CHAD DAWSON

updated November 08, 2009

At the age of 26, Chad Dawson is an eight-year pro and one of boxing's most exciting fighters. The undefeated newly-crowned IBF light heavyweight world champion is in his second world title reign. He fights in the left-handed stance, but is naturally right handed.

Dawson vacated the WBC title after successfully defending it via a hard-fought, thrilling 12-round unanimous decision over Glen Johnson April 12, 2008. It was his third title defense.

"I executed my game plan, landed more punches and knocked him down," Dawson said after winning by the scores 116-112. On the same night Dawson defeated Johnson, Antonio Tarver dethroned Clinton Woods to win the International Boxing Federation (IBF) light heavyweight crown. After the world championship bouts at the St. Pete Times Forum in Tampa, Fla., Tarver called out Dawson at the post-fight press conference.

Dawson made Tarver eat his words when the pair squared off Oct. 11, 2008, in Las Vegas, Nev.

"It was about time Tarver stepped up to the plate," Dawson said. "He finally stopped making excuses, and we were able settle this. I performed my own magic trick—I made the 'Magic Man's' world title disappear and reappear around my waist."

Wrote Yahoo! Sports columnist Kevin Iole: "Floyd Mayweather, Jr. said Dawson "is the best pound-for-pound fighter in boxing," and there weren't many who witnessed his precise destruction of Tarver who could dispute that."

More than six months prior to defeating Johnson, Dawson successfully defended his WBC title for the second time by scoring a fourth-round TKO over Epifanio Mendoza Sept. 29, 2007.

On June 9, 2007, Dawson successfully retained his first WBC title for the initial time with a sixth-round TKO over Jesus Ruiz. The fight was co-featured with the Antonio Tarver-Elvir Muriqi bout.

Two prominent boxing insiders praised the New Haven, Conn., resident following the victory.

According to Boxing News, "the WBC light heavyweight king stole the show … "Bad" Chad may be the best pure boxer in the game today."

SecondsOut.com wrote, "Dawson's display of power and skill was breathtaking."

Boxing columnist Graham Houston also was impressed by Dawson.

"After watching both men, I did get the impression that if Dawson gets the chance to meet Tarver we might see a vanishing act—as in Tarver vanishing from the boxing scene," Houston said.

In a sensational breakout performance, Dawson won the WBC light heavyweight title on Feb. 3, 2007 by registering a 12-round unanimous decision over defending champion Tomasz Adamek. Additionally, Dawson was trained for his two world championship fights by Floyd Mayweather Sr.

Dawson said that he received his nickname when he was an adolescent.

"When I was younger, I was so quiet that everybody always thought I had something up my sleeve," Dawson said. "So, they called me 'Bad Chad Dawson.' I was about 10 or 12. You can call me Awesome Chad Dawson, too."