Saturday night on HBO, the first episode of 24/7 Road to Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson debuted. Ward vs. Dawson takes place in just two weeks, and the show brought us into the training camps and lives of both men, as usual. Right here, find the complete recap to 24/7 Ward vs. Dawson episode 1.
Episode 1 of 24 7 Ward-Dawson begins with some narration with video of each man doing road work. Ward hasn’t been defeated since he was 12, Dawson isn’t used to being the underdog, each man is a champion at his peak, an American fighter looking to win a bout to define his career. But only one man can bring home that victory…
Chad Dawson is hanging out in his backyard and playing baseball with his sons, and he introduces the four of them, with some intriguing names. Growing up in New Haven, Bad Chad’s father, Rick, introduced him to the sport at a young age.
Andre Ward also took up the sport at a young age, of course. Like Chad, he took up the sport at the behest of his father, a fighter himself. It’s a journey that saw him bring home gold at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and victor of the Super Six Tournament.
His relationship with trainer and “godfather” Virgil Hunter is extremely close, and both are finally getting the recognition they have deserved. Ward’s father died suddenly when he was 18, and Hunter became even closer, and took on even more father and familial type of responsibilities. Ward relies upon his faith, but it’s also his drive and dedication which has gotten him where he is. Ward says he respects the sport of boxing, and he needs to stay focused.
Dawson of course is training with John Scully again these days. The two first met in Dawson’s amateur days, and worked together previously. Dawson has jumped around with trainers over the past few years but now seems comfortable working with Scully, and finding his own true style, which he describes as being a true boxer.
Dawson says coming down in weight doesn’t bother him, and fighting in Oakland doesn’t bother him. He’s getting motivation as being the underdog here, and feels his resume stands up to if not exceeds Ward’s. Immediately after his win over Bernard Hopkins, of course, he called out Ward. He wanted a 170 lb catchweight, but when that got canned, he still went ahead with the bout regardless.
Ward takes a rare break from his training camp to come home and visit his wife and kids. It’s a happy reunion, and Ward talks about how he and his wife were high school sweethearts, and from his own perspective, it was love at first sight. He takes a moment to showcase his belts, and says how important it is that he is defending those belts against Dawson, and plans on keeping them, whereas Dawson’s own belts aren’t at stake. As opposed to earlier in his career, Ward needs to take at least a small break like this to recharge his batteries by seeing his family.
Dawson has also been away at training camp, working hard with his team. But he gets a break today, as it’s his fourth son’s first birthday, and his real family and boxing family comes together to celebrate. Dawson says he learned after his loss to Jean Pascal how many of the hangers-on and entourage people disappeared. So now, he keeps it to his close friends and family.
Virgil Hunter talks about keeping a routine very un-routine. And how a smooth training camp isn’t a good thing, and it doesn’t lead to a smooth fight. They’ve gotten past challenges before, as he broke his hand before the Carl Froch fight, just days before the bout. But it’s healed now, and we see him using Bruce Lee’s old trick with a bucket of rice to add hand strength and toughness.
Ward talks about how far he has come, reaching goals along the time, but how there’s also greatness still to come. Dawson is planning on getting his way in the fight, he’s bigger, stronger and he’s ready.
So, basically, episode 1 of Ward vs. Dawson 24/7 was all about these two fighters as men. As family men, as men with similar stories, as fighters at the top of their games. It’s a starbuilding turn for these two guys, and in the next episode, it’s likely we see even more with the training and preparation.
Be sure to check back with us for more ongoing coverage on the Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson fight, and thanks for checking out our coverage of Ward vs. Dawson 24/7 episode 1.
