Phil D. Jay
WBN Editor
Andre Ward v Chad Dawson is live on HBO from 9:45pm (ET/PT) and Sky Sports from 2:30am (BST)
WBN Editor
‘Bad Chad’ looks to upset the odds
WBC light-heavyweight champion Chad Dawson takes the unusual
step of dropping down a division to challenge for a world title whilst still
holding a belt in his own weigh-class, when he tackles Andre Ward in Oakland
tonight.
The 30 year-old, who out-classed the evergreen Bernard
Hopkins in May to become a three-time world title holder, will attempt to
inflict a first defeat on Super-Six champion Ward, 28, as the two go
head-to-head on HBO and Sky Sports.
Ward comes into the fight on the back of a career-best
victory over the rejuvenated Carl Froch, in which the ‘S.O’G’ became WBC and
WBA super-middleweight with a dominant twelve round performance.
The Californian gets home advantage for the mouth-watering
contest as he prepares to defend his 25-fight unbeaten record, and goes into
the contest as an overwhelming 2/9 favourite with the bookies to seal a 26th.
The fight rightfully takes main event billing at the Oracle
Arena heading an undercard topped by Antonio DeMarco’s second defence of the
WBC lightweight title against Covina’s John Molina.
Mexican DeMarco, 26, stunned Jorge Linares to claim the
title in a gruesome upset TKO victory in October last year and has since
defended the title successfully with a fifth round stoppage win over Miguel Roman.
Challenger Molina, three years older at 29, has racked up six straight wins since
suffering his only career loss in 25 to Martin Honorio in November 2009 and has
scored five knockouts en route to his first world title shot.
Six other fights in Franklin Lawrence v Homero Fonseca, Bowie Tupou v Malik
Scott, Tony Hirsch v Roberto Yong, Ricardo Williams Jr. v Anthony Lenk and
Randy Guerrero v Juan Urbina complete the card in California.
Andre Ward v Chad Dawson is live on HBO from 9:45pm (ET/PT) and Sky Sports from 2:30am (BST)