Tarver rematch postponed due to injury to Dawson

by Scott Christ on Feb 18, 2009 1:47 AM EST in Boxing News Analysis

IBF light heavyweight titlist Chad Dawson suffered a ligament injury in his right hand, and the unbeaten rising star's HBO debut is being postponed. Dawson was set to rematch Antonio Tarver, whom he easily outpointed last October.

Promoter Gary Shaw says that the injury is not a break, and that Dawson will be in a soft cast for two weeks before being able to continue training, making him absolutely unable to fight on March 14.

The HBO schedule really has few openings, at least as far as going unopposed is concerned. Bob Arum's Tijuana Thunder PPV is available on March 28 and HBO likely wouldn't run against that, and the following Saturday has Golden Boy's Lightweight Lightning show (distributed by HBO) as well as Timothy Bradley-Kendall Holt on Showtime. The network is running Paul Williams-Winky Wright on April 11, and Showtime may have Carl Froch-Jermain Taylor on April 18. Juan Manuel Lopez will be in action on HBO against Gerry Penalosa on the 25th. The Saturday after that is the Hatton-Pacquiao showdown.

It's going to be tough to find a spot for this rematch, not to mention it's not like this is a fight people are licking their chops to ever see again. If possible (and it likely is not), it wouldn't be bad to see this fight paired up with Williams-Wright on April 11. Neither fight belongs in Las Vegas and both are going to do rotten houses, so maybe combining the fights makes for a better live gate. I mean HBO's already on the hook for both fights anyway. But getting the promoters and fighters and arenas to agree to all that won't be so easy.

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Hmmm

Loaded Gloves… Shower doors… right hand injury. None have anything in common; however, one of which caused a fight not to happen. I wonder if the same can go for Dawson-Tarver.

Anyone that has any decency... please let me know if the Urango-Ngoudjo's 10th round fight is over.

by CRAZEDANG1280 on Feb 18, 2009 9:23 AM EST reply actions

Its hard to be upset about Dawson pulling out of this one. For God’s sake, just cancel the fight entirely! The world will be a better place.

It's not the size of the dog... It's whats in the fight of Bernard Hopkins! -BHOP

by blackpage on Feb 18, 2009 11:43 AM EST reply actions

The problem is Tarver’s still got his damn rematch clause, so unless he chooses to fight someone else and forget about it, Dawson’s still eventually going to have to fight him. So this will just further delay more meaningful fights.

by A.F. on Feb 18, 2009 11:45 AM EST reply actions

Just put the fight in the undercard of the Williams/Wright fight.

by Zocalo on Feb 18, 2009 4:47 PM EST reply actions

Johnson

I’m sorry, I might be in the minority but Glen Johnson beat Chad Dawson. It was a close fight, but he beat him. I might be crazy, since I think Glen won a lot of fights that he lost. Anyway let’s pay off this “Judah” guy and do Tarver/ Johnson 3. That would have some poetry to it, especially if the road warrior kicks Antonio’s magic butt. Maybe Glen can retire then. I don’t know if the hacks at IBHOF would let him in their house, but he’d be welcome in mine.

"I want to see ocean. I want to see black people. I want to see palms." - Wladimir Klitschko

by jrok on Feb 18, 2009 11:31 PM EST reply actions

Glen's not gonna retire

I think he’ll fight on and on and these guys aren’t going to give him shots unless they’re forced to. He’s not even close to slowing down. I had Dawson-Johnson a draw.

Bad Left Hook
Camden Chat

"If they cut my bald head open, they will find one big boxing glove. That's all I am. I live it." -- Marvin Hagler

by Scott Christ on Feb 19, 2009 1:17 AM EST up reply actions