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Around SBN: The Most Dangerous Division in Sports

WBC Returns Light Heavyweight Belt to Bernard Hopkins

Chad Dawson's new t-shirt didn't stay relevant for long. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images)

With a seemingly likely changing of the official result to come in December, the WBC has taken a step in the Hopkins vs Dawson controversy by returning their light heavyweight title belt to Bernard Hopkins. Jose Sulaiman, the dictator-for-life of the WBC, explained the decision:

The WBC Board of Governors, after reviewing the video of the fight, unanimously declared that the action [by Dawson] reflects a clear intentional lifting of the body, followed with a push to Hopkins, that made him fall on his left side with part of his body outside of the ropes.

As many of the WBC's decisions as are criticized, I can't really find fault with this one. The fight ended from contact that had nothing to do with boxing -- a non-boxing move.

This follows The RING's ruling to suspend their recognized championship from changing hands, pending the appeal in California. It's hard to imagine this fight not getting changed to a no-contest at this point. It really seems the only right thing. It's just a waiting game at this point, as the CSAC will meet on December 13 and discuss the matter then.

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Good.

Fire Bud Black.
Show me a good loser, and I'll show you a loser. -- Vince Lombardi

by Sam (sdsuaztec4) on Oct 20, 2011 10:05 PM EDT reply actions  

The WBC does the right thing

I’ll mark my calendar

Most people don't know shit about boxing. At all. Period. - Roger Mayweather

by The Kittitas Kid on Oct 20, 2011 10:39 PM EDT reply actions  

cats and dogs living together

MASS HYSTERIA!

The artful muppet formerly known as KrmtDfrog.
Please read my sardonic wit and over-blown sense of self over at headkicklegend.com

by Cory Braiterman on Oct 21, 2011 3:32 AM EDT up reply actions  

If someone asks if you are a god

You say YES

Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."

by Brickhaus on Oct 22, 2011 11:17 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions  

Well, Harold Camping did predict the world would end today.

by DrRck on Oct 21, 2011 5:59 AM EDT up reply actions  

Third time is a charm?

by leo_solis on Oct 21, 2011 12:07 PM EDT up reply actions  

I’ve always felt this decision should and would be overturned, but part of me now wants the CSAC to uphold the TKO so Dawson and Shaw can sue the hell out of the WBC.

by bachwards on Oct 21, 2011 12:08 AM EDT reply actions  

o yea... bhop is goin off on twitter..

"After this, I'm gonna kick Bob Arum's ass."
-George Lopez

by Eddie Gonzalez on Oct 21, 2011 12:15 AM EDT reply actions  

@AntonioTarver U can do all the talking u want I beat ur ass PERIOD!! Then u had nerve 2 say u wuld ko’d me lol

Hahahah. Hopkins was listening to Antonio Tarver so I didn’t have to.

Bad Left Hook
"My God, kids today think that the laces are for tying up the gloves."
-- Fritzie Zivic

by jrok on Oct 21, 2011 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions  

Sounds like a send-off for both men. Hopkins-Tarver II, at cruiserweight. Put it in Russia for no good reason. Winner grants the loser a Viking funeral, unless they’ll both agree to one.

by El Destruyo on Oct 21, 2011 12:00 PM EDT up reply actions  

Excellent.

This should make it very hard for CSAC to do the wrong thing. Was going to be hard anyway, but this makes it harder. Seems also as though a Technical Draw demands a rematch (NOT ppv) which is probably fair. It looked deliberate to me, but fog of war and all that.

I note it happened the same day Qaddafi died—maybe there’s a general change in the weather, and pigs will soon fly.

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939

by BoxAnne on Oct 21, 2011 7:47 AM EDT reply actions  

The technical draw element (not sure the WBC has a no contest on record, but then, they normally don’t have to superimpose rulings) is what has me not singing praise just yet. Because what shady commission of ill-repute wouldn’t take the opportunity to “do the right thing” and set up a chance for rematch fees?

by El Destruyo on Oct 21, 2011 12:02 PM EDT up reply actions  

Two things have me scratching my head after reading Sulaiman’s explanation, the first the intentional lifting and then pushing on from Dawson, since having seen the replay posted by AF in the other post I think both fighters were equally at fault in the whole ordeal. But, ok, even if the WBC says it was clearly intentional from Dawson, if that is the case, since when intentional fouls to the body are not motive for a DQ? Am I wrong here?

by leo_solis on Oct 21, 2011 12:17 PM EDT up reply actions  

I think Technical Draw is as logical and fair as it’s going to get with the WBC, and way better than it might have been, which is not meant to disagree with you at all.

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939

by BoxAnne on Oct 21, 2011 12:37 PM EDT up reply actions  

+1 Anne

"That was very funny about the old man basketball skills. One is lucky to escape injury when playing against those crafty, crusty sumbitches. And it’s just demoralizing when they demonstrate yet again how to use the backboard from range." - Charlie Custer

by SmittytheCutman on Oct 21, 2011 1:16 PM EDT up reply actions  

HOPKINS

That august body, the WBC, has finally earned some of its money. Hip,Hip HOORAY! for el presidente for life Suliman. A fair and just verdict considering the evidence. This clears the way for a lucrative rematch, where everyone involved will make more money.
A masterstroke.

by JZZY on Oct 21, 2011 8:28 AM EDT reply actions  

The sad thing is...

there might be a rematch to fool us again. Dawson-Hopkins will never equal excitement but for some reason I have to watch.

by tacklerford on Oct 21, 2011 8:35 AM EDT reply actions  

The other thing is

there is nothing good that can come from Dawson beating up on an old Hopkins. The only real winner can be Hopkins if he can beat another young challenger. Dawson’s handlers should just let sleeping dogs lie.

by tacklerford on Oct 21, 2011 8:38 AM EDT up reply actions  

I kind of ambivalently agree with you—but, insofar as belts seem to matter to fighters, whether they matter to us or not, Dawson may want his shot. IIRC, Dawson said if anything went wrong for him on this—can’t remember whether he meant it he lost the fight, or the challenge to the TKO2, he would retire.

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939

by BoxAnne on Oct 21, 2011 10:06 AM EDT up reply actions  

That’s not a bad thing………of course it won’t happen.

by DPlainview on Oct 21, 2011 11:04 AM EDT up reply actions  

What chance Hopkins now says publicly something like

“I’m not giving Chad Dawson no rematch! He said after they gave him my belt that he didn’t want one, so I’ll take him at his word!!”

by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 21, 2011 4:02 PM EDT reply actions  

Possibly, the WBC’s use of the term Technical Draw, hitherto unheard of, was so that they can order a rematch, as would be the case in an actual draw. Then again, who knows?

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939

by BoxAnne on Oct 21, 2011 4:40 PM EDT up reply actions  

I thought the same thing.

But what are they going to do? Strip him right after giving him the belt back?

I can see this getting ugly, with a lot of shit said back and forth between Dawson and Hopkins about a rematch, Dawson calling Hopkins a coward etc…

If I were Hopkins, I say fuck him. He was happy to win the belt that way, happy to slag me off, then he has to take the rough with the smooth: Outside influence (the ref- outside of the fighters) gave Dawson the belt, outside influence took it away again. I think Hopkins has the right to take an optional defence now, especially if it’s ruled a TD: if it were a no-contest, then it’s almost as if no fight happened: a technical draw is at least acknowledgement that the fight took place, so to speak. Two mandatory defences ordered one after the other? I can see Hopkins simply laughing that one away and telling Dawson to get fucked.

Dawson said he didn’t want a rematch anyway: let’s see if he changes his mind pronto when the CSAC do the right thing :)

by Maximus Decimus Meridius on Oct 21, 2011 5:56 PM EDT up reply actions  

Interesting times.

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939

by BoxAnne on Oct 21, 2011 10:54 PM EDT up reply actions  

That guy looking up right behind Chad Dawson on the left of the picture , Axel Murillo Dawson’s conditioning coach, is the trainer at my gym. Although that has nothing to do with this thread, that is pretty cool.

by 36_chambers_ofdeatH on Oct 22, 2011 1:30 PM EDT reply actions  

From boxrec

2006-03-03 245 Javier Mora 232 19-2-1
 Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, United States NC ND 7 10
 time: 1:53 | referee: Tony Crebs | judge: Fritz Werner 59-55 | judge: Jose Cobian 58-56 | judge: Ray Corona 57-57
Johnson suffered a dislocated knee. Result changed from TKO on appeal to the California State Athletic Commission on August 7, due to Johnson’s foot being stepped

"Luck is when preparation meets opportunity." - Mike Quarry

by Boss Man on Oct 23, 2011 4:06 PM EDT reply actions  

Good to know. Thanks for the info.

There is no safety in numbers, or in anything else--James Thurber, 1939

by BoxAnne on Oct 24, 2011 7:06 AM EDT up reply actions  

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