Bernard Hopkins (right) tangles with Chad Dawson during their light heavyweight title fight on October 15This is the second straight Title Fight Boxing controversy. At least in the case of Floyd Mayeather vs Victor Ortiz, two punches landed, dirty punches, but punches no less.
Tonight it was an underneath shoulder move by Chad Dawson with 30 seconds left in the second round, that lifted Light-Heavy Weight Champion Bernard Hopkins off the ground and flatbacked him onto the canvas. The fight clock would not tick off another second for the rest of the evening. As Bernard would say when interviewed, "he tackled me, watch the tape. Football comes on tomorrow."
The controversey should be about why the referree called it a TKO for Dawson instead of a foul or a no decision if Hopkins couldn't continue.
Instead, many are looking at it from newly crowned champion Dawson's point of view, that Bernard was faking an injury to avoid continuing to fight, something he's been accused of doing in the past.
I agree with Hopkins on this one. You can't judge him in this fight based on his past behavior. He should've been given the option to continue, even if his self-proclaimed dislocated shoulder would force him to fight with one arm.
Tonight it was an underneath shoulder move by Chad Dawson with 30 seconds left in the second round, that lifted Light-Heavy Weight Champion Bernard Hopkins off the ground and flatbacked him onto the canvas. The fight clock would not tick off another second for the rest of the evening. As Bernard would say when interviewed, "he tackled me, watch the tape. Football comes on tomorrow."
The controversey should be about why the referree called it a TKO for Dawson instead of a foul or a no decision if Hopkins couldn't continue.
Instead, many are looking at it from newly crowned champion Dawson's point of view, that Bernard was faking an injury to avoid continuing to fight, something he's been accused of doing in the past.
I agree with Hopkins on this one. You can't judge him in this fight based on his past behavior. He should've been given the option to continue, even if his self-proclaimed dislocated shoulder would force him to fight with one arm.
When Dawson was asked about a possible rematch he said "For What?" Guess there won't be no rematch.
The final insult to the fighters and fans was when both the commission and the ref were rushed away before any interviewer could reach them for comment. Like the deacon and the deaconess running off with the church collection plates. That's cold!
Sorry Bernard, guess your past has caught up to you tonight. Maybe retirement would be a good idea. The ones who lost the most were pay-per-view customers and those at the fight. The booing crowd seemed to be more against Dawson than Hopkins. Either way, tonight the Boxing world received a second black eye to go along with the one Mayweather gave them last month. Let's hope the Pacquaio vs Marquez fight schedulued for Nov. 12, 2011 makes up for the two main event messes.
On the undercard, 52 year old cruiser weight Dewey Bozella, who spent 26 years in sing-sing for a crime he didn't commit, fulfilled his dream by winning a professional fight. Hopkins, who served 5 years in prison, had been quoted as saying Bozella's story inspired him. Sometimes life is about being given a second chance, especially when the first chance delivered you a cheap shot.
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