IBF Mandatory Challenger Tavoris Cloud to Chad Dawson: "Defend your title like a man"

No, that was the first time around. I've actually heard it said Floyd Mayweather was going to fight Margarito at one point, and we all know how that ended up. Same with Dawson and Diaconu. Career-high payday and WBC belt on the line and -- whoosh! -- Diaconu ducked.

Now, it seems it is time for another ducking and apparent belt dropping by Dawson. This time it's Cloud and the IBF.

Unfortunately, we have what appears to be the beginnings of a trend. And, as I said in another thread, the rematch clause for Tarver did not necessitate an immediate return bout. In other words, Tarver could fight Cloud if he wanted to -- and hold onto his belt, which is likely to be stripped from him pending any dealmaking between Dawson, Cloud and the IBF -- but he's ducking that challenge and going immediately for the old fighter he already beat. Sad stuff.

Dawson is an excellent young fighter, but the Dawson Mystique seems ready to take it's second major hit as Tavoris Cloud stands in Adrian Diaconu's shoes.

 

It's not an immediate rematch clause. The fight does not have to happen now, which makes it look even more the case that Dawson wants nothing to do with Cloud. Why would you drop a belt when you could hold onto it and still honor your rematch clause after you fight your mandatory unless you are worried you are going to lose that fight?

Dawson worked overtime to try to hold onto his WBC belt before he finally turned tail and relinquished it rather than face Diaconu. Now, he's just freely deciding to apparently give up the IBF belt (pending a deal with Cloud and the IBF), no questions asked, when he could keep the belt and then rematch with Tarver?

Hmmmm.

 

1. Pointless. You don't give up belts you dont have to in order to get rematches 'out of the way' which don't have time limits on them, or at least don't necessitate immediate return bouts. That is, unless you're scared you will lose the intervening fight.

2. Cloud represents the financial gain of Chad keeping his belt. That is, Dawson gets to continue fighting as a 'champion' of a legit organization rather than as a guy who has dropped, or will have dropped, two belts in less than a year. Long-term thinking here. Dawson doesn't care about money, apparently, as it is -- that's why he turned down a career-high payday, and dropped his WBC belt, rather than face Diaconu.

3. HBO isn't the IBF. And Dawson was recently working with Showtime. I do expect, however, HBO to try to cover for Chad's duck move by saying they wouldn't want him to fight Cloud. He needs cover now, and it will be worse as people figure out what's going on here.

4. Cloud is calling out Dawson right now, and Chad's running away. Your attempt to gage Cloud's "readiness" isn't relevant, as you are not his manager, promoter or the fighter himself. Vitali Klitschko didn't say David Haye 'wasn't ready' because Vitali isn't afraid of Haye nor is he looking for excuses not to fight him. Dawson seemingly wants nothing to do with Cloud, as he wanted nothing to do with Diaconu. If anyone's not ready for anybody, apparently it's Dawson for Cloud.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/boxing/news/story?id=3777034

Fight contracts sometimes have immediate rematch clauses. This is not one such contract, reportedly. Thus, Dawson is free to fight his mandatory against Cloud and keep his belt, and then take on Tarver. But he's opting not to do that, and such a move could well cost him his title. Draw your own conclusions.