ALL THE TALENT: But Pascal negated Dawson’s ability with his desire
FROM most boxing reporters’ accounts Chad Dawson fought his usual safety-first fight and paid the price for his frustrating lack of gusto against Jean Pascal on Saturday night. Chad had been talking up the contest in the lead-up; saying he knew he had to be more aggressive because of the Montreal (Pascal?s adopted homeland) location.
Sadly for him, he didn?t seem to realise the urgency of the situation until it was far too late in the day, and even then, he didn?t pull the proverbial trigger when Pascal slipped groggily into the firing line in round 11. A big chance to leap on a wounded Pascal was also passed up in round nine.
Don?t feel too sorry for ?Bad? Chad. The upset victim deserved nothing more from the fight than the first career defeat he received and his post fight comments of ?I?ve got a rematch clause, so I?m not worried about it? were impassioned in tone but not in meaning. You want to see a guy upset that he lost for the first time, desperate to put some wrongs right. Dawson needs to grab his talent by the scruff of the neck and drag it punching and screaming into combat; he has all the gifts necessary to be a dominant force.
What really stands out ? and should not be overlooked ? is Pascal?s continuing improvement. This was not an upset like Buster Douglas halting Mike Tyson, but it was a fairly sizeable surprise. What often follows shocks like this is too much analysis on the loser. This fight should offer further evidence of Pascal?s glowing rejuvenation. Since he lost to Carl Froch he has won five times, each performance slightly better than the last. He should reap the praise for his career upturn. A fighter who bounces back so high, and so vibrantly, deserves credit.
He has turned that madcap kamikaze style into something incredibly hard to fight. The incredible angles from which he swipes in shots are both ridiculous and sublime. He is far from faultless but his desire for success and his desperation to win clearly overcame the cleaner boxing from the American. For Pascal to continue his ascent, he has to address his sloppy defence. It is his most glaring flaw.
Dawson may well begin a rematch as favourite, but Pascal?s need to succeed is inbuilt and cannot be taught. A return fight would be welcomed and this could be just the start of a simmering rivalry.
What this result has also done is highlight how appealing the light-heavyweight division is becoming. It comes a week after Tavoris Cloud beat Glen Johnson in a lively affair and both remain factors. Beibut Shumenov is raw but improving. Lucian Bute could soon make the step up. Nathan Cleverly may prove he belongs in the next 12 months and the fallout from the Super Six will also spawn a 175lb contender or two.
Ironically, after years of chasing the big fights, Chad Dawson may see several fall into his lap as a result of losing. Had he won a clear and dull decision, his options would be far more limited. A new dawn has arrived for the light-heavyweights, and for Chad Dawson, it could be just the beginning.
MISCELLANEOUS MEANDERINGS
If Chris Arreola can throw nearly 1000 punches looking like that, there?s a good chance he?d take an opponent?s head off if he got in shape. But that?s just not going to happen. Anyone who waited and waited for Greg Page, Tony Tubbs, Tim Witherspoon and David Bey to start shifting pounds should know that.
A fighter who is lucky enough to have won a version of the world heavyweight title will get attention for as long as they continue to fight. It doesn?t matter if they?re fighting guys who have no chance of beating them. It doesn?t matter if they no longer pose the smallest threat to the title. People say the heavyweights don?t matter anymore, but can you seriously tell me Hasim Rahman would still be getting any attention if he had won any other divisional title?
Since claiming the WBA bantamweight title just over two years ago, Anselmo Moreno has won eight times. In this day and age, that?s impressive activity for a champion. He deserves a big fight, too. Despite his lack of firepower, I?d give him a decent chance of upsetting Fernando Montiel or Vic Darchinyan. Which is probably why a fight with either will never happen.
Julio Cesar Chavez Jnr?s people must know something the rest of the world can?t see. Either they?re cashing in against Miguel Cotto or they believe he can beat the Puerto Rican. I can?t help but think Cotto could hand out a one-sided beating that Chavez will struggle to recover from.
But then again, I picked Dawson to beat Pascal so what do I know?
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