Chad Dawson won his rematch last night with Antonio Tarver at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas, defending his IBF and IBO light heavyweight belts in the process.

Dawson won nearly ever round against Tarver during their initial clash this past October and while he was never in any trouble last night, the rematch victory wasn't as dominant.

Tarver was more aggressive and threw more punches this time out but once again, Dawson at 26 was just two fast for his 40 year old rival and while he wasn't as busy as Tarver, was far more accurate.

At the end of 12 frames, Dawson swept the cards 117-111 twice and 116-112, improving to 28-0 (17). Tarver drops to 27-6 (19).

Heavyweight prospect Bowie Tupou, 18-0 (14), stopped Chris Koval, 24-6 (18), and featherweight Melissa Hernandez, 10-1-2 (3), posted a six round decision over Jeri Sitzes, 14-9-1 (6).

Tonight, IBF/IBO Light Heavy Champ "Bad" Chad Dawson faces Antonio Tarver at the Hard Rock in Las Vegas, NV for a rematch to their intial clash last October, which Dawson won by a wide points margin.

In this battle of southpaws, Dawson, 27-0 (17), holds all the advantages with the exception of the experience department, where Tarver, 27-5 (19), has the edge.

At 26, Dawson is far younger than the 40 year old Tarver and he can really only lose this one if he beats himself.

The New Haven man's defense isn't the best but he usually wins fights by keeping opponents more concerned about what's coming at them rather than their own offense.

Tarver's camp has gotten good mileage during the press buildup for this bout by mentioning that "The Magic Man" has never lost a rematch. More...

IBF/IBO Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson puts his belts on the line tonight at the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas, NV, facing former world champion Antonio Tarver in a rematch.

12 rounds, IBF/IBO Light Heavyweight Championship
Chad Dawson: 175 lb
Antonio Tarver: 172 lb More...

Bad” Chad Dawson has pulled out all the stops in training for his upcoming defense of the IBF/IBO light heavyweight title belts he proudly wears courtesy the unanimous decision victory he earned over the previous champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver on October 11. More...

Building upon its tradition of delivering the most evenly matched and significant fights in boxing, Showtime Senior Vice President and General Manager, Sports and Event Programming Ken Hershman officially announced today the fight that boxing pundits and fans have been waiting for.

World champion Antonio “Magic Man” Tarver, 27-4 (19), and undefeated “Bad” Chad Dawson, 26-0 (17), will face off in a battle of light heavyweight kingpins on Saturday, Oct. 11 live on Showtime Championship Boxing at 9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the West Coast. More...