Why Hopkins Should Fight Dawson Again And Then Retire...LOTIERZO

Written by Frank Lotierzo

Tuesday, 25 October 2011 08:59

HopkinsDawson_Hogan32 Now that the WBC has ruled that light heavyweight Bernard Hopkins will retain his title after momentarily losing it to challenger Chad Dawson via a second round stoppage on October 15th, there's only one thing that remains. Hopkins must offer Dawson a rematch after he's healed and recovered from being tossed to the canvas by him late in the second round of their bout. Dawson's toss, throw or shove of Hopkins, call it what you want, is what caused the fight to end with a plethora of unfinished business and unanswered questions.

Since their fight both Hopkins and Dawson have said that the fight was unfolding in their favor, which is laughable on both parts. And they've both vehemently accused the other of looking for a way out of the fight because of the fear they had of losing it or being embarrassed during it. Fans and media are pretty much split. There's a faction that believes Hopkins was awed by Dawson's speed and urgency and therefore he wanted to save face and wanted out. And then there are those who feel Dawson deliberately launched Hopkins to the canvas because he was trying to send a message to him that he wasn't intimidated nor did he fear Hopkins or his legendary reputation. Not that any of that matters because nothing was settled during the almost six minutes Hopkins and Dawson shared the ring.

Trying to make a case as to who was on their way to certain victory in this case is even more of a reach then those who were convinced that Lennox Lewis or Vitali Klitschko were on the verge of winning their heavyweight title bout back in June of 2003. In Lewis-Klitschko we had at least 18 minutes of fighting and the fight was 50% complete, and both fighters gave as good as they took in that one before the bout was stopped due to Klitschko's severely cut left eye. And even at that, no one including Lennox or Vitali knew for sure how that fight would've unfolded during the second half of it. Of course if you're a Lewis fan you saw enough to build a case in his favor, just as those who were rooting for Klitschko saw enough to know that he was on his way to a convincing and definitive victory. It's an argument that neither side can ever win or lose.

That's why Hopkins should offer Dawson a rematch, on HBO. No, a rematch will never provide the answer as to who would've won on October 15th, but the controversial ending has ignited the debate as to who is the better fighter at this time. Although it looks like Hopkins' injury and future recovery has swayed the debate in Dawson's favor. But that's part of the reason why Hopkins is in a no lose situation. I mean who's gonna denigrate him if he loses to a 29 year old fighter when he's 46 after being injured? Not to mention that Dawson is probably the most physically gifted fighter in the light heavyweight division.

At this stage of his career, Hopkins can only add to his legacy. If he were to beat Dawson in a rematch it would be the perfect way for him to leave boxing, having defeated the fighter who was perceived to be his successor. And if he lost to him, it's not like he'd be stopped or embarrassed during the fight. Bernard Hopkins has done it all and it's obvious he's clearly on the decline and not the fighter he was three years ago, let alone 10. Hopkins can easily say that he has nothing to prove against Dawson or anyone else, and he'd be right. But let's be honest, he took a million dollars to fight Dawson the last time, which is nowhere near the amount of money he's been paid for some of his past marquee fights, so he can't use money as a reason not to fight Dawson again.

Actually, there is a more substantive reason for Hopkins to fight a rematch with Dawson than there was to fight him the first time, and that reason is more people in the boxing community think Dawson can beat him than the opposite. Maybe they're right and then again maybe they're wrong, but Hopkins can prove them right or wrong and do it with house money while at the same time have a legitimate chance to add to his legacy even more.

Hopkins has made history in so many ways and his career accomplishments are forever boxing history. He should offer Dawson a rematch and let the chips fall where they may, either way he goes out a winner and on his own terms. Hopkins is in a win-win situation. I hope that if he does manage to win the fight--certainly plausible, if not exactly probable--he'll know enough to call it a day permanently.

Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com

Comment on this article

FighterforJC says:

Hopkins is a *****.

mortcola says:

Hopkins is a *****.

You OK? Need to talk?

Real Talk says:

So long Hopkins, it's been real. You got nothing to prove Homie. I think you wanted out of the fight honestly and felt you couldn't handle the younger bigger stronger slick southpaw and would get hurt bad, outclassed and stopped or a onesided beatdown and lose all the accolades you got from beating Pascal. I saw quit in your face...resignment when the ref broke you n Chad against the ropes. It's cool though, you still my manz but that jive dealt a major blow to your image and legacy Hop...real live. I felt like you could've caused a lot of problems for Chad. Outsmarted him and gave him fits with all the tools I've sen you apply over the years but you never gave yourself a chance an if you think you can or think you can't your right either way. I thought you had the heart advantage as well as the smarts advantage over Chad but he punked you like he punked Tarver in the rematch. It's cool, you had a helluva run, made a lot of money and broke records. Nobody can take that from you. Chad needs to fight some live bodies, young hungry lions like Tavoris (Thander) Cloud and stop trying to beat up all the old dudes. Hopkins should retire and be a promoter or trainer. Dueces

mortcola says:

I don't get it. After 4 and a half minutes of inconclusive action, in which a total of ten punches were landed, Hopkins gets tossed, hurts his shoulder, and now you all are reading deep meanings into his facial expressions, such as, he knew it was time to quit? That's whacky stuff.

FighterforJC says:

Gramps, you know that Hopkins quit, there's all there is to it. Just like OJ was guilty but walked, everyone knows that he did it. Doesn't matter what the court said. Same with Hopkins. He quit, plain and simple. He looked for a way out, 4 minutes was more than enough for Hopkins to determine that it would've been a loooong night for him.

Radam G says:

WOW! B-Hop is back on TOP. Da game is full of optical illusions and lots of confusions. Ditto mortcola! People are reading too much into a lot of nothing. Neither B-Hop nor Bad Chad Dawson were in the quitting mode at the time of incidental foul. Most people don't know Jack about boksing or physics, or maybe they just know New Jack Boxing bulljive.

Fanfaronades, ______, ______ and ____ are so fickle. They make me get on my tickle. And I'd not trust 'em with a wooden nickle. In war and in politricks -- I mean politics -- and the sweet science is both. There is a lot of self denial, ex-egg-e-ration [sic], straight-up bullsh*tolgoy, serial loose lippin' and reality distortion. Reality distortion is what many people need to get through the actuality of reality. The reality is that B-Hop hit BCD more times, according to computer count stats. And the actuality is that BCD lift B-Hop up and body slammed him. BCD did indeed have a difficult time in hitting B-Hop IMHO!

YUP! Super Arch-pugilistic Scribe F-Lo is a bit spot on. As in the bad luck of the heavyweight champions Docs/bros Klitschkos, B-Hop is now in an era of the worst [no doubt the weakest] middleweights/light heavyweights in a while. I'm just calling a spade a spade. Holla!

brownsugar says:

Well I hope it happens... and I hope Bhop comes to do more boxing than mugging. Because that type of strategy won't beat Chad. Chad is well prepped to win a dirty fight. If Bhop comes out like the true pugilist that he is and leaves the MMA stuff in the Octagon... like he did against Tarver, Pavlik, and Pascal... then it will at least be entertaining. The real world beater at Light Heavy and it's eventual hier is none other than Ismayl Sillahk (the so-called black russian), This guy is just as sweet as SRL but more practical in execution. like a modern day version of the great Salvador Sanchez, Sillahk will rule the division with an iron fist (or is that a sickle)...even new comers like Froch, Ward, and Bute won't be able to compete once they move up..... you heard it here first folks.

Radam G says:

Wow! B-Sug, Ismayl Sillahk is a work in process. About him being as sweet as SRL, I won't tough that mess with a cotton compress. C'mon, B-Sug, Sillahk has been in with soft competition against a nowadays marshmellow division. At this stage of his career, I would not put Sillahk in the top five. Just my BO. In time, Sillahk should be able to get pass Froch and Bute. But IMHO, he will not be able to carry the jock strap of "SOG" Ward. Holla!

brownsugar says:

Well RG, if you consider Sillahk's performance against an up and coming Cuban with well over 300 amateure victories in his exemplary pre-pro career and undefeated at the time.

And Touted to be the next Lt Hvy Wt title contender soft,.. then you can never be pleased.

Sillahk dropped him and busted him up pretty bad while making it look like "easy work".

The amazing thing about the contest is that 2 prospects with such a bright future hardly ever fight each other.

The fact that they were both hungry enough to gain recognition and make the fight showed a willingness on both mens part to prove themselves...

Since that fight nobodies gone near Sillahk whose been calling out Chad while his pleas fall on deaf ears. But you can't keep a good man down for long. Sillahk has made his home in the US in order to get the fights that matter.

Personally I'd bet the rent he'd beat Chad or Ward today...time will prove me right a year from now when there will be frequent stories published about him right here on the TSS, Even Hauser, Borges, Flo Lo and Woodsy will be writing about him.....holla.

Radam G says:

Just think about it, B-Sug. Cubans with 300 and 400 bouts have been coming to the USA and Europe for years since Castro told them that they could go in 1980. But how many of them have won professional title belts. And when it come to the upward weights, they are really weak. Not a single Cuban has dominated !54lbs to Hvy. The Cubans from the 1970s to 2000 were strong in the amateurs. Nowadays they are weak amateurs and pros. Just look around. their game is WHACK! Holla!

Radam G says:

BTW, Bad Chad Dawson is good, but has a lot of emotional problems. Nobody should be surprised if "The Black Russian." or a white one upsets him, as the Haitian Canadian Pascal did. Holla!

mortcola says:

F4JC - I'm worried about you. Most of what you write is cackling mad-scientist cruel sh-t, and imaginary. This is bad news. Keep the cries for help coming, though. We hear you.

amayseng says:

i dont see how anyone would think either fighter would want out of the fight so early with bernard landing like 12 punches total and chad landing like 7.

the best punch of the entire night was a dawson hybrid hook in which bernard landed a very strong right hook to the body at the same time......

meaning, the fight was nearly even with honestly bernard being able to be more bernard than chad being chad..

so why would anyone want out or quit?

if anything i do think chad did lose his composure, not with the shoulder lunge, but with pulling hopkins legs under during the lunge allowing bernard to come down without his feet beneath him..

then his blowup after the fight flipping on hops and max kellerman....

how many times have you seen floyd jr in a scuffle, during a foul, getting bum rushed or head butted? you never see him lose his cool and focus,

chad lost his in 5 minutes from bernard and was even slicing an elbow into hopkins throat in which he REFUSED to pull away during a referee break still pushing it into bernards throat...you didnt see bernard cry and whine and bitch and become a baby...

shows chad just doesnt have it, and yes he is not 24, he is nearly 30. big difference.

i think bernard should go for another title at another weight division in antonio tarver and then call it quits....

46 and beating pascal 2x's(3 judges said no, 92% of viewers say he won first fight) is a wonderful accomplishment in itself, heck in the second fight he knocked pascal down twice, although the ref missed the call with his glove touching both times..

amayseng says:

you can count on me to never respond to that cat again. this site is excellent that most people here relate to loving and debating boxing..that guy just looks to start trouble and argue..kinda like a woman...he makes no points, is disrespectful and last week was even making comments he cant wait to some posters on here, who are middle aged, to die and be gone already....i think we should all entirely ignore him and let him go to the other sites and call people names and argue like a 7 year old girl........im 33, a single dad, work hard a good job and look forward to come home to relax and enjoy myself, but i can promise you this, if i ever ran into that dude in person i'd starch him out. i raise my son with the objective in mind that he never grow up to be like that guy......

amayseng says:

F4JC - I'm worried about you. Most of what you write is cackling mad-scientist cruel sh-t, and imaginary. This is bad news. Keep the cries for help coming, though. We hear you.

mortcola says:

You speak wisely. Time to move on and not provide him the drama he craves.

Radam G says:

Wow! Hehehehehehe! "The theatre of the unexpected!" Every bit of boxing, even the fans, fanfaronades, scribes, posters and all the rest. To put it out is everyone and his cousin's quest. Holla!

Robert Curtis says:

Hopkins is a true great who has been a pauper a prince and a king and done everything. It would be nice to see him retire after some great fight that entertains us all. But even if it doesn't, I hope he's been paid enough to go on with what he's got to get on with.

brownsugar says:

Wrong again RG,.. 2 Cubans eliminated 2 of our best in the Pan Am games recently so the tradition lives on...... Gamboa, Rigondeaux, Yodel Johnson, Lara, and even Solis form the vanguard of new Cuban boxers poised to leave a massive foot print on the face of professional boxing today. A prime example is The USS Cunningham recently losing his title to former Cuban amateur standout. Casamayor was another exceptional fighter until age caught up with him. It's not that I'm pro Cuban,.... just recognizing that the tradition of excellence is still alive in Castro's homeland. Their closest rivals is the Eastern Block (formally known as Russia) Both countries produce exceptional fighters because they get them early and basicall put the best of the best in "Camp for life" with rigorous training and international competition. You don't have to be a communist to know this.

Radam G says:

WOW! B-Sug, do you know how big and popular the very weak Pan Am Games are now days? The Yanks, Puerto Ricans, Brazilians, Mexicans and U.S. American normally send second-and-third-tier fighters.

Just go to the world amateur ratings. [I'm a member and supporter of the World amateur boxing organization.] For the last couple of O Games, the Cubans have STUNK -- or is dat STANK? With all the defectors and USSR communististic money drying up and Castro's bad health, the Cubans are now weak in just about all sports. They are not even dominant in baseball and track anymore. And as for the U.S. Americans, they are also weak in amateur boxing. Twenty, 30, 40 years ago, the top four of every weight class in the States could win the O Games. Nowadays, the USA boxing team couldn't beat Mexico, even in the middle and heavy weights. Holla!

Radam G says:

Now of days, two of the USA best amateurs would not necessary be in the group of the world's best. For one thing, the computer scoring systems have fudged the Yanks' style of smash-a$$-and-knock-U-da-f_ _k-out boksing up. Danggit, B-sug! Everybodyeee and dey momma and everyone and his cousin and somebodeee dey are always trying to take a bit outta my arse and prove me wrong. Wow! Reality distortion is strong. What was, ain't anymore. Everything changes. One must keep up with those changes or he'd be stuck into believing what was or what never was, but thought to be. Naku! Gotcha! That is for da knowings not for da knows, because we have been taught to "KNOW BEFORE YOU GO! It is even on every American's passport. Read it. I do! And I'm not a native. Holla!

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