While it’s not exactly Pac-man vs Mayweather boxing fans both hardcore and casual will be treated to a marquee match which will pit two of the best boxers pound for pound against each other. Super middleweight champion Andre Ward (25:0, 13 KO) and light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson (31:1, 17 KO) will kick off Fall Boxing season at Oracle Arena in a fight that many have seen coming for some time.
It’s only right that the two finally duke it out after Dawson publicly called out Ward back in April challenging him to meet him in the ring. Dawson even went so far as to drop down to 168 pounds, equal to that of Ward at the weigh in so this isn’t a match that either is taking lightly.
The biggest test that I think Ward will encounter is the inner conflict within, whether or not he should play it safe and stick to what has kept him undefeated or whether he should dare to be more aggressive and elevate his style for all to see. I’m looking forward to see a progressive experience displayed by Ward both in how he does in the fight and his emotions being at home.
In Dawson’s case he’s really the one with the most lose for one he’s coming off a big win against Bernard Hopkins where he called out Ward and demanded he face him. Then there’s also the ‘chip on shoulder’ factor to take into account, to loosely quote Jets linebacker Bart Scott’s ‘can’t wait’ spiel Dawson isn’t mad ‘he’s pissed off’ and frankly he has reason to be. Dawson’s purse is a whopping $767, 500 less than Ward’s and now it’s been reported that Ward’s pegged in as a 4:1 favorite over Dawson. Again, this is Dawson’s match to either lose or shine, to beat Ward in his backyard in front of his people will be just the kind of victory many boxers can only dream of.
This fight may not on the surface have the glitz and glam that we’ve seen in the past, but it’s not supposed to. Dawson vs Ward harkens back to the glory days of boxing where two of the best in a weight class simply met and dueled–no fuss, no muss, no Mayweather-esque jail stints, or lengthy put offs and other drama. The concept at its very heart is quite simple, put up or shut up. Two similar boxers on the surface but with different issues to face. For Ward does he have what it takes to put up a KO even though he’s been lacking in that area throughout his career. And for Dawson can he really get a decision in Ward’s hometown? Tune in on HBO at 9:45 EST to check out.