Boxing.com

(This is the second of a five-part series)

Tavoris Cloud (23-0, 19 KOs) v. Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs)

Regardless of the bad taste left in the mouth of boxing fans from the Dawson-Hopkins debacle in November, Dawson still remains at the top of the class in the light heavyweight division. While Dawson is determined to land a rematch with Jean Pascal to avenge the sole loss on his resume, the most exciting war to be made in the division is against the underappreciated Tavoris Cloud. 

Cloud—who hasn’t fought since the summer when he dazzled fans with an eighth round stoppage of sturdy veteran Yusaf Mack—is the most dangerous fighter in the division. Cloud has proven that he can both box and bang, and has exhibited a world-class motor enabling him to fight at high levels of intensity and activity throughout grueling 12 round fights.

Although it is true that Cloud has looked impressive against divisional stalwarts like Clinton Woods and Glen Johnson, he still lacks a marquee name on his resume that can catapult him to the upper tier of boxing. A win against Chad Dawson would certainly be a huge step towards boxing stardom for Cloud.
For Dawson, he is still trying to get back to where he was when he was considered a top pound-for-pound candidate, and even was regarded by then-retired Floyd Mayweather as the best fighter in the game. Some have called him boring, others unmotivated, but as I was in press row to watch Dawson vs. Hopkins in Los Angeles, it was abundantly clear that Dawson has a chip on his shoulder and feels like he has a lot to prove. 

That demeanor matched with Dawson’s recent reunion with trainer John Scully should produce a more exciting and dynamic Chad Dawson in 2012. In the 11th round in his fight with Jean Pascal, Dawson was fighting like an urgent, passionate fighter in response to a cut that ultimately ended the fight. I fully expect to see that urgent, passionate Chad Dawson now that he seems to have a reignited fire in his heart. 

Unfortunately for the boxing world, Hopkins had no interest in bringing that fight out of Dawson as he utilized his uncanny ability to be awkward and avoid exchanges with Dawson in the two rounds they actually fought. But with an opponent like Cloud, Dawson will be unleashed and even forced to let his hands go—much like he did against Pascal in that 11th round.  Both Cloud and Dawson are 29, match up enticingly well size-wise, and possess styles that would make for an intriguing fight. 

This is the biggest fight to be made in the light heavyweight division, and 2012 might be the year we see this clash.