With Bernard not doing **** the first half of the fight. Dawson gassing and barely holding on when Ex turns it up late but he can't finish the job for a close decision loss?
Of course Dawson would win but ESB is Hopkins nuthugger central which is why most people here will proclaim Hopkins the better man - yet will do anything to avoid pushing a fight between the two.
Could be. There are plenty of ways this fight plays out. On the one hand athleticism and speed always causes Hopkins problems, it is easy to see Dawson winning a decision this way. Then again Hopkins is great against southpaws, the lead right hand works a treat. I'm not sure how Dawson would take them, or deal with Hopkins physical strength and inside ability. It is difficult to know how somebody deals with Hopkins until he gets in there.
It depends on Hopkins' stamina. He seemed to fade against Calzaghe. Against Pavlik he didn't fade at all. He had trouble against the naturally more athletic Jermaine Taylor and Dawson is definitely athletic. Dawson by split decision.
I don't think the Jermain Taylor argument applies here. After all these were Bhop's last two fights at Middleweight. He then jumped TWO divisions to his natural weight where his stamina and punch out increased massively. Calzaghe's swarming style knackered hopkins out and dawson doesn't fight like that. BHop is the southpaw slayer. If he can make tarver touch down he can hurt dawson badly. Dawson's speed and flurries make it interesting but Hopkins fights a measured battle, scoring with bigger shots and hurting dawson throughout while not being hurt in return. BHop UD
Valid question. I would like to find out. I've been pretty staunch in picking Hopkins to win this one.
Hopkins has only lost to one South Paw - Calzaghe. Dawson's work rate isn't as high as Calzaghe. I think BHop would outclass him - out box him - and win by UD.
I'm thinking that despite bhop's unnatural longevity its about time he did in fact get old overnight and might very well lose purely on the age factor, but light heavy bhop from tarver to pavlik takes this peak (so far) dawson
Dawson wouldn't fade liek Taylor. Maybe Hopkins could come up with one of those exceptional performances where he ruins an opponent's gameplan and is offensively effective. If he fights as he fought Taylor, he loses.
Taylor and Dawson are two totally different fighters, Taylor is more jab oriented and Dawson throws more combos. Dawson would outwork Hopkins while taking shots all throughout the fight and win a close UD.
Their are two fights vs Elite fighters that I have no doubt that Dawson would win. 1) vs Hopkins 2) vs Bute-If you want to call him elite.
