Former WBC Light Heavyweight champion Chad Dawson discusses his September date with Bernard Hopkins, Adamek vs. Vitali, what he?s gonna do to Bernard, and more?
BoxingInsider: What kind of fight do you need to fight to offset and defeat Bernard?
Chad Dawson: ?A very strategic fight. The same way he gonna fight. I don?t believe Bernard is gonna come in and try to bully me. No. Point in case, Jermain Taylor. Every time Jermain was punching, Bernard wasn?t punching. The only time he got off was when Jermain Taylor got tired. He didn?t let him get off. But whenever Jermain Taylor was punching, Bernard was backing up. He does not want to engage with these young boys. Because he knows. It?s possible he could be caught with something and this fight would be over. I don?t think he?s gonna engage with me. I don?t think he?s gonna do that. My gameplan right now ? I?m not gonna get out of my gameplan, I?m going in there level ? I mean, everything is good. Just had a new baby boy. I gotta provide for my kids. I?m going in there, I?m hungry. I?m real hungry. I?m back hungry. I gotta be the Chad Dawson that fought Tarver the first time. When I fought Glen Johnson the first time. That?s the Chad Dawson I gotta be.?
BoxingInsider: About the Pascal fight, what happened there, you were not yourself it seemed.
Chad Dawson: ?I don?t want to make excuses. Pascal won the fight. He won the fight. He beat me. I trained for four weeks for the Pascal fight. A lot of stuff was going on, legal stuff. I took it all to camp.?
BoxingInsider: Aaron ?Superman? Davis told me years ago he believed the key to defeating Hopkins is a very good jab. Jermain Taylor then showed that as his jab seemed to control Hopkins. Your jab is an excellent jab and might even be stronger than Taylor?s. Do you think your jab is the key to beating Hopkins?
Chad Dawson: ?Yes. Yes, the jab is going to be the key to winning the fight. The jab keeping him at bay, never let him get the opportunity to get off when he wants to get off. Bernard pretty much picks when he wants to fight and when he doesn?t want to fight. He?ll let you fight a little bit, then he?ll come back on. Then he?ll try to tie you up, let you get tired. That?s not me. I?m coming in balls to the wall. It?s gonna be a great fight.?
BoxingInsider: Jermain Taylor showed how effective a good jab can be on Hopkins. Do you think your jab is better than Taylor?s? It?s longer and comes from southpaw stance.
