CUTMAN RAFAEL GARCIA SAVES THE DAY FOR CHAD DAWSON
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 29 Apr 2012
Rafael Garcia.
Young Chad ?Bad? Dawson finally got a win over the aging Bernard Hopkins the old fashion way. He took the fight to Hopkins and in the end he won the fight, albeit barely (according to one judge Luis Rivera).
Dawson was cut by an accidental head butt in round 4, a cut that can easily measure about two inches.
But he had the old reliable, Rafael Garcia in his corner. Garcia took care of the cut by properly applying pressure and adrenalin between rounds topped by a good measure of Vaseline. Thus, the cut became a no-factor in the very close fight.
Hopkins that showed up on the ring tonight is far from the Hopkins of old. He no longer has the fluid movements that helped made him one of the premier fighters in our time. His age shows so glaringly between rounds. He is huffing and puffing, a sure sign that father time has caught up with him.
Hopkins also relied too often with clinching to tie up Dawson and derail his offense. That made the fight somewhat boring but made the referee Eddie Cotton earn his pay.
Dawson started showing his dominance from the early middle rounds. In fact he appears to have won rounds 5 to 9 consecutively. And, from round 10, Hopkins? only chance to win the fight was via a knockout.
Dawson, young as he is knew that he was ahead by the time round 11 came around. Thus he played a defensive game and survived the fight Hopkins? frustrations begun to show in round 11. During a heated exchange at ring center, he tackled Dawson and both of them landed on the canvas.
Round 12 was uneventful. When the bell rang, both fighters raised their hands in victory. But Dawson was the only one that walked away with the belt.
For a moment however as announcer Joe Martinez was reading the score cards I thought the fight is at Texas. One judge, Luis Rivera scored the fight even. (114-114) The two others both gave it to Dawson, 117-111.
Dawson?s victory possibly validated his win at the fight in LA that was declared a ?no-contest.? It also speed up Hopkins? induction to the HOF.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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