Dawson vs. Ward

[killersheep]

Ward is fully capable of using dirty tactics like Hopkins, but he's a smart boxer too. I think aside from reach Ward has all the advantages. I think Ward would win this pretty easily and people would be complaining about it being a garbage fight. The key words after the fight would be as follows

Dirty
Clinching
Headbutts
Dominated

[shza]

Ward is fully capable of using dirty tactics like Hopkins, but he's a smart boxer too. I think aside from reach Ward has all the advantages. I think Ward would win this pretty easily and people would be complaining about it being a garbage fight. The key words after the fight would be as follows

Dirty
Clinching
Headbutts
Dominated

Ward definitely has some serious advantages in certain ways (heart/drive being the most important, as others have pointed out). But it's not just reach for Dawson. He is definitely faster than Ward and he definitely hits harder. I also think his defense is better (though very different in style). They both have excellent balance and footwork.

[Master]

Ward has a better resume than Dawson and I really believe Ward is not appreciated enough. Ward should clean out super middle by beating Bute and maybe Direll and then move up to light heavy.

[shza]

Ward has a better resume than Dawson and I really believe Ward is not appreciated enough. Ward should clean out super middle by beating Bute and maybe Direll and then move up to light heavy.

Not sure I agree with that at all -- only if you rated Carl Froch highly (I didn't). The Kessler win is Ward's best. Dawson has wins over Adamek, Tarver (2x), a still-very-good version of Glen Johnson (2x), and now Hopkins.

I'm not saying definitively that Dawson is *better* than Ward; but I really don't think Ward has a better resume. (That's fine, he's younger.)

[Master]

Ward has a better resume than Dawson and I really believe Ward is not appreciated enough. Ward should clean out super middle by beating Bute and maybe Direll and then move up to light heavy.

Not sure I agree with that at all -- only if you rated Carl Froch highly (I didn't). The Kessler win is Ward's best. Dawson has wins over Adamek, Tarver (2x), a still-very-good version of Glen Johnson (2x), and now Hopkins.

I'm not saying definitively that Dawson is *better* than Ward; but I really don't think Ward has a better resume. (That's fine, he's younger.)

Dawson has lost to Pascal who has been owned by Hopkins twice.

[shza]

Ward has a better resume than Dawson and I really believe Ward is not appreciated enough. Ward should clean out super middle by beating Bute and maybe Direll and then move up to light heavy.

Not sure I agree with that at all -- only if you rated Carl Froch highly (I didn't). The Kessler win is Ward's best. Dawson has wins over Adamek, Tarver (2x), a still-very-good version of Glen Johnson (2x), and now Hopkins.

I'm not saying definitively that Dawson is *better* than Ward; but I really don't think Ward has a better resume. (That's fine, he's younger.)

Dawson has lost to Pascal who has been owned by Hopkins twice.

That is true. He had no business losing that fight but he did. I still think he has more significant wins than Ward though.

[killersheep]

WARD - last 5 fights

12-17-11: UD over Carl Froch 12 pt margin
5-14-11: UD over Arthur Abraham 27 pt margin
11-27-10: UD over Sakio Bika 28 pt margin
6-19-10: UD over Allen Green 36 pt margin
11-19-09: TD over Mikkel Kessler 16 pt margin

====================
Dawson - last 5 fights

4-28-12: MD over Bernard Hopkins 12 pt margin
10-15-11: NC vs. Bernard Hopkins
5-21-11: UD over Adrian Diaconu 18 pt margin
8-14-10: TD Loss to Jean Pascal -13 pt margin
11-7-09: UD over Glen Johnson 10 pt margin

Ward's resume is much better AND his style makes him look the clear victor to judges in these situations, I think BCD is a fantastically skilled pure boxer, but his style is all wrong for this fight.

[shza]

WARD - last 5 fights

12-17-11: UD over Carl Froch 12 pt margin
5-14-11: UD over Arthur Abraham 27 pt margin
11-27-10: UD over Sakio Bika 28 pt margin
6-19-10: UD over Allen Green 36 pt margin
11-19-09: TD over Mikkel Kessler 16 pt margin

====================
Dawson - last 5 fights

4-28-12: MD over Bernard Hopkins 12 pt margin
10-15-11: NC vs. Bernard Hopkins
5-21-11: UD over Adrian Diaconu 18 pt margin
8-14-10: TD Loss to Jean Pascal -13 pt margin
11-7-09: UD over Glen Johnson 10 pt margin

Ward's resume is much better AND his style makes him look the clear victor to judges in these situations, I think BCD is a fantastically skilled pure boxer, but his style is all wrong for this fight.

I really don't get where you guys are coming from with this "much better resume" line. Abraham and Green aren't even legitimate contenders. Even Diaconu is a better win than any of the Ward wins except Kessler and Froch. If you want to hang it on the loss to Pascal, I can respect that but I don't see it any other way.

[killersheep]

WARD - last 5 fights

12-17-11: UD over Carl Froch 12 pt margin
5-14-11: UD over Arthur Abraham 27 pt margin
11-27-10: UD over Sakio Bika 28 pt margin
6-19-10: UD over Allen Green 36 pt margin
11-19-09: TD over Mikkel Kessler 16 pt margin

====================
Dawson - last 5 fights

4-28-12: MD over Bernard Hopkins 12 pt margin
10-15-11: NC vs. Bernard Hopkins
5-21-11: UD over Adrian Diaconu 18 pt margin
8-14-10: TD Loss to Jean Pascal -13 pt margin
11-7-09: UD over Glen Johnson 10 pt margin

Ward's resume is much better AND his style makes him look the clear victor to judges in these situations, I think BCD is a fantastically skilled pure boxer, but his style is all wrong for this fight.

I really don't get where you guys are coming from with this "much better resume" line. Abraham and Green aren't even legitimate contenders. Even Diaconu is a better win than any of the Ward wins except Kessler and Froch. If you want to hang it on the loss to Pascal, I can respect that but I don't see it any other way.

Ward just won the Super 6 (aside from Bute) it was the best 168 had to offer at the time, he came out on top.

Dawson has been fighting old men, old men with big names, but old men none the less. Diaconu had potential, but Pascal beat him. I'm not saying Dawson hasn't taken risks, because he has and it's not like his resume is bad. Ward has cleared his division except for Bute (which is the fight I want to see). Dawson NEEDS to avenge his loss against Pascal, that win will put him ahead of Ward.

[DavilaJones]

If you were to be asked of Dawson's qualities in the ring what would you say?

Same can be asked of Ward.

Their speed is comparable but ward control distance with angles and footwork rather than a jab (not a good or bad thing, it’s just how he does it) where as Chad does it with a stiff right handed jab.

Power would naturally be in Chads favour as he is the bigger man and fought at LHW for I believe his entire career.

To me the only important factor is technique. I've never seen Chad fight on the inside. Ward lived there against Green, I never seen Chad make opponents be forced to resort to popping a single shot, with ward I have. To be fair Chad is a fantastic boxer but I seen him become very uncomfortable in fights were as with Ward...well he reminds me of a younger Hopkins in most aspects.

[Galaxy]

Although it would be great to see champions fighting each other; the fight itself doesn't really appeal to me.

[El Kabong]

NO! Damnit Dawson, fight Cloud you S.O.B!!! I don't want to see any more Dawson vs a cagey boxer, I'm over it.


How difficult would it be to get through Ward-Hopkins....Jesus, where's my gun?

[Master]

NO! Damnit Dawson, fight Cloud you S.O.B!!! I don't want to see any more Dawson vs a cagey boxer, I'm over it.


How difficult would it be to get through Ward-Hopkins....Jesus, where's my gun?

I get the impression that you believe Cloud will give Dawson a tougher fight than Ward?

[Master]

Dawson needs to make some noise as a fighter and there is no bigger fight for him than beating Ward. However I cannot see him beat Ward at super middle, and Ward would probably lose at light heavy at this stage to Dawson. Either way Dawson needs the fight more than Ward.

[Rantcatrat]

NO! Damnit Dawson, fight Cloud you S.O.B!!! I don't want to see any more Dawson vs a cagey boxer, I'm over it.


How difficult would it be to get through Ward-Hopkins....Jesus, where's my gun?

I get the impression that you believe Cloud will give Dawson a tougher fight than Ward?

Not to speak for Lyle, but I believe it's mostly because he is a HUGE Cloud supporter.