On Thursday afternoon, the WBC made a ruling on last Saturday night’s fight between
Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson that came to a premature conclusion at the end
of the second round as Hopkins suffered a damaged right shoulder after being
lifted and sent to the canvas by Dawson. Referee Pat Russell ruled that no foul
was committed, therefore since Hopkins was unable or unwilling to continue, the
WBC light heavyweight title would change hands. Ultimately, Dawson was declared
the winner via second round TKO.
Here is the
WBC’s explanation of their ruling:
In regards to the championship defense of the light
heavyweight WBC world champion between Bernard Hopkins and Chad Dawson, held in Los Angeles, California, in which the
referee declared a KOT2 against champion Hopkins, as he could not continue due
to an injury after a push by challenger Dawson, the head offices of the WBC
sent videos, medical reports and the WBC corresponding Rules to the Board of
Governors that unanimously declared a Technical Draw on the fight; therefore,
Bernard Hopkins is still the WBC Light heavyweight champion of the world.
** The WBC Board of Governors, after reviewing the video of
the fight, unanimously declared that the action reflects a clear intentional
lifting the body followed with a push by Dawson to Hopkins that made him fall
on his left side with part of his body out of the ropes.
** The California Hospital Medical Center report was
also considered by the Board, which states “Bernard Hopkins
has been released from the California Medical Center in Los Angeles after being
x-rayed and examined by Dr. Sam Thurber, MD who diagnosed Hopkins with a
separation of the acromioclavicular (A-C) joint which connects the collar bone
and shoulder blade”.
** The WBC considered that point 29 of the Rule WC-34,
related to fouls was violated: “Any rough tactics other than clean punches”,
covered the ruling of the WBC.
WBC rule WC-32 was followed for the Boards consideration:
“Injuries from head butts, elbows, or other accidental or illegal actions
(injury). The following description applies to injuries from not only head
butts and elbows, but from any other accidental or illegal action as well.
If the bout can not continue:
* There will be a point deduction
* Technical draw if before the start of the 5th round
* Technical decision as per scorecards, (if after the fifth).
Article WC-33 was also considered: **Body Fouls — except as
provided below, there will be no disqualification for fouls to the body. The
referee, at his discretion, determines that there was a foul and the ring
doctor determines that the fouled boxer cannot continue, the offending boxer
will be disqualified. If the doctor determines the fouled boxer can continue
fighting but he does not continue, he will lose by abandonment.
In conclusion, after examining thoroughly the video of the
fight and the medical report, as well as the corresponding rules, the WBC Board
of Governors decided unanimously to declare the bout as a technical draw and
consider Bernard Hopkins still as the WBC Light heavyweight champion of the
world; the WBC regrets its unavailability of implementing the instant video
replay at the fight, due to the fact that the California Commission does not
have that rule.
The WBC respects and can not intervene in the decisions of
the boxing commissions where the fights happen, but it does intervene in
regards of the recognition of a WBC title of the world, by being the exclusive
owners of the trademark and championship accolades- We hope that the California
commission will review our ruling on their next meeting in December.
Jose Sulaiman
President
Thankfully,
it doesn't seem as though the WBC is mandating a rematch between the two and
quite frankly, there is no real demand for it from the public or any interest
from those involved.
Richard
Schaefer, CEO of Golden Boy Promotions, told Maxboxing on Thursday, “Gary Shaw
and Chad Dawson made it clear that they don't want to have a rematch. We made
it clear that we don't want a rematch and I think if you ask 100 people, fight
fans, you're probably going to have a 120 that respond, ‘No, we don't want the
rematch.’ So I don't think there's any interest, any appetite for the rematch
and there's no need for a rematch. I think Chad Dawson should move on and I'm
sure there's going to be good fights out there for him. I don't know; maybe
there's a rematch with Jean Pascal. I think that's what he would like to do. Go
and pursue other fights, increase his marketability and fan base, then who
knows? Other big fights will come for him. That's what I think should happen.”
The
California commission will not convene until December to rule on the matter (which
irks Schaefer to no end) but regardless of the ruling, he doesn't believe this
effects Hopkins' deal with HBO. “I just spoke with Bernard. He was, of course,
pleased that the WBC continues to recognize him as their light heavyweight
champion. He's going to get the results tomorrow from the MRI and the doctor’s
opinion for how long he's going to be out of having contact. How long it's
going to take him before he can get back in the ring and that's what's going to
determine what I'm going to go back to HBO with, for securing Bernard's next
date.”
Schaefer
hopes to see Hopkins back in the ring in the spring of 2012.
As for
Russell, Schaefer really has no hard feelings. In fact, he still respects him
as a referee but he believes that, as the late, great Chick Hearn would say, ‘You
could've called that in Braille.’
“I really think Pat Russell had...and you can't even say he had an off-night. He
admitted in the interview he did with you (http://www.maxboxing.com/news/sub-lead/a-night-at-the-farce ) he just didn't see it. And I think
that happens. Nobody is perfect and sees everything. It's impossible. So I'm
really giving him the benefit of the doubt. I just think if they're going to
make arguments that it wasn't a foul and that it was legal and all this kind of
thing, that's when I'm going to have a problem but I highly doubt that the
California commission is going to take that kind of approach. It's impossible.”
OUTLOOK
Regardless
of who has the WBC strap or any other title, the way I look at it, the straw
that stirs the drink (at least financially) in this division is Jean Pascal.
With how he draws in Montreal/Quebec City and how he's been built into a draw
by GYM, Pascal is the most lucrative fighter in this class. For the most part,
the other 175-pound standouts’ market value is determined by the license fees
of the premium cable networks in the United States. Pascal can make a
better-than-good living with or without HBO and Showtime.
Yvon Michel
had made it clear that they'd be willing to fight in the States against any of
the aforementioned names if there was a comparable financial package offered to
them. In other words, they aren't leaving the “Great White North” anytime soon-
and it doesn't seem like there's any real need to either.
REVENGE:
THE REMATCHES?
If it were
up to Schaefer, we'd see the reprisals of two of the more notable fights that
took place this year under the Golden Boy Promotions banner.
“When you
look at [Jorge] Linares and [Antonio] DeMarco, that's one of those fights which
I think is definitely going to be a candidate for ‘Fight of the Year.’ It was a
very entertaining fight. We got all the feedback from the people, they felt
that they should've let the fight go on, given the fact it was at the end of
the [11th] round with few seconds to go and that Linares was pretty
much winning throughout the fight with a bloody face and he kept winning with
that bloody face. He kept winning round after round. He was 8-2 on two cards
and 7-3 on the other. So they should've at least given him the opportunity to
go back in the corner,” opined Schaefer. “See what the doctor was going to say
and what Joe Chavez was going to do. Joe Chavez is one of the best cutmen in
the business and then determine whether the fight could go on.
“I just
think- I would hope- that we are going to do a rematch.”
DeMarco is
handled by Gary Shaw, who might have other ideas, but making his other desired
rematch would be much easier, as he represents both entities. Last week, Erik
Morales was in town for the fights and according to Schaefer, “One fight he
indicated he would be interested and open to would be a rematch with Marcos
Maidana. And so that's a possibility, another great rematch which was another ‘Fight
of the Year’ candidate. So I wouldn't mind putting together what could be one
of the best cards in recent history, to put together Erik Morales-Marcos
Maidana and Jorge Linares and Antonio DeMarco on the same card. I don't know;
call it ‘Bloodsport.’”
Sign me up.
FRIDAY
FLURRIES
Was
Dawson's four-day run as the WBC beltholder the shortest in the history of
boxing? But hey, he doesn't need any belt after all. He's got a huge fan base
to fall back on, right?...The IBF heavyweight eliminator between Eddie Chambers
and Tony Thompson has been rescheduled for Dec. 17th on the Carl Froch-Andre Ward card. I'm
told Showtime will not be televising the heavyweight fight...Schaefer tells me
that Vicente Rodriguez will be facing Adrien Broner for the
vacant WBO junior lightweight title on Nov. 26th on the HBO “Boxing After Dark” broadcast...Tonight's
“ShoBox” features Edwin Rodriguez-Will Rosinsky and Gabriel Bracero-Daniel
Sostre...The Telefutura card has a main event of Fidel Maldonado-Eric Cruz...Luis
Franco and his reps have turned down a shot at Gary Russell Jr. on that Nov. 26th show and will instead face Eduardo
Escobedo in a featherweight eliminator...
