Chad Dawson to Leave 'No Doubt' in Rematch with Glen Johnson

Fans of Chad Dawson would very much like him to put the "Bad" back into his nickname -- to the point of asking the fighter to chase down aging warriors to lay the beat down on them.

Joe Calzaghe. Bernard Hopkins. Roy Jones.

"It's not so much that I'm fighting the older guys, it's just that the older guys are still the guys that are on top. Obviously, they've earned their spots," said Dawson, a 27-year-old southpaw with a record of 28-0 with 17 knockouts.

"The last two years of my career have revolved around Antonio Tarver and Glenn Johnson," said Dawson. "Those are guys, right now, who I have to beat to bring me the praise that I want and that I need. I'm just ready to move on from that phase of my life and my career."

But in order to do that, the light heavyweight (175 pounds) champion will have to whip up on a 40-year-old man named Glen Johnson (49-12-2, 33 knockouts), on Nov. 7 in defense of his IBO championship and in a bout that is for the WBC's interim title at the XL Center in Hartford, Conn.

Johnson was named the 2004 Fighter of the Year after earning a decision over Clinton Woods, flattened Jones in nine rounds, and then, earned a split decision over Tarver.

"I think Chad knows that I mean business by coming in at 181.6 pounds, 30 days out," said Johnson on Wednesday, following a workout at the Thump Fight Gym and Fitness Center in Miami. "I'm ready for this fight and I'm taking it very seriously. Let's get it on."

Dawson weighed 185 on Wednesday following a workout at The International MMA Fight Club in Las Vegas, where he sparred and held a press conference with local media.

"I was 185 and that was with my clothes on," said Dawson. "Everything's good. I'm ready to take on Johnson and put to rest the idea that he should have won the last fight."

Dawson is motivated by the perception that Johnson still does not give him credit for defeating him in April 2008, despite Dawson's 116-112 advantage on all three judges' cards.

"Glen's been crying about the fact that I beat him in Florida, in his hometown, for the last year. He said that he got a bad deal," said Dawson, a two-time world champion from New Haven, Conn. "Glen proved that he was tough in our last fight, but that's why beating Glen Johnson for the second time is going to be big for my career."

Hopkins entertained a bout with Dawson before inking his name on a deal with Jones for a rematch of their 1993 bout won by Jones. Their matchup is slated for early 2010.

Among Dawson's biggest wins was the one over Polish-born Tomas Adamek of Jersey City, who was unbeaten in 31 bouts when they clashed for the WBC light heavyweight title in February 2007.

Dawson earned a unanimous decision over Adamek, nearly shutting out a man who has since won seven straight fights and earned the IBF cruiserweight (200) title.

"I'm confident in my abilities, which is why I'm giving Glen Johnson another chance in my hometown," Dawson said of Johnson, who has been stopped only once in his career -- in the 11th round by Hopkins in July 1997.

"I know what I can do in the ring, and this time, I'm not going to leave any doubt. I'm going in to execute and to finish him off," said Dawson. "I'm going to go out and do my job, and there won't be any doubt in Glen's mind or in the minds of the fans as to who won the fight."