4p .. that is somehow a joke.

 

Problem is that he has fought opponents who either have never been stopped or very difficult to stop so its hard to hold it against him if he doesn't have more T/KO's on his record.

And to answer the TS question, its already been said, he's too low key, not active enough. But I don't see why he is labeled as a boring fighter, he beat up Adamek and Tarver the first time and was in a war with Johnson in the 2nd fight so I think he is a entertaining fighter.