New champ Dawson fancies Woods unification by Ian McNeilly Feb 4th 2007

In a sport where many champs seem intent on taking the easiest route possible, new WBC light-heavyweight boss 'Bad' Chad Dawson might prove a breath of fresh air. Dawson took the belt from now former champ and tough guy Tomasz Adamek by way of a unanimous points decision in Florida on Saturday night. Dawson reportedly dominated the first nine rounds before finding himself on the seat of his pants in the tenth. He recovered to earn a very clear win on the scorecards. He might very well entertain the customary 'soft' first defence but SecondsOut.com have quoted him as saying he fancies taking on Britain's IBF champion Clinton Woods...and that he doesn't mind coming to England to do so. "I want to prove myself the best in the world and you do that by fighting the other champions. Clinton Woods has the IBF title and has been around fighting the top guys in the division. I'd be proud to come to England and fight him. I'm the champion of the world." "I heard about his (last) fight with Glen Johnson and I know he can box and fight a bit. I respect Clinton and what he has done in his career. But it is time for someone young to take over the division." Dawson, at 24, is 10 years younger than the Sheffielder. Woods' promoter, Dennis Hobson, said: "It is fight we could make, I'm sure American TV would love it. I actually had the chance to meet Dawson two weeks ago in Las Vegas, he was training in the Top Rank gym that Ricky Hatton (who Hobson also promotes) and my other fighters were using in Vegas. He's a really nice kid and he's got some great moves. I introduced myself and he said right away that he'd come to England, if need be, to fight Clinton. You have to respect that kind of attitude in a new champion. "But he's been knocked down in the last two fights (v Adamek and v Eric Harding last year) and I don't think he's physically tough enough to cope with Clinton. "It is a fight I'll look at making, certainly." Woods has shown he is prepared to fight anyone and if Dawson is the same, fans might just get a match which cuts through the politics which is so evidently affecting the careers of some of our talented boxers at present.

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