I can see hopkins pressing chad?

He has to get on the inside or he probably won't win. Dawson can peck away with his jab and pack away rounds, turning Hopkins the way has done to other older fighters. You'll see the dirty version of Bernard in this one, and it's going to be a shitty fight.

 

Dawson should win, but he won't.

BHop by UD...

 

I say we see Dawson at his best since Adamek and he pulls out the W in a close one.

Hopkins has to get inside Dawson's great distance fighting. He can easily, I just envision Dawson punching downward when he does, unleashing some of that "Steward / Hearns" devastation the HBO crew detailed for us in Dawson/Diaconu.

 

he might. And I think Emanual is going to have Chad pressure Hopkins. I don't necessarily think two guys wanting to pressure each other means it will be a war. One guy will succeed and the other guy will backpedal a little.

 

Anyone else think hopkins will use pascals gameplan vs dawson, come in land and clinch/move away. hopkins will keep landing that right hand and I have no doubt he can outsmart dawson when it comes down to it, however with dawsons phsyical talents and steward in teh corner this fight might end up like the taylro fights.

 

Hopkins is going to be mauling Chad on the inside if he wants to win this fight.

 

The funny thing with Dawson is that the same qualities that make him vulnerable versus prime, aggressive fighters — namely, his timid offense and suspect workrate — make him that much more difficult for older fighters.

That's why in Johnson II and both Tarver fights, those guys ended up staring at him for 12 rounds while he cautiously applied his jab and moved laterally. They awaited opportunities that never came.

Hopkins obviously realizes that, too, which is why he always avoided this matchup. Dawson won't swing wildly the way Pascal did and isn't easy to time like Pavlik. Bernard also is struggling against handspeed these days, as evidence by both Pascal on occasion as well as Calzaghe and Taylor.

All this means that Hopkins needs to beat Dawson mentally before he can overcome him physically. I don't like the matchup for Bernard, but I certainly wouldn't bet against him finding a way.

 

Very well said. I couldn't have put it better myself.:good

 

I agree with that prediction; Dawson just doesn't look like he cares in there, and if he cant control the outside game and time Hopkins, he'll lose by getting outworked up close.

 

I see Dawson winning a close decision, there's a reason Hopkins had avoided him prior to now.

 

Dawson will dominate BHop. Dawson is too fast for Hopkins at this point of their careers, I think the fight will be a white-wash. It will be either a dominating UD performance by Dawson or TKO.

Also I expect Dawson to look much different compared to his last fight against Diaconu. Emmanuel isn't stupid. Emmanuel is going to figure out that Dawson's strengths are his speed, technique, and lateral movement, not trying to emulate Tommy Hearns.

 

Dawson is a better all around boxer and better at fighting backing up than PAscal. Pretty good chance Hopkins takes a beating here IMO.

I know most of the world thought PAscal was garbage until Hopkins had a few close fights with him.

 

BHop definitely needs to get inside, use the Pascal gameplan and rough up Chad. I like both these guys a lot. Dawson SHOULD get it done by staying on the outside and working his combos, but his past 2 performances were not stellar.

Dawson UD.

 

Bang on the button i'd say