Chad Dawson scored a unanimous decision victory over Glen Johnson during this live blog with round-by-round updates in an intriguing light heavyweight fight.The HBO-televised broadcast began at 9:30 p.m. ET, with the main event beginning at approximately 10 p.m., ET, from Hartford, Conn.
Dawson easily improved to 29-0 with 17 knockouts, and Johnson slipped to 49-13-2, with 33 KOs.
Live blog: Refresh this page often for minute-by-minute updates.
Pre-fight: Glen Johnson wears yellow gloves and a black robe with yellow trim.
Chad Dawson, a black robe with orange trim and matching orange gloves. Dawson is cheered by the partisan, Hartford crowd, being a resident of nearby New Haven.
Round 1: Dawson, in black and orange trunks, circles and jabs out of his southpaw stance. Johnson, in white and yellow trunks, reaches as he pursues the younger man. The fighters trade jabs, with Dawson firing a left to the body as well. JOhnson fires a long right between Dawson's gloves, as well as another right. Dawson jabs and lands with his right. Johnson takes a left hand, but still moves forward. Dawson jabs twice, and Johnson misses twice with an overhand left. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 2: Dawson landed 22 punches in round one to 14 for Johnson, including 13 jabs. Johnson still is coming forward, hands held high in a peek-a-boo style, but he's reaching and falling short, thanks, primarily to Dawson's jab, followup right to the head and body, and his movement. Johnson lands two left jabs, and seems to be getting closer. Dawson drills in a left hand, then misses with one. Dawson's jab is still in Johnson's face. Johnson clubs with a left, and then, is knocked off balance with a left hand before the bell. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 3: Dawson jabs nine times before the round is 15 seconds old. Dawson moves to his left, and then, his right, as Johnson continues to move forward, taking Dawson's jab. Johnson is more mindful of Dawson's left hand, picking it off occasionally. Dawson fires a four-punch combination and moves away. Dawson fires a three-punch flurry and steps aside, followed by a four-punch volley. The blows aren't particularly hard, but they are clean. Johnson still is undeterred, moving forward and pressuring. Dawson misfires three times, but lands twice during an exchange with Johnson just prior to the bell. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 4: Dawson is told to continue jabbing; Johson is told to not let him keep running, and to take away his legs. Dawson is winning exchanges and being quicker, but nothing is keeping Johnson off of him. The jabbing continues from Dawson, whose right hand is occasionally down at his waist. Dawson lands two of five jabs, then counters with a long, left hand. The jab counters twice more, and Dawson follows it with a left hand. Dawson stands his ground and lands a hard, left hand to Johnson's body. Johnson stands with Dawson, but doesn't answer. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 5: Johnson is told that he's down four rounds to none, and that he needs to go and "hurt" Dawson. Dawson goes back to jabbing and moving, occasionally firing the left hand. As Dawson moves away with his hands at his side, the crowd begins to boo. Dawson continues, however, pot-shotting Johnson, who, nevertheless, doesn't take advantage even as he pressures well. Seven straight jabs land for Dawson, followed by a left uppercut before he moves away. Dawson flicks two lazy jabs. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 6: Johnson seems more animated, but takes several hard left hands. Johnson continues forward, throwing to the head and body and landing occasionally. Johnson's jab is better, as is his body attack, and his followups to the head. Dawson jabs twice and knocks back Johnson's head with a straight left. Dawson drives home two crisp left hands and moves away. Johnson misses with a left and a right. Dawson closes with a left hand before the bell. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 7: Johnson is told that he hasn't won a round by his corner. Dawson is told that his jab is the key, and he goes right back to it, flicking early more than sticking it in Johnson's face. Johnson goes to the body and head with two shots. Dawson hooks with a right to the body and goes to the head. Dawson drills another short right to the body. Dawson switches to a conventional, right-handed stance, lands a left jab, and then switches back. Johnson reaches and lands with a couple of jabs. Dawson fires two left hands to the body. Dawson continues to outwork Johnson, landing two jabs before the bell. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 8: Dawson re-establishes the same ryhthm that has served him well throughout the fight, jabbing, moving, landing his left hand and pivoting away. Johnson continues to more or less plod, failing even to demonstrate increased intensity during a brief clinch. Dawson digs twice to the body, dances away, and then, lands his jab again. Johnson looks weary as he walks back to his corner. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 9: Dawson drives home two, thudding body punches and moves out of harms way. Johnson reaches and misses on two, long punches with either hand. During an exchange, Dawson fires a two-fisted combination of four or five punches. And then, Dawson's back to jabbing again. Twice, over the final 30 seconds of the round, Dawson stands his ground and wins an exchange with Johnson, firing his most powerful blows of the fight. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 10: Dawson wins an early exchange, going from the head and to the body to the delight of the crowd. Dawson is able to fire from a distance, unhindered, behind his jab and send his left hand in behind it as well. Dawson fires three straight left hooks and Johnson has no answer. Johnson does land twice over Dawson's guard -- a left and a right -- with about 35 seconds left. But Dawson goes to the body to regain any lost momentum, and closes by tripling up on the right hook. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Round 11: Dawson is told that he has won every round and is fighting perfectly. FanHouse agrees. Johnson continues taking jabs and followup left hands. The crowd boos as Dawson continues to jab and box and move. Dawson clubs with a left hook, and, from his toes, fires a long left and a right. Dawson drives in a couple of left hands to the body and chest of Johnson. Dawson's round, 10-9
Round 12: Dawson is told that he has won every round, and he has on the FanHouse card. Johnson is told that he needs a knockout. Johnson comes forward behind his jab, but his punches don't carry much steam. Dawson drives home two right hands and circles away, to the chants of "Dawson, Dawson!" Dawson fires three to five jabs with two right hands coming behind them. Johnson is just following. At the bell, Johnson raises his hands skyward, but it's Dawson's round, and, clearly, his night. Dawson's round, 10-9.
Dawson won 115-113 on the cards of two judges and 117-111 on that of the third.
FanHouse scored it a shutout for Dawson, 120-108.
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
BAD chad dawson is one of the best fighters in the world. after such a dominant performance hopefully he can get past these older guys and start taking care of the young fighters in the division. dawson is one of the bright spots in sports and definately a very bright light in the sport of boxing. great fighter and classy person
I didn't see the fight so I really don't know, but how can you call 115-113 'dominant'?
the 115-113 scores do not reflect how he dominated the fight. check it out on replays. its really a shame that people are not stepping up to fight chad. in all honesty chad should have not fought johnson again. the only person that felt johnson had done anything against dawson is johnson.