Dawson vs Hopkins

Both experienced at the championship distance, who you got to win?

Dawson has looked a bit out of sorts in his last few fights, Bernard has looked very good.

I think I’m edging away from my default Hopkins UD prediction for this and choosing Dawson to outwork him to a close decision. When Pascal was busy he was winning rounds against Hopkins, and I think Dawson is a better boxer. He’s a good combination puncher and although I think he will have problems he will pick up more points than the single shots of Hopkins.

Sadly I think Dawson is one of the laziest fighters on the circuit and there's nothing in his recent performances to suggest he's suddenly going to go out and throw several hundred punches a round.

I think there's understandably a bit of a Hopkins love-in at the minute so I feel that if Dawson takes his foot of the gas, the judges will lean towards the old man.

Hopkins to win a close one that Dawson essentially throws away by being too lazy at times.

Might not fight 3 minutes every round, but nor does Pascal. He can fight 12 rounds though as well as produce enough patches of flashiness.

As I said, I think that the pro-Hopkins feeling will have any close rounds going for B-Hop and I don't think Dawson has the smarts to up his workrate sufficiently to be SEEN to be winning the rounds clearly

Wouldn't fancy being the ref for this one.

Going for a close Hopkins decision here with his recent fights being the blueprint. Haven't been impressed with Dawson and don't think he has the work rate or output needed to win. No doubt he'll be more active than BHop but he does seem to be lazy and coast through parts of fights and can see him being discouraged by Hopkins defence and counters. Hopkins has to get old soon but see him having enough to school Dawson at times but be outworked enough to make it close.

Think as long as Dawson's head is in this he will nick a close SD/MD/UD. Throws a lot of leather, the kind of fighter that Hopkins hates. Hopkins doesn't have the volume of punches or enough power to keep Dawson away.

Dawson CAN win, he has the quality, but is so frustrating, fighters like that rarely come out in the biggest occasions and I see him picking up a few rounds along the way and taking the last part with B-Hop tiring late again, however I just don't think he does enough. If he's to beat B-Hop he needs to make him box at a high pace however he just doesn't have that in him and B-Hop will dictate pace and beat him.