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If Dawson Has Finally Arrived, Thank Hopkins…LOTIERZO

For the last few years we’ve witnessed Chad Dawson 31-1 (18) fight and appear detached and complacent during certain bouts. And though no one has ever questioned his wealth of physical talent, which is on display every time you see him fight and can’t be missed, you just can’t help but imagine what kind of fighter he might be if he fought with a sense of urgency and as if winning really meant something to him. Which is not saying that it doesn’t, just that it looked as if some fighters stayed with him longer than they should’ve due to him never really stepping on the gas and opening up for more than spurts during particular fights.
Well, based on his last fight against Bernard Hopkins this past weekend, it looks as if that may be a thing of the past. Forget for a moment that Dawson fouled Hopkins and the fight should’ve been declared no-contest. The point is, Dawson knew Hopkins was a fighter that incorporates his own brand of MMA rules into his boxing repertoire when he fights in a ring. And Dawson sure seemed hellbent when he entered the ring that he wasn’t going to let Hopkins bully or mug him in any way shape or form during their fight.
World class fighters are sometimes motivated and driven by their own perceptions and imagined demons. Larry Holmes was driven to excel because he didn’t think he received his due respect. Marvin Hagler imagined that his opponent was trying to take food off of his kitchen table. And everyone knows Hopkins was motivated by the fact that he strongly, and perhaps correctly, believed that in many ways the boxing establishment wanted to take him down and make him irrelevant. And now it appears that Chad Dawson held in a lot of pent up frustration due to his belief that Bernard strung him along and for a couple years denied him his chance to score the signature win of his professional career. Again, it’s not relevant if it’s true, it’s what Chad felt and believed.
It doesn’t matter that referee Pat Russell ruled him a stoppage winner over Hopkins, nor does it matter if down the road the bout is overturned and ruled a no-contest. It also doesn’t matter if Hopkins deserves an Academy Award for his antics after Dawson dropped him to the canvas or if Hopkins was seriously injured and can never fight again. What does matter is what Chad Dawson really believes. And Dawson wholeheartedly believes beyond all doubt that Hopkins wanted out after less than two rounds of fighting him. Dawson never fought more animatedly so early during a bout than he did against Hopkins, and he was just as animated after the fight when he spoke of wanting a rematch with Jean Pascal, the only fighter to beat him.
Think about what’s going through Dawson’s mind at this time. Believing that his speed and athleticism convinced Bernard Hopkins that perhaps he was in for a longer night and tougher road than he anticipated, therefore he was forced to look for a way out of the fight to save face, how can he not feel invincible? When you think of all the outstanding fighters who have tried to break Hopkins’ will (not saying that Dawson did) and didn’t, it’s got to be an infusion of confidence if you are convinced that you were the one who finally did.
It’s also a good sign that Dawson is back with John Scully, who I believe will get more out of him in the future than either former trainers Eddie Mustafa Muhammad or Emanuel Steward did. Granted, Mustafa Muhammad and Steward are bigger name trainers than Scully, but what does that matter? Eddie expects his fighters to do it like he did back in the day, and Steward isn’t at his best when he’s not working with fighters who can really punch with their right hand and driven to win by knockout, which is obviously not Dawson’s style or approach to fighting/boxing.
Scully will keep Dawson grounded and won’t allow him to get too high on himself after his bout with Hopkins. Also, the fact that he’s been in Dawson’s ear about how great he could be and for him to realize it on Scully’s watch will no doubt be a boost for both of their careers. In addition to that, Dawson just may be one of those fighters who needs more attention and cajoling from the man who trains him, something that Scully can definitely handle and he isn’t above it or too busy not to be there for him if and when needed.
It also emerged that in Dawson’s mind Bernard Hopkins was to him what Mike Tyson was to Lennox Lewis or Muhammad Ali was to Joe Frazier, the fighter who hovered over them at every turn who they had to beat in order for their championship tenure to be validated. And Dawson got past Hopkins in a way that will really give him an infusion of confidence and urgency even if the bout ends up being ruled a no-contest in the record book. The fact is Dawson implicitly feels that regardless of what is said or written, he’s so good and formidable that he didn’t have to go through with beating Hopkins up to win – he convinced him enough in under two rounds that he wasn’t going to win that Bernard looked for a way out. And whether Chad Dawson is wrong or right pertaining to that, it’s what he believes and that’s all that matters, which is a mindset he’ll no doubt carry with him into the ring the next time he fights.
Based on Hopkins’ age and decline, along with Dawson’s most likely sky-rocketing confidence, I couldn’t pick against Chad if they fight again. As for Jean Pascal, I think his style will always bother Dawson, but Chad is simply too skilled and fast, and add to that his injection of confidence, I’d pick him over Pascal too if they fight again.
If Dawson emerges as a better and more determined fighter from this point forward, he can thank Bernard Hopkins for forcing him to find that hidden desire and determination within himself.
Frank Lotierzo can be contacted at GlovedFist@Gmail.com
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‘Krusher’ Kovalev Exits on a Winning Note: TKOs Artur Mann in his ‘Farewell Fight’

At his peak, former three-time world light heavyweight champion Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev ranked high on everyone’s pound-for-pound list. Now 42 years old – he turned 42 earlier this month – Kovalev has been largely inactive in recent years, but last night he returned to the ring in his hometown of Chelyabinsk, Russia, and rose to the occasion in what was billed as his farewell fight, stopping Artur Mann in the seventh frame.
Kovalev hit his peak during his first run as a world title-holder. He was 30-0-1 (26 KOs) entering first match with Andre Ward, a mark that included a 9-0 mark in world title fights. The only blemish on his record was a draw that could have been ruled a no-contest (journeyman Grover Young was unfit to continue after Kovalev knocked down in the second round what with was deemed an illegal rabbit punch). Among those nine wins were two stoppages of dangerous Haitian-Canadian campaigner Jean Pascal and a 12-round shutout over Bernard Hopkins.
Kovalev’s stature was not diminished by his loss to the undefeated Ward. All three judges had it 114-113, but the general feeling among the ringside press was that Sergey nicked it.
The rematch was also somewhat controversial. Referee Tony Weeks, who halted the match in the eighth stanza with Kovalev sitting on the lower strand of ropes, was accused of letting Ward get away with a series of low blows, including the first punch of a three-punch series of body shots that culminated in the stoppage. Sergey was wobbled by a punch to the head earlier in the round and was showing signs of fatigue, but he was still in the fight. Respected judge Steve Weisfeld had him up by three points through the completed rounds.
Sergey Kovalev was never the same after his second loss to Andre Ward, albeit he recaptured a piece of the 175-pound title twice, demolishing Vyacheslav Shabranskyy for the vacant WBO belt after Ward announced his retirement and then avenging a loss to Eleider Alvarez (TKO by 7) with a comprehensive win on points in their rematch.
Kovalev’s days as a title-holder ended on Nov. 2, 2019 when Canelo Alvarez, moving up two weight classes to pursue a title in a fourth weight division, stopped him in the 11th round, terminating what had been a relatively even fight with a hellacious left-right combination that left Krusher so discombobulated that a count was superfluous.
That fight went head-to-head with a UFC fight in New York City. DAZN, to their everlasting discredit, opted to delay the start of Canelo-Kovalev until the main event of the UFC fight was finished. The delay lasted more than an hour and Kovalev would say that he lost his psychological edge during the wait.
Kovalev had two fights in the cruiserweight class between his setback to Canelo and last night’s presumptive swan song. He outpointed Tervel Pulev in Los Angeles and lost a 10-round decision to unheralded Robin Sirwan Safar in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Artur Mann, a former world title challenger – he was stopped in three rounds by Mairis Briedis in 2021 when Briedis was recognized as the top cruiserweight in the world – was unexceptional, but the 34-year-old German, born in Kazakhstan, wasn’t chopped liver either, and Kovalev’s stoppage of him will redound well to the Russian when he becomes eligible for the Boxing Hall of Fame.
Krusher almost ended the fight in the second round. He knocked Mann down hard with a short left hand and seemingly scored another knockdown before the round was over (but it was ruled a slip). Mann barely survived the round.
In the next round, a punch left Mann with a bad cut on his right eyelid, but the German came to fight and rounds three, four and five were competitive.
Kovalev had a good sixth round although there were indications that he was tiring. But in the seventh he got a second wind and unleashed a right-left combination that rolled back the clock to the days when he was one of the sport’s most feared punchers. Mann went down hard and as he staggered to his feet, his corner signaled that the fight should be stopped and the referee complied. The official time was 0:49 of round seven. It was the 30th KO for Kovalev who advanced his record to 36-5-1.
Addendum: History informs us that Farewell Fights have a habit of becoming redundant, by which we mean that boxers often get the itch to fight again after calling it quits. Have we seen the last of Sergey “Krusher” Kovalev? We woudn’t bet on it.
The complete Kovalev-Mann fight card was live-streamed on the Boxing News youtube channel.
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Avila Perspective, Chap. 322: Super Welterweight Week in SoCal

Two below-the-radar super welterweight stars show off their skills this weekend from different parts of Southern California.
One in particular, Charles Conwell, co-headlines a show in Oceanside against a hard-hitting Mexican while another super welter star Sadriddin Akhmedov faces another Mexican hitter in Commerce.
Take your pick.
The super welterweight division is loaded with talent at the moment. If Terence Crawford remained in the division he would be at the top of the class, but he is moving up several weight divisions.
Conwell (21-0, 16 KOs) faces Jorge Garcia Perez (32-4, 26 KOs) a tall knockout puncher from Los Mochis at the Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, Calif. on Saturday April 19. DAZN will stream the Golden Boy Promotions card that also features undisputed flyweight champion Gabriela Fundora. We’ll get to her later.
Conwell might be the best super welterweight out there aside from the big dogs like Vergil Ortiz, Serhii Bohachuk and Sebastian Fundora.
If you are not familiar with Conwell he comes from Cleveland, Ohio and is one of those fighters that other fighters know about. He is good.
He has the James “Lights Out” Toney kind of in-your-face-style where he anchors down and slowly deciphers the opponent’s tools and then takes them away piece by piece. Usually it’s systematic destruction. The kind you see when a skyscraper goes down floor by floor until it’s smoking rubble.
During the Covid days Conwell fought two highly touted undefeated super welters in Wendy Toussaint and Madiyar Ashkeyev. He stopped them both and suddenly was the boogie man of the super welterweight division.
Conwell will be facing Mexico’s taller Garcia who likes to trade blows as most Mexican fighters prefer, especially those from Sinaloa. These guys will be firing H bombs early.
Fundora
Co-headlining the Golden Boy card is Gabriela Fundora (15-0, 7 KOs) the undisputed flyweight champion of the world. She has all the belts and Mexico’s Marilyn Badillo (19-0-1, 3 KOs) wants them.
Gabriela Fundora is the sister of Sebastian Fundora who holds the men’s WBC and WBO super welterweight world titles. Both are tall southpaws with power in each hand to protect the belts they accumulated.
Six months ago, Fundora met Argentina’s Gabriela Alaniz in Las Vegas to determine the undisputed flyweight champion. The much shorter Alaniz tried valiantly to scrap with Fundora and ran into a couple of rocket left hands.
Mexico’s Badillo is an undefeated flyweight from Mexico City who has battled against fellow Mexicans for years. She has fought one world champion in Asley Gonzalez the current super flyweight world titlist. They met years ago with Badillo coming out on top.
Does Badillo have the skill to deal with the taller and hard-hitting Fundora?
When a fighter has a six-inch height advantage like Fundora, it is almost impossible to out-maneuver especially in two-minute rounds. Ask Alaniz who was nearly decapitated when she tried.
This will be Badillo’s first pro fight outside of Mexico.
Commerce Casino
Kazakhstan’s Sadriddin Akhmedov (15-0, 13 KOs) is another dangerous punching super welterweight headlining a 360 Promotions card against Mexico’s Elias Espadas (23-6, 16 KOs) on Saturday at the Commerce Casino.
UFC Fight Pass will stream the 360 Promotions card of about eight bouts.
Akhmedov is another Kazakh puncher similar to the great Gennady “GGG” Golovkin who terrorized the middleweight division for a decade. He doesn’t have the same polish or dexterity but doesn’t lack pure punching power.
It’s another test for the super welterweight who is looking to move up the ladder in the very crowded 154-pound weight division. 360 Promotions already has a top contender in Ukraine’s Serhii Bohachuk who nearly defeated Vergil Ortiz a year ago.
Could Bohachuk and Akhmedov fight each other if nothing else materializes?
That’s a question for another day.
Fights to Watch
Sat. DAZN 5 p.m. Charles Conwell (21-0, 16 KOs) vs. Jorge Garcia Perez (32-4, 26 KOs); Gabriela Fundora (15-0) vs Marilyn Badillo (19-0-1).
Sat. UFC Fight Pass 6 p.m. Sadriddin Akhmedov (15-0) vs Elias Espadas (23-6).
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TSS Salutes Thomas Hauser and his Bernie Award Cohorts

The Boxing Writers Association of America has announced the winners of its annual Bernie Awards competition. The awards, named in honor of former five-time BWAA president and frequent TSS contributor Bernard Fernandez, recognize outstanding writing in six categories as represented by stories published the previous year.
Over the years, this venerable website has produced a host of Bernie Award winners. In 2024, Thomas Hauser kept the tradition alive. A story by Hauser that appeared in these pages finished first in the category “Boxing News Story.” Titled “Ryan Garcia and the New York State Athletic Commission,” the story was published on June 23. You can read it HERE.
Hauser also finished first in the category of “Investigative Reporting” for “The Death of Ardi Ndembo,” a story that ran in the (London) Guardian. (Note: Hauser has owned this category. This is his 11th first place finish for “Investigative Reporting”.)
Thomas Hauser, who entered the International Boxing Hall of Fame with the class of 2019, was honored at last year’s BWAA awards dinner with the A.J. Leibling Award for Outstanding Boxing Writing. The list of previous winners includes such noted authors as W.C. Heinz, Budd Schulberg, Pete Hamill, and George Plimpton, to name just a few.
The Leibling Award is now issued intermittently. The most recent honorees prior to Hauser were Joyce Carol Oates (2015) and Randy Roberts (2019).
Roberts, a Distinguished Professor of History at Purdue University, was tabbed to write the Hauser/Leibling Award story for the glossy magazine for BWAA members published in conjunction with the organization’s annual banquet. Regarding Hauser’s most well-known book, his Muhammad Ali biography, Roberts wrote, “It is nearly impossible to overestimate the importance of the book to our understanding of Ali and his times.” An earlier book by Hauser, “The Black Lights: Inside the World of Professional Boxing,” garnered this accolade: “Anyone who wants to understand boxing today should begin by reading ‘The Black Lights’.”
A panel of six judges determined the Bernie Award winners for stories published in 2024. The stories they evaluated were stripped of their bylines and other identifying marks including the publication or website for which the story was written.
Other winners:
Boxing Event Coverage: Tris Dixon
Boxing Column: Kieran Mulvaney
Boxing Feature (Over 1,500 Words): Lance Pugmire
Boxing Feature (Under 1,500 Words): Chris Mannix
The Dixon, Mulvaney, and Pugmire stories appeared in Boxing Scene; the Mannix story in Sports Illustrated.
The Bernie Award recipients will be honored at the forthcoming BWAA dinner on April 30 at the Edison Ballroom in the heart of Times Square. (For more information, visit the BWAA website). Two days after the dinner, an historic boxing tripleheader will be held in Times Square, the logistics of which should be quite interesting. Ryan Garcia, Devin Haney, and Teofimo Lopez share top billing.
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