Johnson is more deserving. He didn't look like a beaten man at the end of their fight. Tarver didn't need a score card to tell him he'd lost.
And Tarver pitty-patted Johnson to get the W. Not that that's a bad strategy; the guy isn't getting knocked out by anyone and Tarver needed gas in the tank to close out the fight. But Dawson actually engaged and won a great deal more respect, at least from me, by beating Johnson the way he did.
Bookmarks