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Chad Dawson fires John Scully, will reunite with Eddie Mustafa Muhammad

Chad Dawson has changed trainers yet again, as Eddie Mustafa Muhammad has been drafted in for his second stint leading the light heavyweight champion's career.

Ezra Shaw
Scott Christ is the managing editor of Bad Left Hook and has been covering boxing for SB Nation since 2006.

Chad Dawson has decided to change trainers yet again, as the reigning WBC light heavyweight champion has parted ways with John Scully, who was on his second turn as Dawson's lead man in the corner, to reunite with Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, the man who had trained Dawson prior to Scully being rehired.

Dawson (31-2, 17 KO) is coming off of a 10th round stoppage loss to Andre Ward in September, a fight where he was dominated and decided to pull the plug on himself. Dawson reportedly had a lot of trouble making the 168-pound limit -- his own idea -- comfortably for that fight, which wasn't any big surprise, and has once again decided that he needs a fresh start, which is also no big surprise.

Scully is very candid about the move in a piece by Tim Kudgis at BoxingScene.com, saying that the training camp for the Ward fight was "probably the worst training camp (he) was ever a part of," and that he saw the change coming a mile away.

And like many, Scully feels it's time for Dawson to look in the mirror:

"Chad has been a pro for 11 years and including me and Eddie who have had two stints a piece he has had 10 trainers. Eddie marks his tenth trainer change. If you have a friend who has been married seven times and he keeps telling you the first wife is a pig, second wife is a terrible cook, and whatever reason for the other wives. After the seven wives and in this case 10, you have to say to yourself maybe it is me. Maybe I have something to do with the problem, maybe it is me."

Oscar De La Hoya famously cycled through great trainers over his career, but at this point, even Oscar's record of throwing trainers under the bus for his own shortcomings in the ring pales in comparison to what Dawson has done, in part because Dawson is no De La Hoya, and in part because it's very, very clear that Dawson's flaws are a result of his fighting character, and are just plain in his DNA once in the ring. With all due respect to Dawson, who is a good, very talented fighter, his losses have not been the fault of trainers. His losses have been him failing himself.

Dawson is currently set to rematch the man who gave him his first loss back in 2011, as a return bout with Jean Pascal is on target for May. HBO will televise.

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