http://www.badlefthook.com/2011/9/9/241582...ctober-15-fight

i think this may actually be good for Dawson, if he can get a good replacement. Steward has him fighting the wrong way. I don't agree with the writer of the article that Hopkins can't be beat on raw talent alone. Jermain Taylor beat Hopkins just by flailing his arms really fast. Ditto Calzaghe. The best way to fight Hopkins might be to do just that and don't try and think with him. I think Dawson is thoughtful but not too smart, and I think that plays exactly into Hopkins' hands.

I think Dawson looked his best when he was trained by Mayweather sr. But to get rid of Steward after 1 fight, he could've really learned alot and I feel he would've been well prepared for his upcoming fight. I actually never thought he was going to beat Bernard and that has surely increased now

Dawson is toast! This idiot wants to "train closer to home"...what a loser. That hoodrat of a girlfriend or wife or whatever she is to him, is probably all up his ass and hen-pecking him. He needs to put his foot down and tell her that he will go wherever he needs to go to train, but he doesn't put his foot down in the ring...so why should we expect any different? I bet she wont complain when the check clears and I bet he will train in an alligator cage or wherever they tell his ass to train when she decides to get the kids and leave his lackadaisical ass. What a wuss...

Chad Dawson is going through trainers like they're tissues at a peep show. This reminds me of a prime DLH changing trainers every two fights.

Perhaps Winky Wright will train him.

Yeah I see. Chad picked the picture-perfect time to be worried about some ass, especially if he's left home to train before, smh.

Chad Dawson is a moron....Emanuel Steward has the perfect sparring partners in Detroit to prepare for B-Hop. You got all kind of slick, ruff and rugged guys at the Kronk Gym to spar with...really bad move. He should know how big a win over Hopkins would be for his career and he's blowing it cause he don't want to leave home for a few weeks.

yea...i mean idk...maybe steward wasn't meshin with chad. but, i think to get rid of em' before this upcoming with bernard is just...it just does not look good. suggests some doubt in chad as to his confidence in his ability. i thought if there was someone that could whoop bernard right now...it'd be chad...but like you, i'm thinkin' bernard might have the edge as of now. if dawson isn't confident for this fight he could easily choke and play into bernard's hands

I actually feel a lil sympathy for Hopkins here. He said how he was looking forward to pitting his wits against Manny. Dawson never had a prayer in the first place so all he has done by dropping Steward is make a virtually impossible chance an insurmountable challenge.

Hahahaha!!! That's actually not a bad idea...at this point, anything will help mindless nitwit.

Exactly! Dawson's mental focus has been suspect in the past. He has too many distractions by training at home, and he's only magnified the issue by getting ridof Steward. And I..like you thought Chad is the one to give Bernard trouble in the ring. But now I think he's going to have an uphill battle facing a tough and game Hopkins on October 15th

for sure.
hopkins is a sick fighter. i like him in and outta the ring...and, i think he did win both pascal bouts; but, i feel like he does not have the wind anymore to win consistent fights...unless his opponents keep showing up and throwing way too many punches

pascal is just weird, i think you can tell he is not totally in mental control of himself...to the point where if he kept cool - he could beat hopkins. but jean gets so worked up emotionally that he ends up over-punching and losing air, somethin that bernard is fuckin great at exploiting.
it seems like chad might have the same problem, except he just draws blanks from time to time. i imagine switchin trainers all the time couldn't help that. who knows though
i do think that eventually, if hopkins keeps fighting, hes gonna get a loss. i thought both pascal fights were close. it was fun watchin hopkins, he def put on a good performance. but it did seem like he was gettin tired at times

dawsons chances of winning just went up imo. steward was turning him into a robot. he's a converted southpaw...he doesn't have time to learn to throw the cross like tommy hearns. he needs to stick to what he does best...be slick and box. word is that john scully will be in his corner. they've worked together in the past so it should be a good thing. he'll need to make the old man work in the ring to have a chance at winning. if he sits back too long and doesn't throw enough punches bhop is going to do what he does best.

IMO, it would be a lot better if Dawson laid back and played the boxer/counter puncher.

A decent part of Hopkins' success stems from using opponent aggression against them and effectively playing the boxer/counter puncher to an opponent coming forward aggressively.

I don't know how someone's stock can shoot up by switching a trainer's in the midst of camp, but OK.

yeah...that strategy would work if the opponent was not the legendary bernard hopkins. i agree in theory, it could work...but rounds with little or no activity are going to be given to bhop because of his legendary status. i could be wrong...but that's the way i view it. i think he needs to get off first and force hopkins to work. if u watch the fight with pascal...pascal would actually get the best of hopkins in the heated exchanges most times. it's when he sat back and did nothing that he allowed hopkins to take over.

as for dawson's stock going up...did u see his fight with diancu? that was the worst i've ever saw dawson look. he fought like a robotic frankenstein squaring up and getting hit way too much. that dawson gets his ass handed to him by bhop.

So Chad left Manny so he could stay in CT, yet he's training in the Poconos?

Doesn't pass the smell test.

I thought with Steward Dawson would have his best chance but seeing he didn't want to go to Kronk, changed trainers, and decided to stay at home...I dont think he'll be as focused and will be beaten mentally by Hopkins in there.

Man I was rooting for Dawson too.

That's the thing though - He DIDN'T stay home. He's training in the fucking Poconos.

the conventional wisdom is that this is a bad move. i think he'll resolve to prove people wrong and fight very, very hard.

Homie, many of these guys might even know where the Poconos are! For those who don't...it's in PA! Just saying!

Chad wont even fight hard for viewers, so fighting hard himself probably aint gonna happen. Its like he needs a ventriloquist type trainer to have his hand up his ass and tell him status during the fight.

i think fighters are liable to fight hard when their own interests are on the line. he knows what's at stake.

My wife was a cocktail waitress(and a teacher) up at the resort where Lennox Lewis trained in the Poconos(I am guessing it's still the same place they use now), I used to get free passes to go watch Lewis and others train back in the day. Very sweet.

I hope he's brings it, this fight could be very entertaining. Idk if it should have been on ppv though, but a guy like Dawson has the potential to put a real beating on Hopkins but his mind set is in question.

My underlying point is that it's a good 3 1/2 - 4 hour drive to CT. The plane ride to Detroit is probably half that.

Dude is NOT commuting to and from the Poconos, so the proximity excuse is a crock of shit.

maybe chad didn't want to hurt manny's feelings.

whatever the excuse...it doesn't matter. he's now working with a trainer that is more familiar with him and his style. he'll be fine.

You're right...maybe it's Dawson's whole attitude that kills me.

i don't get why everyone is so hard on him for his loss against pascal. he was closing the show just fine. if it wasn't for the hometown cooking with the dr...chad was going to stop pascal. dude was coming apart like a cheap suit.

Chad could not lay a beating on the one dimensional guy he faced in his last bout.. please!!! Chad is pussy. Emmanuel seems all nice on HBO telecast night, but trust me.. the guy tears into his fighters with serious straight talk (reference his between round conversations with Lennox Lewis). I am sure like Mayweather SR, he was tearing into Dawson's ass for his lazy and lethargic boxing spirit. Hopkins is too mentally strong for this pussy whipped pugilist!!!

Tell me about it man. Im sure he wanted to be careful and shake some cobwebs off after 9 months out of the ring, but again, Dawson reverted back to his typical self...mentally on a cruise ship while a live opponent is front of him.

...and now Dawson cancels his media day...from b-talk