Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson Pick to Win & Fight Preview
Super Middleweight kingpin Andre Ward takes on reigning WBC Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson on September 8 at the Oracle Arena. Some things immediately jump out. First of all, what a delightful and interesting match-up. No one was really clamoring for this, but now that it’s happening–people will like this fight. We also notice this is in Ward’s hometown in Oakland and how can Dawson, a huge light heavy, get down to 168 comfortably?
Ward finally emerged from the Super Six Tournament as the champion after a grueling stretch of matches. That tournament was taxing in terms of opposition and time. It only seems the whole thing started in 1998, but it took forever to unfold. I remember thinking at some point that the winner of the tournament could be easy pickings if facing a good fighter after the whole thing culminated. But I’m not so sure now.
- Date: September 8, 2012
- Site: Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
- Titles: WBA/WBC Super Middleweight Title: 12 Rounds
Andre Ward, 25-0 (13 KOs), Oakland, California, WBC/WBA Super Middleweight Champion
Vs.
Chad Dawson, 31-1 (17 KOs), New Haven, Connecticut, WBC Light Heavyweight Champion
Ward really distinguished himself by winning the tournament and becoming the consensus number-one guy at 168. Any questions that Lucian Bute was the top dog disappeared when Carl Froch destroyed him. If you’ll remember, that is the same Froch that Ward schooled in the tournament final. And that’s what makes it so impressive–Ward just utterly dominated the best super middleweights in the world. Names like Mikkel Kessler, Arthur Abraham, and Carl Froch never looked like they were going to beat Ward in any of those fights.
But now Ward runs into a different type of fighter here with Dawson, who finally ridded himself of the nagging issue of Bernard Hopkins. Dawson did the right thing against Hopkins in their April rematch. He depended on the things he was better at, while not getting caught up in the head games of B-Hop. It wasn’t easy and early in the fight, it seemed like he was beginning to succumb to the psychological warfare. But he was admirably resolute, stuck to his game plan, and won by 6 points on two cards, while the other judge scored an out-of-line 114-114.
When I start to think if whether the B-Hop rematch shows that Dawson has grown as a fighter, I think of the 168-pound weight limit. He hasn’t been as low as 168 in over 6 years and will be 30 by fight-night. And while he never has trouble making weight and has made the light-heavy limit of 175 with room to spare on occasion, it might be a struggle. This is a guy who beat Tomasz Adamek, who is now a heavyweight contender. And my gauge for how big a guy is might be weighed too much on the upper-body, but Dawson seems like a big fighter for 175. Can he put all that body into a 168-pound package?
Then again, Ward was a light heavyweight as an amateur. Maybe his struggles getting to 168 are overlooked a bit too. He surely celebrated after his December tournament finals win. Sure, he’s a clean-living and disciplined fighter, but who can tell? We assume it’s Dawson who will be depleted, but what about some possible letdown for Ward like Super Bowl teams who are hungover the following season? I wouldn’t count on that if I were a potential Dawson backer, however.
Ward vs. Dawson Prediction
Ward is a different fighter now. We always knew he had talent, but now he showed he has guts. He’s a steely performer who is deceivingly rugged. It will be interesting to see how he showcases his right hand against the southpaw Dawson. I see him finding a home for it. Dawson is a helluva fighter. I just don’t see him dropping down in weight and coming to Ward’s hometown being a good spot for him. And whatever he does well, Ward is a tiny bit better. I like Ward by unanimous decision.
Prediction: Andre Ward wins a unanimous decision
