Dawson has options after win

Dawson: Future heavyweight champ?

Some day Chad will be the heavyweight champion of the world, I still believe that as well.

Gary Shaw
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Chad Dawson could eventually join David Haye in the heavyweight ranks after retaining his IBO light-heavyweight title with a comprehensive victory over Glen Johnson.

Following a controversial points victory in their first meeting in Florida, Dawson this time produced a dominant points victory over the veteran Jamaican in his home state of Connecticut.

Dawson won on all three judges' scorecards at Hartford's XL Centre, one giving Dawson the fight 117-11, two others scoring it closer at 115-113 each.

The 27-year-old also added the WBC interim belt with his one-sided victory, his second win over Johnson in 17 months.

The American's promoter will consider a drop to super-middleweight to get his undefeated fighter the respect he feels he deserves, but he could step up to heavyweight in the future.

Never troubled

Dawson was never in trouble over 12 rounds against Johnson, whose steady, methodical approach was easy for the champion to deal with.

He has now beaten both the Jamaican and Antonio Tarver twice in the last 18 months while another 40-something, 175lbs fighter Bernard Hopkins, has consistently resisted challenges from the Dawson camp.

That leaves both boxer and promoter Gary Shaw desperate for meaningful contests to cash in on his burgeoning reputation.

"This chapter is now closed, the Glen Johnson, Antonio Tarver chapters are over," Dawson said. "Now it's time to move and fight some new faces."

Shaw believes that fresh challenge could come at 168lbs where the promoter already has Andre Dirrell competing in the Showtime TV-backed super-middleweight Super Six tournament alongside Britain's WBC champion Carl Froch, WBA beltholder Mikael Kessler, Germany's Arthur Abraham and fellow Americans Andre Ward and Jermain Taylor.

Pound-for-pound

"Chad's one of the top five pound-for-pound fighters in the world, one of the most talented fighters and the single best at 175, probably the single best at 168, even though I represent a couple of 168lb-ers.

"Some day Chad will be the heavyweight champion of the world, I still believe that as well.

"We have a contract with HBO and I'm meeting with them next week and hopefully we'll have a deal on the table for Chad to continue at 175 on HBO.

"We're contracted to HBO and we'll honour that commitment but would we go down to 168 and fight someone? Yes, at this stage of the game, it's all about wherever we can get the most money for Chad."

Dawson still harbours hopes of getting Hopkins into the ring, but 'The Executioner' has already targeted a long-awaited rematch with Roy Jones Jr and has a tune-up fight in December against Enrique Ornelas.

The likely next step, though, is a unification bout with WBC champion proper Jean Pascal, a former victim of Froch's at super-middleweight, who first defends his title in Montreal on December 11 against Adrian Diaconu of Romania.

"Definitely Pascal, if he wins his fight," Dawson said. "He's a good fighter, an exciting fighter and it would be a great fight."

Shaw added: "He is the IBO and WBC interim champion, he's soon to be the WBC champion as soon as I can make that fight and he will clean out the division single-handedly."