TheLukieBaby
Pro
Oakland, Ca - It may not have been a different result than many thought. Andre Ward, who has plenty of credentials, stopped Chad Dawson in merciful fashion. It appeared Dawson finally just had enough as the left hook that had been finding a home all day took him down. One thing was for sure, Ward didn’t just put a beating on Dawson physically, and he also mentally battered this much bigger man.
Ironically, the fight began with Dawson imposing his size which did not appear to be much since Dawson (at least to me) is a small - ish Light Heavyweight. Having Ward back peddle for most of the first round it was obvious that both fighters were feeling each other out and trying not to walk into a punch. Maybe not wanting to get punched was a heightened feeling after the DeMarco-Molina fight. The second round was more of the same with Ward getting more into his zone and landing the cleaner punches as well as coming on very strong to end the final round.
Sounds like a compelling fight, well it was , but the story of round 3 and round 4 was just as much as the story of the city of Oakland - the fans, the crowd, the arena falling in love with Andre Ward as much as it was the action inside the ropes. For those who are confused, Ward, shifted gears with one left hook that altered the course of the fight that floored the bigger Dawson. Immediately, the whole crowd erupted as former Golden State Warriors player and NBA star Monta Ellis stood feet away from the ring jumping up and down screaming, "Come On, Dre! You got this!" Any celebrity wit any ties to Oakland seemed to be in the crowd. As I looked around in the fourth round when Dawson was floored once again, the faces of the crowd began to blur together as if we were just kinetic energy and part of the transformation of Andre Ward, from a boxing fighter that the hardcore fans love, to a superstar who damn near could draw a PPV.
The moments of the fourth round played like a film reel movie as Andre Ward knocked down Dawson, but went down as well with the punch - either way the crowd just became louder and louder. Even though Ward had developed a mouse under his eye, Ward was hell bent on one thing, finishing the job. Watching Dawson's face the way a school teacher might read a student who had just committed an unacceptable act, I did not see quit, but mental fatigue.
Dawson was confused. He was supposed to be the bully, the bigger man. How was it that he was cutting weight from a bigger weight class, yet he was the one having trouble landing a jab? His punches had less of an effect than Ward's did on him. Chad Dawson, who had been knocked for having problems staying committed and focused, showed something that many will not give him credit for. He didn't just stay in the fight; he began looking for the fight changing punch that could help erase the deep hole he had dug earlier. In fact, in the middle rounds, Dawson landed a good combo that pushed Ward back to the ropes to close the round.
The middle rounds, as I commented on my twitter (@TheLukieBaby), began to play out like Allen Green vs. Andre Ward, in the sense that Ward began to overpower Dawson and turn the fight into well placed exchanges, timely clinches in which he [Ward] would seemingly always have the advantage. It wasn't that Dawson wasn't doing anything, it was that much like a great quarterback, say Peyton Manning, Ward was able to read what Dawson was doing well and then audible into something Dawson had not expected.
In the end, it was the theme of the night, a left hook by Andre Ward. It seemed to have landed hundreds of times before finally finished Dawson, as he hit the canvas and began to try and stand, yet his legs were now a fine strand of spaghetti and his arms shook look a child who was in a rain storm with no rain jacket. In short, Dawson stood up and did what fight fans hate, what made people turn on Victor Ortiz months ago and made people remember Roberto Duran more for the words "No Mas!" than his fights. Dawson said he had enough.
I saw an outcry on Twitter questioning the heart of Chad Dawson, but to anyone in Oracle Arena it would be hard to question Dawson's decision. He was beaten physically and it seemed as though a mental strain had begun to wear thin as well as Dawson looked like a beaten man - confused, alone and dejected, for every cheer Ward received for the TKO, a somber Dawson sat with all four to five members of his corner looking bewildered and saddened. It will be interesting to see how Dawson does after this, after such a fight like I witnessed tonight I find it hard not to believe that Andre Ward is one of the all time greats. With that being said the tone of Dawson’s career was summed up by Ward in the post fight press conference. I hate taking a single quote from a fighter, but in this instance I found it telling that Andre Ward described Dawson as "...a good borderline great fighter.” A compliment that was met with class distinction, where as Ward looks to be potentially boxing’s next star. Chad Dawson is set to go back up in weight as the champion to seemingly fight the Pascal vs. Cloud winner yet, how will he respond after this fight? We will find out shortly, but one thing is for sure, the love affair between Oakland,CA and Andre Ward has become intense, and the Vegas fight scene may be a thing of the past as Andre Ward may have created magic in his hometown creating a fan base based off his own hard work in the community and his ability to show pride in where he is from. One thing is for sure, with Andre Ward every time he fights, it is a simple education of a man with a Ph.D. in town game.
Side Notes
- In the co-main event, Antonio DeMarco ran through John Molina Jr in less than a minute. The episode was triggered by Molina appearing for some reason to be hesitant on the outside against DeMarco. Molina appeared to paw his jab as though he may have either expected DeMarco to fight orthodox or as others have said may have been overwhelmed by the moment, either way he paused for just enough of a period of time to allow DeMarco to land a straight left. This was not just any straight left, this was a straight left from hell - one to make an example out of a mugger type straight left, the hit rocked the iron jawed Molina across the ring, which trigged one of the oddest events I can remember. An overwhelmed Molina began to go into a squat, though rocked, he appeared to be still game to fight, but just sat helpless in a low squat position unwilling to take a knee to force a standing 8 count, because of this the fight was stopped as soon as it started.
Molina's pride may have cost him the fight. DeMarco's ability to fight was clear and his purpose for meaningful fights was even more so as he called out Broner after the fight. For DeMarco this was the type of win that could set up a big fight, a quick stoppage against a game though predictable opponent in Molina. It seems such a shame to keep such a high quality performance for DeMarco to such a short bit of prose, but I suppose that is what his handy work left me with - short, sweet and subtle, making every single punch or, in this instance, word count. I will eagerly watch DeMarco's next fight and hope for the best for John Molina Jr. as he is one of the warriors a sport like boxing needs, a man willing to fight at all costs.
good shyt bro
