Super Middleweight

For both Andre Ward and Chad Dawson, simply winning won’t be enough.

In a rare matchup between lineal champions in adjacent weight classes—Ward (25-0, 13 KO) reigns at super middleweight, while Dawson (31-1, 17 KO) is light-heavyweight king—opinions have been split between praising both men for signing to fight each other and grumbling about the potential boredom of the actual bout.

Ward-Dawson is certainly a refreshing idea—two prime champions agreeing to fight each other without hysterical negotiations seems the product of a bygone era. For that the bout should be celebrated and lauded as a precedent boxing must continue to follow if it wants to cling to whatever shred of relevance it maintains and hopes to rebuild itself.

Reservations about Ward-Dawson, however, are also understandable.

Until Dawson proclaimed he wanted the Ward fight during his post-fight interview after his victory over Bernard Hopkins, no one had put much stock in the two men fighting because of their respective styles. While both Ward and Dawson are pound-for-pound-quality boxers, their technical and malleable styles have never endeared them to fans.

Of course, it is fair to speculate that boxing fans should have a greater appreciation for fighters who employ a more intellectual style as Ward and Dawson do, but the fact remains that the allure of the knockout will tantalize even those who are drawn to the subtlest in-ring craftsmen.

Along these lines, one of the most intriguing aspects of Ward-Dawson is who stands to gain more from winning, and more importantly, winning impressively.

Andre Ward, despite being the last American to win an Olympic gold medal, has never had the preordained following that ushers most hyped U.S. amateurs into the pro ranks. One of the reasons boxing thrived through much of the 20th century was that the United States has an unparalleled ability to anoint and promote its desired stars.

Ward, however, has never really caught on.

Despite winning the wildly competitive Super Six World Boxing Classic to claim the WBA, WBC and Ring super-middleweight titles, Ward has not developed into a pay-per-view attraction, and he oddly remains a sort of regional fighter, with his following concentrated in Oakland and the Bay Area.

It is a shame that Ward has not captured the public imagination. As a humble, well-spoken individual with sublime boxing skills, Ward, it would seem, is the ideal candidate to succeed the Mayweather/Pacquiao era.

But while Ward has done something neither Mayweather or Pacquiao seem willing to do (fight their best contemporary), he is relegated to fighting off pay-per-view in an incredibly dangerous bout.

By fighting at super middleweight and in his hometown of Oakland, Ward holds two distinct logistical advantages over Dawson. Some will point to the fact that Dawson enters the fight with a significant height and reach advantage over Ward, which could ultimately be equalizing factors, but Ward’s recent form and level of opposition make him the clear, albeit slim, favorite.

As an underdog with an even less significant fanbase than Ward, it is, strangely, Chad Dawson who stands to gain more from an impressive win this Saturday.

Dawson’s sometimes-lackadaisical appearances in the ring are only frustratingly eclipsed by his petulant demeanor outside the squared circle, though one could argue that these two conceptions of his character have been exaggerated. Either way, Dawson stands to gain more from the standpoint that for someone with such an abundance of skills, he is about as low and ignored as a fighter can get.

In many ways, this seems unfair, but uninspired performances against the likes of Jean Pascal and Adrian Diaconu, as well as mostly underwhelming wins over Glen Johnson, Antonio Tarver and Bernard Hopkins have left mainstream fans largely disinterested in what Dawson has to offer.

At 30, this might seem like a death sentence for Dawson, but now, with Ward in his cross hairs, he has been presented with the ultimate platform for redemption.

The caveat? Dawson must win by knockout or thrilling decision. Nothing less will do.

The same could be said for Ward, but an exciting Dawson victory would encompass two intriguing elements: A win in a hostile environment, and the distinction as lineal champion in two weight classes simultaneously.

In an era where alphabet titles have become meaningless, holding the lineal championship still means something. As lineal super-middleweight and light-heavyweight champion, Dawson would be given twice as many options with which to carve out his own destiny. Furthermore, it would give Dawson greater negotiation leverage when dictating the terms of his future fights.

Dawson, of course, lost a mildly controversial decision to Jean Pascal in Montreal in a fight in which, had Dawson simply applied himself earlier, he could very well have won. The Pascal fight could have been a chance for Dawson to prove his resolve and mettle, but instead it only magnified his intangible shortcomings.

Beating Ward in Oakland would go a long way towards erasing this.

If Ward-Dawson ends up being an exciting fight—regardless of the outcome—boxing wins. However, while Andre Ward certainly stands to gain from a victory, Chad Dawson is in a unique position to rapidly fulfill much of his promise. Whether he chooses to embrace the moment in a battle of under-appreciated and mercurial boxing geniuses is up to him.

This Saturday night, Andre Ward will put his WBC World and WBA "Super Champion" belts at super middleweight, as well as his undefeated record, on the line against WBC World Light Heavyweight Champion Chad Dawson in Oakland, CA.  Dawson's title will not be on the line, as this bout will be fought at super middleweight. While it's not expected to be a barn burner, it should be an excellent, technical boxing match that will be fought at an extremely high level. 

So, who's going to win and why? Let's take a look at each fighter. 

When you look at Andre Ward, there aren't really any glaring weaknesses. He's basically a technically perfect boxer, with strong defensive abilities and modest punching power, and strong defense as well.

His hand speed is near elite and his foot speed is second to none. Ward's really difficult to hit cleanly; it almost looks like he isn't trying sometimes as he ducks and weaves to avoid punches. 

He's just naturally gifted and hasn't lost a fight since he was 12 years old, which is truly amazing. Ward's a great all-around fighter, there's no other way to slice it. 

In Chad Dawson, you have a fighter who is very similar in style to Ward. He has all the same abilities, and he is just as quick and strong as Ward. The only real difference between their styles is that Ward has shown the ability to adapt and fight against any style, while Dawson prefers to stay on the outside and doesn't really like to exchange in close. 

This could ultimately be Dawson's downfall. If Ward can get inside and rough Dawson up, Chad may not know how to respond. If Dawson can't stay on the outside, it's going to be very difficult for him to defeat Ward. He'll need to utilize his height advantage and stay on the outside and work his jab to control the pace. 

At the end of the day, I don't think Dawson will be able to do so. Ward's just too good and will adapt to whatever Dawson brings, making him too uncomfortable to win enough rounds to take the fight. I'm calling it a close but clear win for Ward, in the neighborhood of 116-112. 

Follow Me On Twitter: @RalphLongo

Carl Froch (29-2 21 KOs) has decided on an opponent for the first defense of his IBF super middleweight crown according to multiple news outlets. On November 17, Froch will take on Philadelphia’s Yusaf Mack (31-4-2 17 KOs), a former light heavyweight title challenger. The fight will take place in Froch’s native Nottingham at the Capital FM Arena. 

Froch is coming off one of the biggest wins of his career—a five round destruction of Lucian Bute. Coming into the Bute fight, Froch was the underdog and was given little chance of winning after his lackluster performance against Andre Ward in the final of the Super Six Classic.

Froch had been written off by most after that showing, but bounced back and looked better than he had in years against Bute. 

Yusaf Mack will be the first soft-touch Froch has had in years. Take one look at Froch’s record and you will see he fought a murders row of the super middleweight division.

Over the last four years, Froch has fought and beat former world champions Jean Pascal, Jermain Taylor, Andre Dirrell, Glen Johnson, Arthur Abraham and Lucian Bute.  Froch’s only two career losses are to Mikkel Kessler and Andre Ward, who is considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world. 

Carl Froch deserves a showcase fight at this point in his career and I, for one, have no problem with him taking on Mack. 

Yusaf Mack, 32, is not a bad fighter although he has been stopped in each of his four losses. He has been a fringe contender in the light heavyweight division for years and has held a handful of regional titles.   

Look for Carl Froch to put Mack away in impressive fashion somewhere around Round 6. If Lucian Bute handles his business on November 3, we will see the rematch between him and Froch.

If Bute is unsuccessful, I expect Froch to go after Kelly Pavlik, Arthur Abraham or a rematch with Kessler.

On Saturday, September 8 from Oakland, California HBO Boxing will present a true clash of world champions as undisputed light heavyweight kingpin Chad Dawson, 31-1 (17 KOs) drops down in weight class to face undefeated super middleweight champ Andre Ward, 25-0 (13 KOs). 

Earlier this afternoon I spoke with Dawson. With less than two weeks to go before fight night, the New Haven, Connecticut native sounded anxiously enthusiastic: "My camp has been great, weight has been coming down easily. I'm all ready for Oakland."

Dawson's willingness to come down to 168 and challenge for Ward's belts has been one of the intriguing aspects of this high-profile showdown of champions. In most cases, the smaller man goes up in weight. 

But for Dawson, who fought at middle and super middleweight for the first five years and 20 fights of his career, dropping seven more pounds was never an issue. Even as he celebrated in the ring after beating Bernard Hopkins last April, he was calling out Ward and offering 168 as an option.

Dawson credited conditioning coach Alex Murillo for his confidence about dropping in weight. "I've got great strength and conditioning guy and he's been talking to me about it as a possibility...I could eat whatever I wanted and make 175."

The weight-cutting process has added another interesting wrinkle to training camp for Dawson. "I've been having fun doing it. It's been interesting to see the way my body changes."

Dawson claimed to feel so comfortable with the drop in weight that he could make it a more long-term proposition. "If 168 is my calling, I'll stay at it another year or so. Wherever the best fights are."

But ultimately, Dawson's willingness to drop to 168 was a business decision: "I knew I could do it, so why not if it would make the fight easier to make?" 

After settling business with Hopkins last April, and reclaiming the belts he had dropped during his only career loss to Jean Pascal in August of 2010, there was no potential opponent who interested Dawson so much as the 2011 "Fighter of the Year," Andre Ward.

"Andre is No. 1 at 168 and I'm No. 1 at 175....and the way I look at it, that's still the same weight class. That's the old light heavyweight division...we're the same weight, so really, what other fight is out there? For either of us?

"It's a win-win...and we're showing other fighters they can take the best fights." 

The willingness to make the highest-profile fight available has paid off for both Dawson and Ward with the opportunity to headline a run of the popular 24/7 reality series.

"It's been a great experience," Dawson enthused. 'I've always wanted to do one...neither me or Andre Ward have had a chance to be in the spotlight like this. It gets two new faces out there for the fans to learn about."

For Dawson, who has beaten some of the best light heavyweights and super middleweights of the previous generation (he is 5-0 with a no contest against Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson), it is clearly exciting to be taking on a contemporary for a change. 

"This time I'm not fighting a guy who is 10 to 12 years older than me. He's right around the same age as me, right around the same point in his career.

"This will be two great fighters, me and Andre Ward, right at the top of what we do."

A few years ago, Kelly Pavlik (40-2 34 KOs) was one of the hottest names in boxing. He was regularly featured on HBO and was earning seven-figure paydays.

It would not last long, though, as Pavlik’s problems with alcohol cost him his WBC, WBO, and Ring Magazine middleweight championships and his spot near the top of the sport.

For Pavlik to get back on top, he will need to win another title and his best chance to do so may be against Arthur Abraham. 

Abraham, a former IBF middleweight titleholder, recently lifted the WBO super middleweight title from Robert Stieglitz in a close, hard-fought fight.

The win was Abraham’s first over a notable opponent since he stopped Jermain Taylor in the 12th round of their fight nearly three years ago.

Since then, Abraham has gone 4-3 in the higher weight class, losing to Carl Froch, Andre Dirrell and Andre Ward. 

Kelly Pavlik is riding a four-fight win streak against limited opposition since giving up his title to Sergio Martinez more than two years ago. 

He should have fought Abraham at middleweight four years ago, when both held titles. Having said that, a fight today would be just as intriguing, since both fighters’ abilities seem to have deteriorated at the same pace. 

The only two fighters to beat Pavlik are the cagey Bernard Hopkins and the speedy Martinez. Abraham is neither a speedster nor a cagey guy. Therefore, he might be just the right opponent for Pavlik to get his career back on track against.

Abraham’s wide looping punches would be perfect for Pavlik, who throws straight punches down the middle. 

One issue, which could be a potential roadblock, is whether or not either guy would be willing to travel abroad.

All three of Abraham’s losses have come outside of his home-base of Germany. Meanwhile, Pavlik has never fought outside of the U.S., and he may be leery of fighting in Germany where hometown decisions are not uncommon. 

I don’t think Pavlik would stand much of a chance against the winner of the Andre Ward versus Chad Dawson fight. Carl Froch, the other belt holder in the super middleweight division, may also be too much for Pavlik at this point. 

Pavlik and his promoter Top Rank should look to get a fight with Arthur Abraham early next year. If he’s victorious, he could look for a mega-fight with Top Rank stable mate Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. next September.

You can follow Michael Walters on Twitter @MWalters202

Chad Dawson, the WBC light heavyweight champion, will be moving down in weight to take on what just may be the toughest opponent he’s ever faced in super middleweight king Andre Ward, the WBA and WBC champion.  The bout will take place on September 8 and will broadcast on HBO.

That’s saying a lot considering Dawson has faced and beaten future Hall of Fame fighter Bernard Hopkins. Hopkins is not the only big name on Dawson’s resume, as he also has defeated former world champions Antonio Tarver, Glen Johnson and Tomasz Ademak.

Andre Ward has the distinction of being the last American fighter to win an Olympic gold medal, and as a pro, he has a record of 25 wins and no losses.

“As I recall I don’t think Andre has lost since he was 12 or 13 years old at the Jr. Olympics,” said Dawson’s trainer John Scully in an Aug. 20 conversation with B/R.

If Scully’s memory is correct, that means it’s been 15 or 16 years since Ward has tasted defeat. Scully knows that beating Ward will be no easy task, but he thinks Dawson is up to the challenge.

“I think Chad sees this fight as a prove yourself type of fight,” Scully said. “This is the opponent that people are going to want to see him excel against.”

The fight will take place in Ward’s hometown of Oakland at the Oracle Arena. Dawson’s trainer does not see that as a problem, though.

“I think that will actually work in Chad’s favor,” Scully said. “I think that the crowd going against him is going to push him up higher than he’s ever been before. This is a showcase fight where he will really want to prove himself.”

Scully doesn’t think that just the crowd will be in Ward’s favor, he also expressed concerns that HBO’s announcer team will be backing the Oakland fighter.

“He just won the Showtime tournament and now he came over to HBO, and I am sure he didn’t just go for free,” the skeptical Scully said.  “I am sure some negotiations went on and HBO has a lot invested in him, I would have to assume; the fact of the matter is, and people might not like me saying it, but if HBO in their heart of hearts has a favorite it’s not Chad Dawson, so we have that going against us.”

Scully thinks that the opinions expressed by the broadcasters and the crowd noise can have an effect on the viewing public and may sway them one way or another.

“This is the type of fight where maybe people should turn the sound off and just watch it for themselves with no commentary whatsoever and no crowd noise, “ Scully said. “ I certainly hope that the judges are able to do that and want to do that.”

Scully does feel that the fight being on HBO is a good thing and it could work to his fighter’s benefit.

“I am also glad that the fight is on HBO so if we do get robbed somehow that everybody sees it,” Scully said. “Looking at it from this angle, I would hope that at the end of the day they realize they have to be as fair as possible. Because if a guy like Chad Dawson goes there and outboxes this kid and he’s just too sharp and he’s just too fast and he doesn’t get the decision in a clear robbery, then good luck in getting the top fighters to go to Oakland.”

Dawson, who in the past has been very economical with his punches, will be a different fighter come Sept. 8, claimed his trainer.

“Chad knows what beating Andre Ward will do for his career,” Scully said. “I think he’s going to fight with a real sense of urgency.”

Media members and people on the boxing message boards think this fight could be a real snooze-fest, but Scully does not agree with that assessment.

“Contrary to what a lot of people’s knee-jerk reaction is: ‘Oh it’s going to be a boring fight, this and that,’ I don’t think so,” Scully said. “I think that Chad Dawson is coming with a lot of intensity just like he did with Hopkins. The difference is that Andre Ward isn’t a cagey guy like Hopkins is.”

Hopefully, for the sake of both fighters and boxing’s tarnished public image, the fight will be judged fairly and the best fighter wins. The results of the September 8 matchup could change the lives of both fighters, and a new superstar could emerge to eventually take the torch from Mayweather and Pacquiao.

Michael Walters is a Contributor for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.

You can follow Michael Walters on Twitter @MWalters202

What a difference eight pounds can make. After terrorizing part of the middleweight division to the tune of 10 IBF title defenses between 2005-2009, including several via sickening knockout, Arthur Abraham has become somewhat of a lame duck. 

Since moving up to super middleweight for the Super Six World Boxing Classic in 2009, Abraham (34-3, 27 KO) has gone 4-3, and he lamely and controversially bowed out of the tournament after entering as one of the popular picks to win it all.

After a spectacular 12^th round, one punch knockout of faded former undisputed middleweight champion Jermain Taylor, Abraham’s Super Six tournament dramatically unraveled. In Abraham’s next bout, Andre Dirrell comprehensively out-boxed him, and the fight ended in the 11^th round when Abraham was disqualified after blatantly clocking Dirrell with sweeping right hook/uppercut while the American was on his knees after slipping to the canvas.

Despite mild protests from Abraham’s camp, the foul was heinous, but more significantly, the Dirrell fight exposed Abraham’s weaknesses as a predictable puncher and sluggish starter. This lack of imagination carried into a lopsided points defeat to Carl Froch who, while a world-class fighter in his own right, isn’t exactly slick, yet managed to make it appear as if Abraham was fighting Pernell Whitaker.

After an out-of-tournament, confidence building win, Abraham was again outclassed by an elite super middleweight when Andre Ward—the current undisputed champion—flustered and outfoxed him en route to a lopsided unanimous decision. Having bowed out of the Super Six with his reputation as a feared puncher reduced to that of a plodding, robotic former champion, Abraham embarked on the arduous path to redemption.

In his two wins since the loss to Ward, Abraham has captured and defended the WBO European super middleweight title against respectable opposition, which has set up his looming title shot against current WBO champion and countryman Robert Stieglitz (42-2, 23 KO).

A loss against Stieglitz could prove to be the end of Abraham as a relevant, championship caliber fighter. Given this sense of urgency and magnitude, let’s look at Abraham’s three keys to victory.

Start Fast and Fight Off the Front Foot

When Abraham sensationally knocked out Edison Miranda in the fourth round of their 2008 rematch, it seemed that there was a method to Abraham’s methodical albeit molasses slow start to fights. Despite throwing little and absorbing most punches off of his arms and gloves from a high guard position, Abraham always appeared dangerous and calculated.

Abraham’s experience in the Super Six, however, proved that biding his time and absorbing punches (even if most of them are blocked) is a liability. At middleweight, every Abraham punch seemed to carry fight-ending intentions; this frightening power, however, has been largely absent since the Taylor fight, and it seems that Abraham can no longer afford to fall behind on the scorecards.

When fighting at an elite level, it obviously makes sense to fight for the duration of every round, and Abraham cannot afford to become a plodding automaton who throws predictable counter hooks that loop in and are easy to dodge, especially against someone of Stieglitz’s class.

Abraham’s old strategy of starting in a defensive shell gives him poor leverage for power punches as he is often forced onto his back foot. By the time he propels his momentum forward, his lack of elite speed renders his punches wild and telegraphed. If Abraham comes out throwing combinations and backing Stieglitz up, he has a chance to win some of the early rounds, which will serve to build his confidence.

Also, Stieglitz isn’t known as a power-puncher, so Abraham should feel comfortable and be willing to take offensive chances early in the fight.  

Fight Off the Jab and Be First

Being first naturally follows the tactic of starting fast and fighting off the front foot. However, if Abraham moves forward without punches or purpose, he risks being picked off by the precise and fundamentally sound Stieglitz.

In his fight against Froch, Abraham fell victim to this trap of aimless stalking. Abraham appeared foolish as he missed wildly with looping hooks, and Froch was regularly able to plant himself and unload combinations on a forward-moving yet surprisingly stationary Abraham (stationary in terms of Abraham’s lack of head movement or feints).

Against Stieglitz, Abraham must use his jab to initiate offense. This will serve to set up his combinations and also act as a range finder. The jab can help negate any lateral movement Stieglitz might employ, and it can also act as a smokescreen for Abraham’s powerful hooks.

Using the jab will also allow Abraham to initiate less predictable offensive bursts. When he leads with hooks, Abraham tends to wing his shots in an attempt to load up on power, and when these massive blows miss, they sap a tremendous amount of energy. Jabbing will force Abraham to be more compact and contained, which will ensure he has the energy to throw combinations in the championship rounds.

Furthermore, Abraham must also incorporate feints and head-movement into his arsenal. If he resorts to always leading with his jab, his offense will again become predictable. Thus, a combination of stalking behind the jab and feints must be used to set up Stieglitz for those heavy hooks.

Counter with Straight Shots From High Guard Defense

Naturally, it is unrealistic to expect that Abraham—given his style and tendencies—will spend the entire fight backing Stieglitz up and fighting off of his front foot. As such, Abraham would be wise to employ an active defense out of his high guard posture.

Abraham has a tendency to use his fortified high guard to absorb and parry punches without offering an immediate response. Often times, Abraham will block punches and then move forward, only to find himself under assault again, which forces him to cover up anew. This frustrating pattern was especially evident against Froch, and Abraham needs to rectify this passivity if he wants to defeat Stieglitz.

When Stieglitz attacks and forces Abraham into his shell, “King” Arthur needs to be prepared to launch straight counter shots immediately after absorbing punches. This is obviously easier said than done, but if Abraham simply blocks punches passively, Stieglitz will pile up points based on effective aggression.

Instead of launching off balance hooks, Abraham should look to land his straight right hand as a potential counter shot. Also, ripping hooks to the body could prove effective if Stieglitz gets overzealous and starts to crowd Abraham. Regardless of how he does it, Abraham needs to use his defense to transition into offense more seamlessly.   

Abraham-Stieglitz is the start of a great stretch of championship fights that will entertain fans well into September. If Abraham is busier and maintains his fundamentals, he could become a two-weight champion and set himself up for another major bout. Abraham certainly has an uphill battle, but this Saturday remains his best, and perhaps last, chance of becoming a world champion.