Even though "Bad" Chad Dawson won by four points on all three judges cards in the hometown of his opponent the last time they faced, Glen Johnson still believes that he was robbed. So on Saturday night, the 40-year-old fighter nicknamed, "The Road Warrior," will travel to the 27-year-old Dawson's home turf of Hartford, Conn., hoping to show the young pup that the old dog has learned some new tricks during his quest to become the eldest fighter to win a light heavyweight crown.
FanHouse sought the opinions of some of boxing's experts to determine if Dawson can retain his IBO title and win the "interim" WBC 175-pound crown Saturday night.
Bob Canobbio, CompuBoxInc. .
Chad Dawson by unanimous decision: Johnson's pushing the age of 41, while Dawson's got 24 more rounds of experience under his belt with two decision wins over Antonio Tarver. Not to mention the experience he gained in the first fight with Johnson.
Steve Farhood, Showtime boxing analyst
Chad Dawson by decision: I like Dawson on points. Glen Johnson is never easy for anyone, and he won't be easy in the rematch with Dawson. But Chad is only getting better, and he'll use his advantages in youth and speed and mobility to make it a little bit less of a fight than it was the last time.
Doug Fischer, Managing Editor of RingTV.com
Chad Dawson by decision: I'm going to go with the younger man. I thought Chad Dawson legitmately won the first fight, and I thought he won seven or eight rounds out of the 12. It was very competitive, but I thought that he landed more of the cleaner blows down the stretch.
When you have a fighter who is as fast, and talented and athletic as Chad Dawon is, somebody who can stick and move and has the kind of reflexes and hand-eye coordination that he does, and the fact that he's a southpaw, it's going to take an orthodox fighter some rounds to figure him out.
I think that Glen Johnson will understand him better after their 12 rounds together, and I think Johnson will be even tougher for Dawson and start faster the second time around. But I'm not going to pick Johnson.
As long as Dawson's emotionally up for this fight, I think that the younger man is going to take it again -- probably seven rounds to five. Johnson will probably feel like he's gotten robbed again, and there will probably be some observers who agree with him.
Nancy Gay, FanHouse.com
Chad Dawson by unanimous decision: There's been plenty of antagonistic buildup to this rematch of their 2008 light heavyweight bout, but it most likely will end up like the first one -- Dawson will win by unanimous decision.
Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports.com
Chad Dawson by decision: I am going to take Dawson by decision. My rationale on picking Dawson by decision is that he's now fought 36 rounds in the one fight with Johnson and the two fights with Antonio Tarver.
Dawson's a more talented fighter, and now, he's gained the experience that he lacked the first time that they fought.
Jim Lampley, HBO boxing color commentator
Chad Dawson by decision: I'm going with Dawson because there's no particular reason that the fight should be any different than the first time around. Johnson, at the end of the day, an effort fighter. His only X-factor is effort.
When he beats somebody like Antonio Tarver or Roy Jones, it requires that Tarver or Jones has an off night. Dawson was better the first time around, and he's so challenge for big fights, that he's not going to take this for granted.
Dawson understands what he's dealing with, and he'll make the effort. And as long as he makes the representive effort, he's the younger, faster, more skilled and better fighter than Glen Johnson so that he'll win the fight again by decision -- very similar to the first time.
Robert Morales, Los Angeles Daily News
Chad Dawson by unanimous decision: I just think that Dawson is going to win again. I think that this is going to go the distance because Glen Johnson is a very, very tough cookie, and it's not easy to stop this guy inside the distance.
But Chad Dawson, though, I think he's in his prime, and I think that he's a terrific fighter. I think that this is Chad's time to beat just about anybody that's put in front of him. I expect him to win a fairly wide, unanimous decision.
Joe Santoliquito, Managing Editor, Ring Magazine
Chad Dawson by decision: I think that Chad Dawson learned a lot from their first fight. I think he's just too young and has too much firepower for Johnson over 12 rounds. I see it being a good fight for eight rounds, but I can easily see Dawson winning the last four.
Michael David Smith, FanHouse.com
Chad Dawson by unanimous decision: Chad Dawson is one of the best boxers in the world and is in the prime of his career, and I'd rather see him fight an opponent who's in his prime than the 40-year-old Glen Johnson.
Johnson has had a fine career, but he can't hang with Dawson anymore. I see Dawson winning a very one-sided unanimous decision.
Tim Smith, New York Daily News
Chad Dawson by decision: I like Dawson, I think, because he's the younger guy. The problem that Glen Johnson poses for everybody is that he's always in your chest and he's always on you. He has a tendency to fatigue guys.
But Dawson is a young guy and he knows how to keep guys off of him. I just think that he's a bit too fit and a bit too young for Glen Johnson, although I think it will probably be a close fight. But I give Dawson the nod in a decision.
The experts favor Chad Dawson, 10-0, but if Glen Johnson wins, he'll become the oldest man to win a version of the light heavyweight title at 40 years, 319 days.
Below are the top five:
Bob Fitzimmons decisioned George Gardner over 20 rounds on Nov. 25, 1903, at 40 years and 193 days old.
Antonio Tarver decisioned Clinton Woods over 12 rounds on April 12, 2008, at 39 years, 153 days.
Mike McCallum decisioned Jeff Harding over 12 rounds on July 23, 1994, at 37 years, 237 days.
Dick Tiger decisioned Jose Torres on Dec. 16, 1996, at 37 years, 133 days.
Silvio Branco knocked out Medhi Sahnoune in the 11th round on Oct. 10, 2003, at 37 years, 53 days.
Scource: Bob Canobbio, CompuboxInc.
