Following the controversial no-contest in their first bout last October, Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson will duke it out one more time this weekend, April 28 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City to determine who the true WBC and Ring light heavyweight champion is.
“I think the last fight I didn’t get a lot of credit for being the aggressor. I was the aggressor. I was pressing the fight. I tried to give Bernard the fight. He didn’t show any signs that he wanted to fight until the fight was over. I’m planning on going out there, using my jab, using my hand speed, my youth and winning the fight,” stated Chad Dawson during a media conference call.
“I admire everything he (Bernard Hopkins) has done in the sport of boxing over the last few years, becoming the oldest world champion. Those are things you can’t take away from Bernard Hopkins. You can’t take that away from him. All I have to do is go out there and dethrone him. I want to become the world champion. I want the same recognition that Bernard gets.”
Bernard Hopkins who was also on the call says:
“I was born in 1965 in the great year of segregation. I was the underdog based on being black. Being the underdog in boxing, this is kid’s play. To be the underdog, obviously you’re blessed not to have a suntan like me. Trust me people like me understand whether it’s sport, whether it’s play, whether it’s corporate America. Am I comfortable being in the situation? Maybe. Maybe I got immune to it. Maybe it grew on me over the years. Whatever it is it doesn’t take away the talent of Bernard Hopkins in the last 20 plus years. It doesn’t take away what I do in the ring, and what I’ve done out of the ring. At the end of the day I can flat out fight and I proved that. To be honest with you I don’t have too much to say.”
“I believe I’m the most underrated fighter that ever walked on planet Earth that reached this level when it comes to speed, when it comes to talent, when it comes to hit and not get hit without running. When it comes to the basic fundamentals of boxing. I believe that I’m the most underrated fighter that ever laced a pair of gloves on that reached the level that I’ve reached in my 24 years.”
During the conference call things got a bit heated up between Gary Shaw and Richard Schaefer. When asked about the purse Bernard Hopkins got paid $1 million and Chad’s purse was $800,000 and how the WBC ordered the rematch.
G. Shaw: I worked hard to get Chad this mandatory rematch or there’s not a chance that Hopkins would’ve gotten in the ring with him. We had to take short money because that was the ruling by the WBC, but Chad knows that we may take short money this time but this is the last fight. This is the end of Hopkins.
Hopkins won’t even do a press conference with Chad. He wouldn’t do a one-on-one with Max 
Kellerman and Chad. He won’t do a real press conference with Chad. That tells you all that you have to know about this fight.
They didn’t want the fight. They lobbied against the fight, but I won on the floor of the WBC convention. That’s why Hopkins is taking it, because without the belt, Hopkins is just an old fighter. So he needs that belt to be someone. He’ll lose it on April 28th.
R. Schaefer: This is ridiculous. I was recently at Bernard’s house. Bernard has more belts than all the people have to hold up their pants. And so the fact is that Bernard at this point, at 47-48 years old, doesn’t need any belts. He could have gone and fought Shumenov for the WBA belt. He could have gone and fought Clevery, a youth showdown in the U.K. with huge crowds. I mean there were so many other options, but this is what Bernard Hopkins is.
I mean this exactly shows again the kind of fighter Bernard Hopkins is. He never turns down a challenge. Everybody felt that he was going to not fight him again, and guess what? He always does the unexpected. He even surprises Gary Shaw and Chad Dawson. And if Gary thinks that the result of Bernard taking the fight is because of some silly ruling from the WBC, he is mistaken. And he knows that.
G. Shaw: Richard, I love you, but that’s not true. We chased Hopkins for three years and we only got him in because of what happened with the Pascal fight, and you know that.
R. Schaefer: Well because he was in bigger fights where he made more money, that’s why, and then he got it. Bernard Hopkins could’ve gotten a TV date whether he fights Chad Dawson or not. You know that and everybody on the line knows that.
It doesn’t really matter. The fact is you know just because the WBC rules something that doesn’t mean everybody has to follow, but Bernard wanted the fight and took the fight. He was not obligated, wasn’t forced into.
Its going to be very interesting fight lets just hope it doesn’t end like last time.
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I went with Dawson by SD. I dont think there will be a knockout..
but the only problem is that, knowing how Hopkins file an appeal and is part of golden boy.. and all the drama that happen last time… who knows they might give it to Hopkins just because…
I know I’m gonna place my bet on Dawson but I don’t know if I want to go by tko or decision is my problem. I just don’t think Hopkins can keep pace with Dawson there will be no shame in losing this fight given his age and accomplishments.
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