Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that “Former” Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins has filed an appeal with the California Athletic Commission to not only over turn his controverisal second round loss to Chad Dawson past Saturday but to have Dawson disqualified for launching Hopkins to the canvas and injure his left shoulder.

“Dawson should be disqualified because that was no accident,” Hopkins said. “I think it should be a DQ because it was intentional. He intended to hurt me, period. I’m asking for a disqualification because of the intent. I leaned over because I missed a punch, that’s normal. What’s not normal is when a guy raises you up a couple of inches and throws you to the canvas, which caused me to hit my elbow, which sent a shock up to my shoulder, which caused the dislocation.

Golden Boy’s Richard Schaefer, Hopkins’ promoter, said he thought the result of the fight will at least be changed to a no contest pending the commission’s review.

[+] EnlargeBernard Hopkins
Stephen Dunn/Getty ImagesBernard Hopkins is seeking a disqualification win after dislocating his shoulder in a controversial loss to Chad Dawson on Saturday.

“Based on the feedback we’ve gotten from so many people it seems pretty clear that it should be overturned,” Schaefer said. “The fact is, everybody I have talked to says this was a wrong call. So that is what we are filing for, a disqualification. The fact is, lifting Bernard up by the legs is not just something that happened like a push. You lift someone up to make them lose their balance, and that is what happened here.

“That to me is flagrant, and it should be ruled as such.”

Stephen Espinoza, the attorney for Golden Boy Promotions, told ESPN.com that he filed the formal protest with the California commission on Tuesday night.

“We reviewed the appeal with Bernard and his attorney so we could forward it to the commission,” Espinoza said. “It’s an appeal letter explaining our position.”

“I’m in a sling and it’s not comfortable,” Hopkins said. “I’ve been taking the Motrin they gave me, but I’m a vitamin guy, not an aspirin guy. They’re like 500 milligram pills, but I’m only taking half at a time.

“I got to keep a pillow under my arm, so I don’t move so much when I sleep. I’ve been battling that, but I can deal with it. I can’t get my jacket on without hurting my shoulder. I got my daughter helping me get my arm in my damn jacket. I just hope when I hear the MRI results that I don’t have to go under the knife and that there is no tear or anything. Whatever it is, I just want to get started on my rehab and set up what I’m going to do next.”

Follow all the action LIVE!! from Staples Center as Bernard Hopkins defends the undisputed Light Heavyweight championship of the world when he takes on top contender Chad Dawson. The card will begin at 9pm eastern/ 6 pm Pacific with a three fight undercard featuring Lightweight Jorge Linares and Antonio DeMarco; Jr. Welterweight Danny Garcia and Kendall Holt and the action starts off with Paulie Malignaggi taking on Orlando Lora

12 Rounds–Undisputed Light Heavyweight Title–Bernard Hopkins (52-5-1, 32 KO’s) vs Chad Dawson (30-1-1, 17 KO’s)

Round 1 Lead right from Hopkins..Dawson lands a combination…Dawson 10-9

Round 2 TARVER THROWS HOPKINS DOWN TO THE CANVAS…THE FIGHT IS RULED OVER AND SOME HOW THE FIGHT IS GIVEN TO DAWSON VIA KO 2

12 rounds WBC Lightweight Title—Antonio DeMarco (25-2-1, 18 KO’s) vs Jorge Linares (30-1, 20 KO’s)

Round 1 Linares lands a right hand/left hook…10-9 Linares

Round 2 20-19 Linares

Round 3 Linares lands a right…left…combination…30-28 Linares

Round 4 Good combination from Linares…40-37 Linares

Round 5 3 punch combination from Linares…Hard right….50-47 Linares

Round 6 Hard right from DeMarco…hard right from Linares…DeMarco landing some hard shots…Linares bleeding from the nose…2 body shots from Linares…uppercut from DeMarco...59-57 Linares

Round 7 DeMarco sees the blood and is pushing the action more…68-67 Linares

Round 8 Linares landing combinations and moving…Linares cut over right eye…Hard right from Linares….78-76 Linares

Round 9 Linares lands combinations…DeMarco trying to be aggressive..triple left hook from Linares…88-85 Linares

Round 10 Linares landing aZnd moving…98-94 Linares

Round 11 DeMarco battering a bloody Linares all over the ring LANDING SOME FLUSH SHOTS…LINARES IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AND THE FIGHT IS STOPPED

WINNER BY TKO ROUND 11–ANTONIO DEMARCO

12 ROUNDS–JR. WELTERWEIGHTS–KENDALL HOLT (52-5-2, 32 KO’S)VS. DANNY GARCIA (21-0, 14 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Hold lands a nice right hand…10-9 Holt

Round 2 Hard right by Holt...19-19

Round 3: Garcia lands a hard right…body work…jab…hard body shots29-28 Garcia

Round 4 Garcia lands a left hook…39-37 Garcia

Round 5 Holt lands a left…48-47 Garcia

Round 6 Holt lands a right…Big left from Garcia..Body shot and a combination..Left from Holt…58-56 Garcia

Round 7 Holt’s left eye starting to swell…68-65 Garcia

Round 8 Holt lands a left hook…Garcia lands a good combination…Mayweather lands a combination of the break…78-74 Garcia

Round 9 Hard left from Holt…good body shot and left hook…Hard right from Garcia…87-84 Garcia

Round 10 good right from Garcia…Quick left hook and a right…97-93 Garcia

Round 11 Holt lands a right…looping right from Garcia…Hard combination…107-102 Garcia

Round 12 Holt lands a right…Left hook …116-112 Holt

115-113 Holt…117-111 Garcia…117-111 Garcia

10 ROUNDS–WELTERWEIGHTS–PAULIE MALIGNAGGI (29-4, 6 KO’S) VS ORLANDO LORA (28-1-1, 19 KO’S)

ROUND 1 Lora lands a hard right that has Malignaggi holding on…Malignaggi lands a jab to the body and combination…10-9 Malignaggi

Round 2 Malignaggi boxing well..triple left hook…Lora 2 body shots….20-18 Malignaggi

Round 3 Maliganggi lands a 3 punch combination…30-27 Malignaggi

Round 4 40-37

Round 5 Lora cut over the left eye…Malignaggi lands a right…Lora lands a right…Malignaggi lands a body shot…50-46 Malignaggi

Round 6 Malignaggi lands an over hand right…60-55 Malignaggi

Round 7 Malignaggi being agressive landing combinations…70-64

Round 8 More of the same with Paulie getting off and landing…80-73

Round 9 Maliganggi lands a good right…90-82

Round 10 Good exchange with Malignaggi;s speed being the difference….100-91 Maliganggi

100-90; 98-92; 99-91 MALIGNAGGI

LOS ANGELES – Bernard Hopkins kept it light. He also kept his sunglasses on. Then again, it was Hollywood and he is the designated star for his fight Saturday night against Chad Dawson at Staples Center, just a few freeway miles from the scales Friday at Ripley’s Believe It or Not.

Hopkins, always more Captain Defiance than Father Time, was at 173.4 pounds, nearly two pounds under the light-heavyweight limit. Middle-aged men are supposed to struggle with their weight. But 46-year-old Hopkins doesn’t. He has only the age and none of the middle so common to most in his generation.

Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) has fewer years and nearly one more pound than Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs). Dawson, who is 17 years younger than Hopkins, tipped the scale at 174.2 pounds. Will it matter after opening bell? Probably not. But it was good theater on a warm afternoon at Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, where a Hopkins has been memorialized in wax.

Waxed, of course, is what each intends to do to the other in a bout for the World Boxing Council title that Hopkins won in rematch victory over Jean Pascal in May. Differing style have generated some worry that the HBO-televised fight could be deadly dull. Hopkins’ best chance is believed to be on the inside against the swift Dawson, who swift feet and boxing tactics could keep him on the perimeter.

“I want you to bring the best out of me,” Hopkins said to Dawson Wednesday at the formal news conference. “I am challenging Chad Dawson to try to knock me out. I want to see the best Chad Dawson.’’

The Dawson who Hopkins wants to see, however, might not be the smartest Dawson, whose youthful energy and proven endurance might be his best weapon over the scheduled 12 rounds. But the calculating Hopkins has talked other opponents into a lot of traps over the many years. Dawson doesn’t say much, so it’s hard to know if any of Hopkins words are about draw him into another one.

“I just want prove I’m the best light-heavyweight in the world,’’ Dawson said. “It was Bernard Hopkins. But now it will be me.’’

Undercard weights

Antonio DeMarco 134.4 pounds versus Jorge Linares at 134.6 for the WBC’s vacant lightweight title.

Kendall Holt 139.4 pounds versus Danny Garcia 139.4 in a junior-welterweight eliminator for the WBC/International Boxing Federation titles.

Paulie Malignaggi 147.4 pounds versus Orlando Lora 147.5 in a welterweight bout.
Dewey Bozella 190.6 pounds versus Larry Hopkins 192.5 in a cruiserweight bout.

It’s hard to know what to expect from Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson. Don’t blame Hopkins for that. After 23 years, we know Hopkins, mostly because he knows himself. He’s comfortable with what and who he has become. But the book on Dawson is an unfinished manuscript, an unresolved mystery. Who is he?

Nobody seems to know, perhaps because he doesn’t.

Dawson has gone through trainers the way Hollywood celebrities go through shrinks. From John Scully, to Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, to Floyd Mayweather Sr., back to Mustafa Muhammad, to Emanuel Steward, and now back to Scully. Only Dr. Phil hasn’t been in the mix.

The confusing map includes many moves, yet no apparent destination. Dawson seems to be searching for an identity more than a trainer.

“Scully is going to make a difference,’’ Dawson said at his media workout in Los Angeles. “The last two or three fights, I haven’t truly been myself.

Maybe, just maybe, Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) is back at the beginning of what and who he was. If so, yeah, he can spring an upset of Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs), the World Boxing Council’s light-heavyweight champion, Saturday night in an HBO televised bout at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. Everything else adds up to a measurable chance for him. Dawson is 17-years younger than the 46-year-old Hopkins. His hands are fast. His feet are quick. The fight’s promotional label, Believe It Or Not, could take on new meaning. Believe It Or Not, Dawson could win.

But there’s still that uncertainty about whether he has figured out how to truly be himself. Ordinarily, that might not be much of a factor. Dawson’s superior skill set would prevail, has prevailed against everybody but Jean Pascal. But against Hopkins, it matters. Hopkins is the oldest in history to win a major title because of a keen, predatory eye. It’s what allows him to survive against a younger generation with physical skills, but none of his smarts. If at any moment Hopkins senses doubt in Dawson, the fight will belong to the old man.

In a conference call a few weeks ago, Dawson made a startling admission, which in part was his way of trying to explain away his loss to Pascal, whom Hopkins beat in a rematch in his last outing.

“I became a bored fighter,’’ Dawson said. “I got bored.’’

Hopkins has said a lot of things, but he’s never said he was bored. The day he does, I suspect, is the day he’ll announce his retirement. A bored fighter is about to become an ex-fighter, or at least someone who is thinking about doing something else. In the later rounds, I’m guessing Dawson will wish that he was.

Hopkins by unanimous decision.

Moving on up
Nonito Donaire (26-1, 18 KOs) will be at bantamweight for the last on Oct. 22 at New York’s Madison Square Garden against Omar Narvaez (35-0-2, 19 KOs) of Argentina in the first defense of the titles he took from Fernando Montiel last February with a sensational second-round knockout.

“Definitely, this will be my last fight at 118,’’ Donaire said Thursday during a conference call. “122 is something we’re looking forward to.’’

AZ Notes
· Phoenix super-middleweight Jesus Gonzales is waiting to hear if Kelly Pavlik has any interest in a tune-up against him. Gonzales has been saying for months that he wants a shot at Pavlik, who is anxious for a comeback after he abruptly withdrew from a Top Rank card a couple of months ago. Gonzales hopes to hear from Pavlik by Oct. 22.

· Arizona promoter Michelle Rosado continues to re-ignite a dormant market with a card on Oct. 21 at the Madison Event Center in downtown Phoenix. Hometown super-bantamweight Emilio Colon-Garcia (3-0-1) is scheduled for the main event. First bell is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

BERNARD HOPKINS, WBC & Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Champion

“I would like to say it is good to be back in Los Angeles. I made history here years back with Howard Eastman in the middleweight division with my 20th title defense. I am excited to be back making history.

“I didn’t know Dewey Bozella from a can of paint, but I heard his story and then I did my own research. I saw this wasn’t a charity case.

“Dewey and I understand what that dark place means. Whether you committed the crime or you have been accused of something you didn’t do. The place is still going to be the same when you get there.

“That is where I go when I get ready for war. You try to figure out what my secret is. I systematically calculate and go back to a place that is very dark. I go back to that place without putting myself in a position where I won’t lose my freedom.

“If Chad Dawson brings everything that Gary Shaw said he would bring to the table, and I bring everything that I have been known to bring to the table, everyone that buys pay-per-view will get their money’s worth.

“My goal is to be fighter of the year. My goal is to make history again. There aren’t athletes in any sport four years from 50 that can do this.

“[To Dawson] You have Winky. Fine. But I don’t understand why you hire a guy to help you take you driver’s test when he failed his.

“I want you [to Dawson] to bring the best out of me.

“I am challenging Chad Dawson to try to knock me out. I want to see the best Chad Dawson.

“I just need Chad Dawson to bring his half. I am going to bring my half. Then you have a party. You have a fight.”

“Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose, but at the end you all win, the customers win.

“Right now I am begging this guy to do everything he said he was going to do because guess who wins? Boxing.

“My birth certificate is what it is. Stop putting me in a category with the average 40 and up person. Gary Shaw is only a few years older than me. Look at him and look at me!

“You all have seen me. You know what I can do…push ups and all.” [In reference to the puch-ups he did between rounds in his last fight against Jean Pascal.]

“Saturday, October 15, you are going to have to rewrite history. This is going to be a show that you are going to have to say to yourself, ‘We thought we had seen it all.’

CHAD DAWSON, Former Light Heavyweight World Champion

“I am excited to be here. This is what I have been waiting for my whole career. I am ready to fight against a great champion.

“Hopkins has done a lot for the sport of boxing. I truly believe that.

“I am looking forward to coming out and showing everyone that I am the best light heavyweight in the world. It was Bernard Hopkins, but now it is going to be me.

“It has been a great camp. I have been here for almost two weeks. I’m comfortable. This has been the best camp I have had in the last two or three years.

“On Saturday night I am going to be the new champion of the world…believe it!”

ANTONIO DEMARCO, WBC #1 Rated Lightweight Contender

“I am excited to be here. I have chills. I am very excited. I feel like crying. I’m ready.

“I just want to say, I am a dreamer. Everything that you have in mind you can achieve. It has not been easy to get a second shot [at a world title] and I won’t miss out on this opportunity.

“I want to thank the people in Tijuana for giving me a plate of food when I didn’t have any and now I am here.

“I ultimately want to be like Bernard Hopkins.”

JORGE LINARES, Former Two-Division World Champion

“I want to thank everyone for being here. I want to thank my two new trainers Alex Ariza and Freddie Roach.

“There are only a couple of days to go. It has been a great camp. I sparred a total of 30 rounds against Manny Pacqiuao. We helped each other. I want to thank him as well. It is going to be a great fight.”

KENDALL HOLT, Former World Champion

“His [Danny Garcia’s] father has all of this energy, but talk is cheap. He is saying that he is going to prove this and that. He is not the one that is going to be hit by this right hand and by my left hook.

“Who has he [Danny Garcia] knocked out? You cover the fights and you read the articles. Name one person that we are going to talk about one day that he has knocked out.

“It doesn’t matter how many knockouts you have, it is who you have knocked out.

“After this fight, he is going to have to beg for another chance.

“I am going to do my thing. [I will show my] blazing speed and hard power.

“Garcia has never been hit by someone like me. He has never been in there with someone as experienced as me.”

DANNY GARCIA, Top Undefeated Junior Welterweight Contender

“We had a tremendous camp. We worked hard. We took it to the next level.

“I am ready to fight the best. Kendall Holt is one of the best. That is why I am in this business; to compete against the best.

“I am ready and I will be a winner on Saturday night.”

PAULIE MALIGNAGGI, Former World Champion

“For my fight, the points are going to the Golden Boy side. This is one for our side.

“When Oscar [de la Hoya] was reading all of my opponents, I was starting to feel old. I have been in there with a lot of great fighters.

“Come Saturday, night I am going to put on a show. I am going to put on a great performance with the backing of the strong team.

“This has been a great year and next year will be even bigger.”

ORLANDO LORA, Welterweight Contender

“I want to invite the fans to come and see a great fight.

“I have been through some adversity. Right now, I am here to show that I belong on this level and you will see what I have on Saturday night.”

DEWEY BOZELLA, 2011 ESPN Arthur Ashe Courage Award Recipient Making Pro Debut

“I want everyone to know that this wasn’t handed to me. I am here to win. I have been through ups and downs.

“I know what it is like to be locked up, and I like freedom better.

“People think this is an easy sport. For Bernard Hopkins to be at the level he is at today is amazing. When I got to camp, I was so far off. I only had about 20 percent of what I have now.

“To everyone on this dais, you’re a champion no matter what happens because you have dedicated your life to this sport. I am proud of ever single one of you.

“I am not a charity case. I am here because I had to earn it. Boxing is about responsibility and discipline and that is what kept me going.

“Now I have the opportunity to fight on the Bernard Hopkins vs. Chad Dawson undercard and I am going to give one zillion percent of what I have. I want to show everyone that I am not busted (takes shirt off).”

NAAZIM RICHARDSON, Hopkins’ trainer

“What do you say about Bernard Hopkins that you haven’t already heard? He is not only one of the greatest athletes of this era; he is one of the greatest personalities.

“He always has a sound bite for you that are going to carry the promotion. This is important for boxing because we need that spark.

“Everyone needs to recognize what you are watching and what you are witnessing.

“Chad has been an outstanding champion.

“When you look across the ring and you don’t see a step up fight and you see an absolute legend, your corner can’t tell you how you are going to respond until that day comes. Come Saturday, Dawson, who I have a great deal of respect for, is going to look across the ring in the eyes of one of the greatest of all time.”

JOHN SCULLY, Dawson’s Head Trainer

“I just want to give a shout out to the rest of the training team

“I actually go way back with Naazim. I have a lot of respect for him.

“I haven’t trained Chad since he was a kid, but I have seen him since the very beginning. We go way back. I have seen him grow from a little kid to the man he is now.

“Everyone has that time to come out. I believe Chad Dawson is more than ready and he realizes this is his time to come out.

“I am looking forward to a great event and great fight.”

WINKY WRIGHT, Dawson’s Assistant Trainer

“I want to thank Gary Shaw and the Dawson camp for accepting me. I came in to lighten the mood and have fun with him [Dawson].

“Bernard is a great champion. He wouldn’t be where he is without fighting great fighters. He doesn’t duck anyone and there aren’t a lot of champions who do that.”

FREDDIE ROACH, Linares’ Trainer

“We have had a great training camp. We dragged Jorge around the world. He has been helping Manny Pacquiao get ready for his fight with Marquez.

“We know we have a great opponent in front of us. Don’t miss this one. It is going to be a great fight.”

OSCAR DE LA HOYA, President of Golden Boy Promotions

“I have been in there with some good fighters: Chavez, Whitaker, Mayweather and Pacquiao, but I do have to admit that Hopkins is the best fighter out of all of them that I ever faced.

“People throw around the word great. In the history of the game there have only been a handful of great fighters. It is my honor, as it should be to everyone here, to be in his [Hopkins’] presence.

“We are not going to see another fighter like Bernard Hopkins.

“Bernard Hopkins keeps turning back father time but that statue [Ripley’s Wax Figure] actually looks older than the real Hopkins.

“Jorge Linares vs. Antonio DeMarco is going to be a matchup of styles and it is going to be an exciting one for the fans.

“Danny Garcia turned professional in 2007 and we are thrilled to have him as part of the Golden Boy Promotions stable of fighters.

“Paulie Malignaggi is known for his flashy style in and out of the ring.

“Dewey Bozella will be making his professional debut and his pay-per-view debut. He can only give hope to people. He sends a message to never give up no matter what.”

GARY SHAW, President and CEO of Gary Shaw Productions

“I really believe, not because I am the co-promoter of this card, that this card from top to bottom is as good of a card I have ever seen whether on pay-per-view or on commercial television.

“We have great fights that are evenly matched.

“[Points to trophy] It is called the promoters cup. The promotional company that wins the most fights Saturday night will leave with it.

“John Scully is not a new trainer. He is actually an old trainer. He was probably Chad’s original trainer.

“I’ve never seen Chad Dawson as happy, as in good of shape, as he is now.

“[Looks at Hopkins] I believe this fight is going to be your retirement party. I am glad I am going to be there for it.

“[To Hopkins] Chad Dawson is a different Chad Dawson than you have seen, than any one else has seen. You can say whatever you want; you will not get into his head. I guarantee you that.

“[To Hopkins] You can take home the wax sculpture, we’ll take home the Tecate girls.

“DeMarco happens to be one of my favorite fighters. He is one of the most humble people I have met in all of boxing. He is always happy. He is always smiling. He is a pleasure to be around and a great fighter.

“Kendall [Holt] has the biggest punch of any 140 pounder. Danny Garcia is a nice young kid. I have a lot of respect for him, but when Kendall hits him with the right or the left, its going to be lights out. I guarantee that.”

Jim Pattison Jr., President of Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!

“We are lucky to be here for this special fight;

History will be made Saturday night;

A freak of nature call it what you will;

Bernard Hopkins will give you a thrill;

This man is special and knows how to win;

There is nowhere in boxing that he hasn’t been;

A legend to all, he knows all the tricks;

He’s still schooling the youngsters at age 46;

Follow his career and learn all the facts;

Now he is immortal… forever in wax.”

# # #

“Believe It Or Not!: Hopkins vs. Dawson” is a 12-round bout for Hopkins’ WBC and Ring Magazine Light Heavyweight World Championship Titles taking place on Saturday, Oct. 15 at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles, Calif. and will be produced and distributed live by HBO Pay-Per-View® beginning at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. The event is presented by Golden Boy Promotions and Gary Shaw Productions and sponsored by Cerveza Tecate, AT&T and Ripley’s Believe It or Not. In addition to this championship main event showdown, the televised pay-per-view undercard will also feature Antonio DeMarco vs. Jorge Linares in a 12-round fight for the vacant WBC Lightweight World Title, Kendall Holt vs. Danny Garcia in 12-round bout for the vacant NABO Junior Welterweight Title and Paulie Malignaggi vs. Orlando Lora in a 10-round welterweight bout. DeMarco vs. Linares is presented in association with Teiken Promotions.

Tickets for Hopkins vs. Dawson, priced at $300, $150, $75 and $25, are on sale now and are available for purchase online at www.staplescenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com or via Ticketmaster charge-by-phone lines at (800)745-3000. Tickets are also available at STAPLES Center box office.

Bernard Hopkins will show up in wax next week. It ought to be granite. He’s been indestructible.

Hopkins’ defiance against time and his victories over opponents young enough to be his son continue like the clock that never seems to catch up with him. It will, of course. Nobody knows that better than Hopkins, who was wise enough to say this week in a conference call that he won’t still be fighting when he’s 50, yet he will be there for another opening bell on Oct. 15 against Chad Dawson just three months before he turns 47.

Like the graybeard he is becoming, he was philosophical, at times almost wistful, in a call that preceded his fight at Staples Center in Los Angeles where Ripley’s Believe It Or Not will unveil his wax figure. He couldn’t say when or where he’d answer his last bell.

“Can’t think about winning and retiring at the same time,’’ said Hopkins, who will defend the light-heavyweight title he won in a rematch against Jean Pascal.

But he was thinking about history, which he promised would include another chapter about a victory over the under-achieving, yet dangerous Dawson. In the end, history means a judgment, which is as inescapable as retirement. How will he be remembered?

Within the ropes, there won’t be much argument from anybody other than perhaps Joe Calzaghe. Calzaghe beat him on the scorecards in March, 2008, leaving Hopkins with one of his five losses. Calzaghe retired, unbeaten at 46-0. But 10 years from now, who will be remembered as the better fighter in history’s pound-for-pound debate, Calzaghe or Hopkins? I’ll argue that Hopkins will win that one every time. With no apologies to Floyd Mayweather Jr., Hopkins is the real face of boxing, which is more about conquering adversity than it is an unscarred record. Hopkins’ life is a boxing story, an American story which includes prison and a loss in his first fight.

In perhaps a sure sign that retirement is near, he now has arrived at a stage where he wants to be remembered for more than boxing.

“Boxing is what he did, but boxing is not who he is,’’ Hopkins said.

A healthy serving of self-promotion has always been part of the Hopkins personality. Some are offended by that. Many media colleagues are also offended by his racial comments. There was one last May directed at former Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. More notorious, perhaps, was the one he shouted at Calzaghe in the middle of a crowded media room in Las Vegas before Mayweather’s 10th-round TKO of Britain’s Ricky Hatton in December, 2007. He told Calzaghe that he would never let “a white boy” beat him.

I wasn’t there for the McNabb controversy when Hopkins, while training for the Pascal rematch, was reported to have suggested that McNabb, now with the Minnesota Vikings, wasn’t tough enough because he wasn’t black enough. But I was there for the Calzaghe exchange, which was pure theater in the hype leading up to their fight.

In one moment, Hopkins was joking with a circle of British writers, telling them that they had better health care in the UK than the U.S.

“Then again, you all drink a hell of a lot more than we do,’’ Hopkins said.

Then, he spotted Calzaghe. He raced across the MGM Grand’s ballroom, shifted his vocal chords from joking to angry and screamed “the white boy” comment at him. It was all in the setting and tone, yet media reports included none of that context. With only the quote, it appeared to be a racial insult.

In meeting with some media before Amir Khan’s victory over Zab Judah in July, Hopkins talked about how it might have affected the judging in his split-decision loss to Calzaghe

“I lost that fight when I called him light-skinned,’’ Hopkins told a circle of reporters, many of whom were light-skinned.

Be careful of what you read. Hopkins doesn’t take himself that seriously. When he is approaching 60 a decade from now, I’m not sure how he will look at himself. But boxing obviously will be the biggest piece in a fascinating puzzle. Still, priorities always change and it is beginning to look as if Hopkins is too.

Hopkins trained in Philadelphia with Dewey Bozella, who will fight on the Oct. 15 undercard. Bozella was convicted and imprisoned in 1983 for a murder he did not commit. He served 26 years before his conviction was overturned in 2009.

“His life is bigger than the sport …bigger than anything I’ve ever done,’’ said Hopkins, whose record of convictions as a 17-year-old led to a five-year sentence in Pennsylvania’s notorious Graterford Prison. “You don’t get a second life. I went into jail because I did something. I wasn’t innocent. He was innocent.

“That’s a difference, a big difference.’’

A wise one, too, from somebody who hasn’t defied time so much as he used it, evolved with it.

AZ NOTES
· As expected, Phoenix junior-welterweight prospect Jose Benavidez Jr. is scheduled for the Manny Pacquiao-Juan Manuel Marquez undercard on Nov. 12 at Las Vegas MGM Grand. Gary Bergeron (12-8, 7 KOs) of Chalmette, La., is the scheduled opponent. But expect changes. Benavidez (13-0, 12 KOs) does. There were three to four changes before his last victory, a first-round stoppage, on Sept. 17 in Parker, Ariz. Bergeron, loser of his last three fights and 2-6 over his last eight, is also scheduled for a bout on Nov. 11 in Australia, which means he would have to book a seat on the Space Shuttle to get to Vegas in time for opening bell.

· And while Kelly Pavlik considers a tune-up or two in an attempt to get his career back on track, Phoenix super-middleweight Jesus Gonzales continues to lobby for a shot at the former middleweight champ. Gonzales turned 27 on Monday. When asked what he wanted for his birthday, Gonzales said: “A fight with Kelly Pavlik. That’s better than a Grand Slam from Denny’s.’’

World Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins works out in advance of October 15th title defense with Chad Dawson

World Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins breaks down his October 15th title defense with Chad Dawson

Famed trainer Naazim Richardson talks about the just completed Steve Cunningham – Yoan Pablo Hernandez fiasco plus breaks down the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson showdown

Arthur Ashe Courage award winner Dewey Bozella talks about his upcoming pro debut on October 15 as part of the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson undercard

Undefeated Jr. Welterweight Danny Garcia talks about his showdown with Kendall Holt on October 15th as part of the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson undercard

Undefeated Jr. Welterweight Danny Garcia works out in advance of his October 15 showdown with Kendall Holt as part of the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson undercard

Dewey Bozella works out for his pro debut on October 15th as part of the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson undercard

15rounds.com Claudia Bocanegra was on hand at BB King’s in Time Square New York City for the formal announcement of the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson October 15th PPV fight for Hopkins Light Heavyweight championship

Former Light Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson speaks to the media about his October 15th Championship showdown with Bernard Hopkins

Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson met the media at BB Kingsin NYC to announce their October 15th PPV showdown also see Danny Garcia and Kendall Holt

Promoter Gary Shaw breaks down the October 15th PPV card featuring Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson

Jr. Welterweight contender Kendall Holt talks about his October 15th showdown with Danny Garcia on the Bernard Hopkins- Chad Dawson PPV

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that Jr. Welterweights Kendall Hilt and Danny Garcia will fight eachother on October 15th as part of the Bernard Hopkins – Chad Dawson world Light Heavyweight title fight undercard in Los Angeles.

“It’s done, 100 percent done and I’m very excited about this fight,” said Holt’s promoter Gary Shaw. “I think it’s a great fight and the right fight for both fighters.”

“It wasn’t hard at all,” he said. “Golden Boy and myself both wanted to make the fight and both fighters wanted the fight. That makes the perfect marriage.”

“I don’t think Garcia has ever felt the kind of power Kendall has and Kendall may not have been in with anyone recently with the kind of speed that Garcia has,” Shaw said. “It’s the old cliche — this is the young fighter versus the veteran, which is the theme of Hopkins and Dawson as well.”

junior lightweight titleholder Jorge Linares (31-1, 20 KOs) for the lightweight belt recently vacated by Humberto Soto (DeMarco’s cousin).

Shaw said he and Golden Boy are still working to finalize a fourth televised bout, but that it could include heavyweight Franklin Lawrence, whom Shaw recently signed, or blue chip featherweight prospect Gary Russell Jr., a 2008 U.S. Olympian.

“We’ll lock in the last fight probably by Wednesday,” Shaw said.

World Light Heavyweight champion Bernard Hopkins works out as he begins camp for his October 15 showdown with Chad Dawson

Once thought to be staged at The Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, the Bernard Hopkins-Chad Dawson HBO Pay Per View fight will now land at The Staples Center in Los Angeles on October 15th accroding to Dan Rafael of espn.com

“It does look like it will be at the Staples Center,” said Richard Schaefer of Golden Boy Promotions. “It’s probably 95 percent it will be there. I am just working with them to finalize our deal.”

Talks with The Prudential Center hit a snag after The building insisted that Main Events, which has staged all of the boxing events at the Prudential Center be involved with the fight card by having signage in the building and a spot on the undercard for Kathy Duva’s promotion.

This will be Hopkins second fight at The Staples Center and first since his February, 2005 Middleweight title defense against Howard Eastman.

“We had a great crowd when Bernard did his historic 20th title defense and now he will do his first defense of the historic title he won against (Jean) Pascal,” Schaefer said. “I think Los Angeles boxing fans, Los Angeles sports fans, the celebrities — I think they like these kind of meaningful events. Staples Center is very excited about it.”

The fight will headline an HBO PPV card. Schaefer and Gary Shaw, Dawson’s promoter, have been working on the undercard.

One of the supporting bouts has been agreed to, Schaefer said. Golden Boy fighter Jorge Linares will face Antonio DeMarco, who is promoted by Shaw, for the lightweight title recently vacated by Humberto Soto (DeMarco’s cousin).

“Gary confirmed to me that his side is in and our side is in, so it looks like that will be one of the fights,” Schaefer said.

“The most consistent launching pad for future champions for a full decade” ShoBox: The New Generation celebrates it’s 10 year anniversary with a live match between top prospects Diego Magdaleno and Alejandro Perez. Watch highlights from today’s boxing stars who made their bones on ShoBox including Chad Dawson, Ricky Hatton, Robert Guerrero, Kelly Pavlik, Kermit Cintron, Joan Guzman, Victor Ortiz, Paul Williams, Timothy Bradley, Carl Froch, Nonito Donaire, Andre Ward, and more.

Dan Rafael of espn.com is reporting that talks are underway for a Light Heavyweight showdown between new champion Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson that could take place this Fall.

“Richard (Schaefer) called me and said he wanted to discuss making the fight and I was excited because we were on the same page,” Said Dawson’s promoter Gary Shaw. “We talked about places we could do the fight, but we want to do the fight wherever we can make the most money. He agreed.

“We said we would both get on the phone with HBO on Monday and try to lock in a date. We basically have our deal done. We agreed to a split (of the revenue) and we agreed to a deal in concept.”

“The reason why the (Hopkins-Pascal) rematch happened is because Gary and Chad were supportive,” Schaefer said. “They could have made a stink about it but they didn’t. It was a very tricky negotiation in order to get Bernard the rematch with Pascal. Now Dawson deserves his shot.

“Gary and me had conversations before to work things out so Bernard could get the rematch with Pascal. All of those discussions should make it easy to get things into motion and get the fight between Bernard and Dawson done. I am very positive it will happen. It’s the fight Bernard wants and the fight Chad wants. So Gary and me are talking about it.”

“I got a call (Wednesday) from (a venue in) Las Vegas and they are interested. (Thursday) I had lunch with the people from the Staples Center (in Los Angeles) and they are interested as well,” Schaefer said. “I have talked to (Pascal promoter) Yvon Michel about going back to Canada. Atlantic City is interested as well. There is a tremendous buzz about Bernard Hopkins after he did what he did. The big rating HBO did means millions of people saw Bernard in one of his best performances. People want to see Bernard back.”

Even though Hopkins has been busy making the media rounds since breaking George Foreman’s record as the oldest fighter to win a title, he also was thinking about the impending fight with Dawson.

“I have to honor my agreement with Chad first,” he said of potential fights. “It’s me and him next.”

Its 10 years since Adrian “The Shark” Diaconu 27-2(15) left his native Romania to turn professional in Canada. In a highly decorated amateur career Diaconu had won bronze at the 1997 World Championships and then two years later at the same event he upgraded to a silver medal before representing his country on the grandest stage of all the Olympics in 2000. He made his debut in 2001 and fought mostly in Canada, honing his skills and getting used to life away from his homeland for the next few years. That is until the spring of 2008 when he headed back to Romania to fight Chris Henry for the vacant WBC Interim Light Heavyweight title which he won on points. After a year out of the ring he lost his crown to Jean Pascal and also lost a rematch. Now Diaconu 32, is on the comeback trail and meets Chad Dawson on the weekend as chief support to the Jean Pascal-Bernard Hopkins 2 fight. He knows that to remain a factor in the division he needs to overcome Dawson. It won’t be an easy task, though he’ll hope to use his pressure & marauding style to smoother the wider skill set of Dawson. Here’s what Diaconu had to say.

Hello Adrian, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – Firstly you last fought in October last year when you beat Omar Sheika, how did you feel after 10 months away? Were you happy with your performance?

Adrian Diaconu – After two defeats when I lost the title with Jean Pascal then I tried to get the title back and lost again. So was very hard for me to get back in shape. After two defeats it’s not easy. I came back strong. I fought Omar Sheika, I did a very good fight in my opinion. I’m happy.

Anson Wainwright – You’re fighting Chad Dawson on the Pascal-Hopkins 2 card. Can you tell us anything about that fight any what do you think of Dawson?

Adrian Diaconu – You know this last fight he didn’t prove much. I think he’ll come back strong. Right now I think he’s going to be ready for me.

Anson Wainwright – What do you think of the Pascal-Hopkins fight?

Adrian Diaconu -To be honest, right now I’m focused on my fight. It’s going to be an Interesting fight for sure like the first one. My preparation is to be ready for Chad Dawson. But I hope whoever is best wins.

Anson Wainwright – What have you done with your time since your last fight? Have you trained? What is your walk around weight at the moment?

Adrian Diaconu – No, no. I had one week off after the (Sheika) fight. Then I came back to the gym. Depends around 195-200.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about your team. Who are your manager, trainer & promoter?

Adrian Diaconu – Promoter is Interbox, I manage myself and my trainers are Pierre Bouchard & Stéphan Larouche.

Anson Wainwright – Could you tell us about your younger days growing up in Ploiesti, Romania and how you first became interested in Boxing?

Adrian Diaconu – I was a little kid with a lot of energy and my father and teacher asked me to go and expand that energy in the gym.

Anson Wainwright – You had a very successful amateur career in which you represented your country at the 2000 Olympics and twice in the World Championships. What can you tell us about your amateur career?

Adrian Diaconu – I fought a lot of good boxers Sergio Martinez, Carl Froch. I fought the best in the world. Now I’m involved in something else so don’t look at the past.

Anson Wainwright – Lucian Bute is Romanian & fights out of Canada. Can you tell us about the relationship you share?

Adrian Diaconu – We’re good friends. We work out of the same gym. When we were younger we fought on the same squad.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us what happened for you to end up fighting in Canada?

Adrian Diaconu – There was Interest to go pro so I came to Canada. It wasn’t possible to box there (In Romania) at that time.

Anson Wainwright – How do you see the state of the Light Heavyweight division and where do you think you fit in?

Adrian Diaconu – I have a chance to prove I belong at this level with Chad Dawson. With a big win next weekend I’ll be in the mix.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do with your spare time? What are your hobbies and Interests? Do you go back to Romania often?

Adrian Diaconu – Fishing. Fishing is a good passion of mine. I go back to Romania every year.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans?

Adrian Diaconu – Watch the fight!

Thanks for your time Adrian, good luck with your fight on the weekend.

Anson Wainwright
15rounds.com

Weekend thoughts – You have to give Andre Ward credit he put on a clinic Saturday night, he boxed outstandingly, he’s got speed to burn, his ring generalship was also very impressive. It’s a shame he doesn’t have a big punch, it’s the only thing missing. He’s come on leaps and bounds since the Super Six started. I can’t wait until the final against either Carl Froch or Glen Johnson. I’d favour Ward over either but both guys would bring their own set of problems for Ward. Credit to Abraham for at least having a go this time which is more than can be said for his fight against Froch. It’s tough to see where Abraham goes at 168 from here. It was mentioned he may go back to Middleweight where his strength was much more effective, at 168 he’s not able to bully the top guys. If he can get back down to 160 and get a few wins under his belt I’ll love to see him fight Dmitry Pirog or Sergio Martinez…It was good to see Chris Arreola get into good shape, he looked pretty impressive stopping Nagy Aguilera in three. He got a little wild trying to stop Aguilera but I’m sure his better conditioning helped him not gas out and allow him to keep up his assault. It was the lightest Arreola has been in since 2007…On Friday in England on Friday Prince Aaron won a barburner against Sam Webb to take the British title. Aaron stopped Webb in the final round. he first sprang to prominence last year winning Prizefighter. At 6’3 he holds huge physical advantages over every Light Middleweight.

It was a major surprise late last year when it was announced that Glen Johnson 51-14-2(35) would be a late addition to the Super Six, his inclusion only came because other fighters fell out of the tournament through various injury’s. He scored a dominant win over Allen Green to progress to the Semi Finals where he will now meet Carl Froch for the Englishman’s WBC Super Middleweight title. He’ll be the underdog, but that’s nothing new to the affable Jamaican, it’s a role he’s used to and relishes the chance to shock the world again. He started his career brightly back in 1993 going an impressive 32-0(22) before he ran into a certain Bernard Hopkins and unsuccessfully challenged for Hopkins Middleweight title. After that setback he slipped into journeyman status going 7-8-1 before getting a shot at the Vacant IBF Light Heavyweight title in England against Clinton Woods. Though many believed he should of won it was declared a draw. He returned 3 months later to right the previous wrong and set up for a clash with Roy Jones Jnr. Many believed he was just cannon fodder against the unworldly talented Jones. However he shocked everyone by dominating Jones before knocking the great man out. He parlayed that win with a victory over Antonio Tarver to become The Ring magazine’s 2004 Fighter of the year. Since then he’s lost a few but only to the best whilst beating everyone else, he’s given young guns like Chad Dawson & Tavoris Cloud hell before losing decisions. When the 42 year old “Road Warrior” was offered the spot in the Super Six he jumped at it and see’s it as a new way to prove himself. Here’s what the humble Jamaican had to say.

Hello Glen, welcome to 15rounds.com

Anson Wainwright – You have the semi finals of the Super Six coming up with Carl Froch on 4 June in Atlantic City. What are your thoughts on that fight?

Glen Johnson – You know obviously the fights going to be a tremendous fight; it’s going to be a great fight. Carl Froch is a real fighter and the world already knows I am a good fighter. So we’re going to give the fans their money’s worth.

Anson Wainwright – What do you think of Froch?

Glen Johnson – Well he’s a good fighter. He fought a couple of fights I saw him in. He fights on the inside and brawls. The last fight (against Arthur Abraham) he kept his distance used his jabs. He’s an excellent brawler and he’s also an excellent boxer, so we prepare for both things. He’s coming to fight a good fight and I’m going to be ready to fight back.

Anson Wainwright – How easily do you make 168? Before the Allen Green fight it had been 10 years since you were that low in weight.

Glen Johnson – The big challenge was making it for Allen Green but I already made that weight and I did it at short notice and it wasn’t difficult it was easier than I thought. With this fight I had plenty of notice. I’m already on my weight now a month from the fight.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us how the deal came about to enter the Super 6?

Glen Johnson – A couple of people got hurt. I believe (Mikkel) Kessler got hurt and they needed a replacement for Kessler & then Andre Dirrell got hurt and they needed a replacement for Dirrell so I believe I replaced Kessler because of the eye and then I needed to knock out Allen Green to make it into the Super Six semi finals just winning wasn’t going to be good enough and when Dirrell got hurt all I needed was just a win but I needed up knocking out Allen Green anyway. So even If I needed a knock out I’d of stayed in.

Anson Wainwright – Can you tell us about your team; who is your manager, trainer & promoter? Also where do you regularly train for fights?

Glen Johnson – My manager is Henry Foster, my trainer is Orlando Cuellar and my promoter is Warriors Promotions run by Leon Margules and also Di Bella Entertainment there partners on the promotional deal. I live in Miami and train in Miami, I don’t really go anywhere. I keep my training camp here in Miami.

Anson Wainwright – You’re now 42, what do you think are the main reason’s why you have been so successful at an advanced age for a Boxer?

Glen Johnson – I really don’t know, I could be the fact that clean living, genetics or it could be the fact that I work hard and that I take care of myself or it could be a combination of both but whatever it is I’m not questioning it. I’m not changing anything.

Anson Wainwright – How much longer do you think you can keep performing at the highest level?

Glen Johnson – You know hopefully we can find out I don’t make plans.

Anson Wainwright – Who do you think is the best fighter you have fought in your career?

Glen Johnson – The best fighter I fought was Bernard Hopkins. You know when I fought against Bernard Hopkins we were at two different levels. He was great and I didn’t feel like I knew what was going on, the guy was superior to my level at that time. Nobody has ever got in the ring with me that made me feel the way Bernard Hopkins made me feel, he just made me feel I couldn’t win. Nobody else ever made me feel like that when I’m in the fight. Bernard Hopkins let me know right off the bat from the first round that I had no chance of winning the fight.

Anson Wainwright – What is your best win in you opinion?

Glen Johnson – The Roy Jones fight that was the most popular. I would go with that fight but I would say the fight that meant most to me was the fight is Clinton Woods because that’s when I won my championship and that’s the fight that set up the Roy Jones fight was winning the fight, without winning the championship I’d not of boxed Roy Jones. Winning the IBF title meant the most to me but guess the most popular was the Roy Jones fight.

Anson Wainwright – Many years ago you were scheduled to fight Joe Calzaghe but for various reasons the fight never happened. Why was this from your point of view? What did you think of Calzaghe?

Glen Johnson – I just believe Joe Calzaghe was scared of me. I don’t see no other reason for the fight not to happen. We scheduled the fight 3 times and 3 times it didn’t happen and he had an excuse why the fight didn’t happen. What else is there to say. Maybe he could answer it different but that’s from my side.

Anson Wainwright – Tell us about growing up in Jamaica? How were things for your growing up there? Also how did you first become interested and take up Boxing?

Glen Johnson – Growing up in Jamaica was great for me. I enjoyed my childhood. I had a lot of fun as a kid. I had loving & caring people taking care of me, I had great friends and stuff around and I enjoyed their company. It was a great time for me. I love swimming and did a lot of that when I was on the Island. It was a typical childhood, I just grew up enjoying my surroundings. It was a wonderful time.

Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do when you’re not Boxing? What are your hobbies and Interests?

Glen Johnson – My hobbies…You know I don’t know if you can write what I like to do outside of Boxing as my hobbies! Haha But yeah spend time with my wife, lets put it like that! Haha

Anson Wainwright – Not to close to fight!

Glen Johnson – No, not at fight time. Outside of fight time it’s my favourite hobby!

Anson Wainwright – How did you start Boxing?

Glen Johnson – I started Boxing because I was overweight at age 20. I started to get overweight I had a lot of overweight people in my family and didn’t want to end up overweight so I started looking around for a gym to work out. They opened a gym in my community. If you lived in the area it was free and free fitted my budget so I went in and started working out, just exercising and the coach took a liking to me and started to teach me the technique of Boxing. He asked me if I wanted to star amateur Boxing and I said “Yeah” so we took if from there. 3 years later we turned pro.

Anson Wainwright – What are your thoughts on the other semi final of the Super Six? Presumably you’ll be following that Ward-Abraham?

Glen Johnson – Oh yeah definitely. I’ll certainly have Interest in that fight, I’m looking to fight the winner. I’m looking to win my fight so I’ll be looking to see who I’ll end fighting. I think it’s a good fight, people aren’t giving Abraham much of chance but I think it’s a tough fight for Ward because of Abraham’s style. I believe Abraham will get off a lot easier than he was with Froch. Froch stayed on the outside away from him, Ward’s not that type of guy. He’s faster, he moves his hands faster (Ward) but I give (Abraham) a chance, a lot of people don’t. I think it’ll be a good fight.

Anson Wainwright – Do you still consider yourself part of the Light Heavyweight division?

Glen Johnson – Not right now, I see myself as a Super Middleweight right now. I don’t think I’ll go back to the Light Heavyweight division there’s nothing in the Light Heavyweight division for me. One of the reason’s I was hanging around the Light Heavyweight division was hoping the guys from the Super Middleweight division would come up. But I came down so there’s no reason for me to. I already fought everyone at Light Heavyweight, there’s nobody else to fight. The Super Middleweight division has a lot of opportunities, a lot of great fighters are here. A lot of fighters I’ve never fought, It’s opened up a fresh chapter and great fights for the fans. I’m looking forward to the future in the weight class.

Anson Wainwright – After the Hopkins fight you lost several fights that many people believe you should of won. What are your thoughts on that?

Glen Johnson – You know for me even though the consensus is I was robbed and I didn’t get the decisions you know I didn’t let it take control of me. For me it was a motivating factor. Even though these fighters couldn’t beat me inside the ring, they had people outside the ring (the judges) beat me. They didn’t because they didn’t have the talent in the the ring to beat me. That was the thing for me it was a whole different factor. I kept my spirits up. Probably if I won that fight I probably wouldn’t of had that drive. It made me tough and more mentally prepared for the future.

Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for your fans ahead of the Froch fight?

Glen Johnson – Of course, the message to my fans is their the greatest fans in the world. Most people want to jump on bandwagons of guys who are undefeated and obviously if you look around I’m far from that. So the fans that I have I cherish them. There real Boxing fans, they know what their looking at and seeing and I appreciate that. I get support around the world. So thanks for that.

Thanks for taking time out to speak to us Glen.

Thanks, I appreciate you taking time to Interview me.

Anson Wainwright

According to Dan Rafael of espn.com, former Light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson will make his first appearance since his first defeat when he takes on Adrian Diaconu on May 21st as part of a Light Heavyweight doubleheader that will be coupled with the anticipated rematch between Bernard Hopkins and JeanPascal that will most likely land in Quebec City and be televised on HBO.

“This is no walkover fight for Chad,” Said Dawson’s promoter Gary Shaw. “Diaconu is a tough fighter, a good fighter. But Chad is with a new trainer now in Emanuel Steward and I think that will make a big difference in Chad’s fight game and his strategy. I think you’ll see a whole new Chad, a guy that can finish off his opponent.”

Promoter Gary Shaw talks about the March 12 battle between Sergiy Dzinzurak and Sergio Martinez as well as Tim Bradley, Alfredo Angulo and Chad Dawson

It may be unfair to mention Billy Conn and Chad Dawson in the same sentence. But I just read Frank Deford’s masterful rendering of Conn in “The Boxer and the Blond,” and I can’t help make the comparison.

Conn was Light Heavyweight champion of the world. All that stood in the way of Conn being Heavyweight Champion was himself. The steel mill refugee fought Joe Louis, maybe the greatest heavyweight in the history of the sport (ask your father, or Bert Sugar), on June 18, 1941. A Pittsburgh native, Conn’s hometown baseball Pirates actually stopped their game in the middle so the crowd at the ballpark could listen to the fight. They had to. Otherwise no one would have come. Weights? Forget what promoter “Uncle” Mike Jacobs, the Bob Arum and-then-some of his time, reported to the Press. DeFord assures that Conn weighed in at 169, Louis 200. A later report from ESPN marked it as 169, 204.

Louis was more than a 3 to 1 favorite. But scheduled for 15, at the end of 12 rounds Conn had come to dominate the champion. Conn boxed, moved, slugged a little, and weathered a nasty cut. But after taking off the first few rounds to scout his opponent as he always did, Conn was up 7-5, 7-4-1, 6-6 on the judges’ cards. In the 12th round Conn hit Louis with a series of punches culminating with a left hook that rocked and staggered the champ and left him hanging on for dear life. In the corner, after the round, Louis’ long-time trainer let loose with the smelling salts and told the champ that he was losing—that he’d have to knock Conn out to win. According to Deford, the corner was only saying what everyone in America knew. Louis was beaten.

But Conn, emboldened by The Punch, went into the next round no longer satisfied with the prospect of a win. Amidst frantic protests from his corner, he told his trainer he wanted a knockout and then stood in the middle of the ring and slugged —until he didn’t. Conn failed to make the count at 2:58 of the 13th round.

Billy Conn and Joe Louis became very good friends afterwards, and Conn told Deford: “I told Joe later, why didn’t you just let me have the title for six months?’ All I ever wanted was to be able to go around the corner where the guys are loafing and say ‘Hey, I’m the heavyweight champeen of the world.’”

Louis replied: “’I let you have it for twelve rounds, and you couldn’t keep it. How could I let you have it for six months?’”

After the fight in the dressing room, Conn famously said, “What’s the sense of being Irish if you can’t be dumb?”

In the first century A.D., Julius Caesar is said to have remarked on an early encounter with Conn’s ancestors, whom he had seen knee deep in ocean attacking the waves with a sword like the fierce Irish Champion of lore, Cuchulain. “They fight just to fight,” Caesar said. Although it took England, Rome never did attempt to invade Ireland.

In a meaningless tune-up bout prior to the Louis fight, 27,000 fans showed up to watch Conn beat someone named Billy Knox in Pittsburgh. It was 1941, and the country was still in the midst of the Great Depression.

Unable to draw a crowd in his home state of Connecticut, Chad Dawson’s bout for the Light Heavyweight Championship was held in Montreal, Canada—the home town of his opponent, Jean Pascal. The doctor stopped the fight on an accidental head butt gash in the 11th round. It went to the cards and Dawson, cut bad, lost a unanimous decision. But he might have won. Having hurt a seemingly gassed Pascal, the fight that Dawson had squandered throughout the night was there for the taking. But he failed to punch; he failed to fight.

Unlike Billy Conn, who lived to 75 years old and died a legend—or even Joe Frazier, Mike Tyson or Tomasz Adamek, no one will ever accuse Chad Dawson of being Irish. Bad Chad’s primary objective throughout the bout remained just one side of the time honored equation: to not be hit. During the fight against Pascal, HBO commentator Larry Merchant asked with more than a trace of frustration and disgust: “Does Dawson ever just stand his ground and fight on the inside? Look at this.”
I’d just as soon not. No one can force another man to risk himself; but no one can force another man to buy a ticket either.

Boxing needs to Irish up.

Photo credit, Shizzy9989

Jean Pascal retained the WBC Light Heavyweight title and picked up the Ring Magazine championship with a back and forth technical decision over Chad Dawson at the Bell Center in Montreal.

Pascal took the early rounds as he used his speed or quickness that had Dawson befuddled over the first part of the bout. Dawson got in the fight in round nine as he rocked Pascal from a perfect right hook. Pascal steadied himself to take round ten. Knowing he was down on the cards, Dawson came out hurt Pascal on two separate occasions. First Pascal was hurt from a hard combination on the ropes and then from a perfect uppercut that froze Pascal.

Late in the eleventh, Pascal and Dawson banged heads that opened up a huge gash that dripped blood from the right eyelid of Dawson.

The fight was immediately stopped and the fight went to the cards.

Pascal won by scores of 108-101, 108-101 and 106-103 to raise his record to 26-1. Dawson of New Haven, CT suffers his first defeat and is now 29-1.