Boxing News: Doghouse Decides: Dawson-Johnson and Tarver-Woods


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Doghouse Decides: Dawson-Johnson and Tarver-Woods

Compiled by Gabriel Montoya (April 12, 2008) Doghouse Boxing

This weekend is boxing fan heaven. Two fight cards with either relevant, division changing fights or simply all action match-ups. It’s enough to make your Tivo explode. Keep reading to see how the Doghouse crew sees the action going down.

Benny Henderson, Jr.: Dawson-Johnson: What can yah say about the “Road Warrior”? He will fight anybody and has pretty much fought everybody. Johnson’s experience should halt Dawson for

a bit, but the younger lion should be able to conjure up a win, via decision, and not in entertaining fashion.

Woods-Tarver: I don’t think there is much magic left in Tarver’s bag, but with the fight being in his back yard it should be enough to be in his favor to win a decision. Woods is not a bad fighter, but unless he stops Tarver or just goes out there and totally humiliates Tarver, he is not going to get the nod, should be a close one though.

Gabriel Montoya

Dawson-Johnson: Dawson by late rounds stoppage – Youth will serve up a slow beating. Dawson shoots straight down the middle, has the mental game to handle the volume and pressure style of Johnson, and has the wheels to keep Johnson turning and getting burned all night long until the ref has seen enough.

Tarver-Woods: Woods by decision – Woods is a better fighter now then when he faced Roy Jones, Jr. He is more experienced, well rounded, and most importantly, confident of who he is in the ring at this point. If Tarver fought like he talked, he’d be the best fighter in the world. He doesn’t.

John Novoselac

Dawson-Johnson: The Road Warrior once again faces a stiff challenge in rising light heavy weight star Chad Dawson. This is the classic battle of youth versus experience as Johnson makes another title run, and perhaps his last. I can't see the pace and youthful vigor being derailed in this one, but I expect the challenger to put on a willful display as always. Dawson UD

Tarver-Woods: Tarver looks to re-establish himself as a force in the light heavy weight division after losing his crown to Bernard Hopkins, by facing the UK's Clinton Woods, the IBF belt holder. I think Tarver's best days are behind him, and Woods will win in a rather lackluster fight. Woods SD

Coyote Duran

Dawson-Johnson: After an almost seven-month absence, 'Bad Chad' didn't exactly pick a wallflower. Johnson, the former world champion known as 'The Road Warrior' doesn't care who he fights; he just fights him and he has everything to gain by beating Dawson, who is younger, faster, undefeated and has the WBC light heavyweight title in his grasp. The fact that Dawson is a southpaw is irrelevant. His latter advantages are relevant, however. Johnson's not facing a knockout loss; but one by a split decision.

Woods-Tarver: This is a classic battle between two genuine light heavyweight veterans. Woods is still on the ever-persistent road to show the world he's world champion material by taking on the stiffest challenges available to him at 175 and believe that beating former world champion Tarver will bolster his resume. Frankly, Tarver is no longer what he claims to be (a world champion, no matter how much the IBO pretends he's one) and Woods knows this fight is critical. Since beating Jason DeLisle in 2004, Woods has been on somewhat a tear (if you can call six fights within four years a 'tear.') and, in my opinion, secured himself a position as one of the three best light heavys in the world. It's just too bad the fight is in Tarver's hometown of Tampa, Florida. That, in itself, is enough to ensure the visiting Brit a moral victory wrapped in a majority draw, with Tarver having the upperhand on the non-even card.

Realtorchill

Dawson-Johnson: Dawson by decision.

Tarver-Woods: Tarver by decision.

Julian Kasdin

Dawson-Johnson: Two men who cannot get a fight putting it all on the line against the only other man who would take the fight, that about sums up the battle between Chad Dawson and Glen Johnson. While Dawson has been able to secure dates on Showtime following his impressive win over current top cruiserweight Tomasz Adamek, Johnson has been relegated to fighting in small halls across Miami.

The challenger, Johnson, is a man of great will and tenacity. Despite his age and the manner in which the boxing world has slighted him, he has not gone quietly into the night, instead he has decided to fight. Fight he will against the bigger and younger Dawson. Johnson has a solid chin, a big punch, and pressure that Dawson has yet to face.

Chad needs this win. Without it he will have trouble leveraging future big fights against the light heavyweight division's elite. Not only does he need this win though, he needs to win big and prove that he is better than Tarver, Woods, Jones or Hopkins (I would mention Erdei but no one on this of the Atlantic is ever going to see him). Possessing fast hands, and all the size of a potential cruiserweight, one has to figure that he has virtually all of the advantages going into this fight.

I happen to think that youth will be served when these two square off. I like Glen, how can you not, but the fact remains that he has begun to look his age, while Dawson has been able to beat Adamek and crush a series of no-hopers who have been put in front of him. Give me Dawson's speed, size, mobility and power over Johnson's tenacity in what should be a decision win for the young lion.

Woods-Tarver: Antonio Tarver will tell anyone that listens that he is indeed the best light heavyweight on the planet, recent flat performances against Elvir Muriqi and Danny Santiago not withstanding. Woods, on the other hand, has kept quiet on foreign shores while beating Rico Hoye, Glen Johnson, and Julio Cesar Gonzalez, having fought Gonzalez twice in the last three years.

At 6'2", Clinton is every bit as big as Tarver, and at 35 is four years younger. He has also been more active against better opposition as of late. Woods is clearly a man on a mission, and he possess the same kind of tenacity as three-time-opponent Glen Johnson. Will it be enough to beat Tarver?

Tarver, who has regularly enjoyed the advantage of being the much bigger man, will have to stare directly into his opponent's eyes this time around. Between going Hollywood, and looking every bit his age as of late one must wonder if he has what it takes to become a champ again.

I might be going against the grain here, but I like Woods in this fight. He will neutralize Antonio's normal size advantage, has been more active, and has looked better against better opposition than Tarver has as of late. I see Clinton squeaking by with a close decision against Tarver, setting up a potential match with the Dawson vs. Johnson winner.

Vikram Birring

Dawson-Johnson: This is the most intriguing fight of the night, as young lion Chad Dawson finally faces the "Road Warrior." After Johnson lost to Tarver in their second fight, he never got a call for a big fight, and instead kept busy on the B-circuit, knocking out all comers until a phone call from a big network. He gets what could be his last shot against a most difficult opponent, a young, strong, fast, dominant champion. Dawson has looked superior as of late, and the only flaw in his career was a tenth round knockdown at the hand of Fighting Pole Thomas Adamek. Each man wants to win badly, and that makes for an excellent fight.

Tarver-Woods: After being thoroughly taught a boxing lesson by Bernard Hopkins, Antonio Tarver has slowly worked his way back up to the top of the light heavyweight division, first by defeating Elvir Muriqi, and then Danny Santiago. Now he faces Clinton Woods, a man who remade his career after being completely outclassed against Roy Jones in his last American appearance. Tarver is supremely talented and equally confident, but he is an aging man at thirty-nine. If Tarver doesn't show up for a hard night's work, Woods could steal the show.

Jason Petock

Johnson-Dawson: And in conclusion I just really like Johnson and his determination and drive. I think he'll pull it out of the clutch and win a decision with his heart and focus. But what do I know?

Tarver-Woods: I actually like Woods believe it or not over Tarver. Tarver carved his way through the ranks in recent years, but was also quelled a few times when he tried to step it up. Unless he can come in at top form and really bring his "A" game, I think that the hungier opponent in Woods will be looking for a victory. Woods still has something to prove from his dance with Roy Jones Jr. which he lost, whereas Tarver humiliated him when they fought with an easy knockout.

David Douse

Dawson-Johnson: Dawson has a belt, of sorts, and is considerably younger and I feel that Dawson should be able to box his way to a points over the older man but the Road Warrior is still formidable even if the years are showing now. Dawson does need to exercise care and show respect.

Tarver-Woods: I am picking Woods to win by UD or possible late stoppage. Woods is no spring chicken himself but still appears to be operating at a high level while Tarver seems to have slipped of late. Despite his outward bravado I don't feel that Tarver any longer has the level of self belief that he had in the days of his fights with Roy Jones Junior. This severe schooling that Bernard Hopkins put on him seems to have left in diminished, perhaps Clinton Woods should be sending B-Hop a thank you card.

Matt DeGonzaque

Tarver-Woods: Antonio Tarver hasn't been the same since Bernard Hopkins smacked him around the ring in Atlantic City almost two years ago. He still acts like everything is the same and claims that he is still the #1 force in the Light Heavyweight Division, but fans know better. Clinton Woods, while not exactly a teenager himself, is younger than Tarver and is coming off much more impressive wins as of late. Expect the 39 year old Tarver to bite off more than he can chew this time around. Woods will outwork the aging Tarver and win a decision.

Comments/disputes/questions?e-mail
Gabriel at: Coyotefeather@gmail.com

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