There is a difference and Dawson does both, particularly the former, after he gets hurt, which doesn't take much. Hopkins would be a big favourite to hurt him early and once he does, I wouldn't want to be in Dawson's shoes.
I believe Dawson posses too much athleticism and underrated power to lose to hopkins at this stage, dawson is underrated in my opinion, he will go on to rule the light-heavyweight division for as long as I can see until another fighters emerges but there arn't any guys out there for him to fight at the moment as hopkins/calzaghe/jones/tarver/johnson/woods all the best light-heavyweights are all on their way out
Was Hopkins able to neutralize JT's athleticism? I would say no to some extent. Yeah, he "outboxed" JT in both fights but he still was weary of JT's ability to get off with his hand speed and that kept him weary. Calzaghe was even a worse example. It's hard to neutralize hand speed. Whatever JT does, Dawson does noticeably better except for the chin department.
I love B-Hop. I also felt Johnson beat Dawson but since Johnson taught Chad how to box, I don't think Hop has the legs to beat Chad.