If there’s any question about just how big the recently announced fight between Jean Pascal and Chad Dawson for the WBC light heavyweight championship on August 14 in Montreal is, the news that Ring Magazine will officially name the winner of the bout as their champion (replacing the retired Joe Calzaghe) should be plenty of proof. Owning the recognition of Ring Magazine is a point of pride for boxers and is often proof of the “lineal” division title.
Dawson (29-0, 17 KOs) is already recognized as one of the top fighters on the planet, currently sitting sixth in Ring Magazine’s rankings of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Over the past two years, Dawson has handed a pair of unanimous decision defeats each to Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson – two fighters who were until recently considered to be among the elite fighters in any weight class themselves. Johnson earned his rematch after a tough loss in April 2008; Tarver likely only got his because of his name after a blowout loss in October 2008 and he didn’t fare much better in the rematch seven months later.
Along with the accolades and praise that Dawson has won, Pascal (25-1, 16 KOs) is also impressed. He told the Montreal Gazette after the press conference announcing the bout that Dawson would be “the biggest challenge in boxing. He is the best boxer out there, he's tall, a southpaw, has good hand speed and good footwork. I have a big, big task, but I love challenges so I'm going to be ready. I do respect Chad as a man and I do respect Chad as a boxer. You're going to have two smart boxers, two clever boxers. I can't tell you what my strategy will be, but I promise you, I'll match everything he brings to the table.”
So while Pascal respects Dawson, it’s clear that he doesn’t think that “Bad” Chad Dawson has what it takes to knock him off his pedestal. He’s certainly in the minority position with that opinion going into the fight, as most experts believe that Dawson will be too much for Pascal. The odds makers certainly think so, having made Pascal a definitive 5-to-2 underdog in the early stages of betting on the fight.
One thing that Dawson has going for him is the fact that he is a southpaw. Pascal hasn’t faced many southpaws in his career – his last fight with a lefty came back in November 2006 when he earned a unanimous decision against Jermain Mackey in a super middleweight contest. Of course, Mackey is no Chad Dawson, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see Pascal struggle to find his footing as he tries to figure out the southpaw Dawson.
Another potential factor in the fight is the shoulder injury that Pascal suffered in his most recent fight, his successful title defence in his rematch against Adrian Diaconu in December 2009 that shelved Pascal and forced this fight to get pushed back to August. Pascal is the shorter fighter, and he’ll need to have all of his mobility and reach to be able to get through Dawson. More importantly, he’ll need to have the confidence in his shoulder to hold up through a gruelling fight, and that might be something that can only be gained through actual in-ring experience.
Pascal is a slick, skilled fighter who can box and has some power. This is an intriguing match-up because Dawson has many of the same attributes as Pascal – although he might be bigger and more powerful than Pascal. It could be a “bad” combination for Pascal and lead to a very good night for Dawson.
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