Currently: 97° | Complete forecast | Log in

Dawson vs. Tarver 2

  • Photogallery

    Tarver-Dawson weigh-in

  • Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver shadow boxes during a workout Wednesday. He will fight champion Chad Dawson tonight at The Joint at the Hard Rock.

    Second time is Tarver’s charm, but Dawson is a heavy favorite

    May 9, 2009

    By Jeff Haney

    After Chad Dawson won a clear 12-round unanimous decision against Antonio Tarver in October at the Palms (the judges had it 118-109 and 117-110 twice), some boxing observers were surprised Tarver opted to exercise his rematch clause.

  • IBO/IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, left, poses next to former champion Antonio Tarver during a weigh-in at the Hard Rock Friday, May 8, 2009. Dawson will attempt to retain the title he took from Tarver in October last year.

    Dawson, Tarver weigh-in

    May 8, 2009

    By Brett Okamoto

    As has been the case in the anticipation for their rematch Saturday night, Chad Dawson and Antonio Tarver said little during Friday's weigh-in at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

  • Trainer Jimmy Williams, center, listens to speakers with former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, left, and trainer Buddy McGirt, right, during a news conference at the Hard Rock hotel-casino Thursday May 7, 2009. Tarver will try to regain the IBF title when he meets IBF champion Chad Dawson for a rematch at the Hard Rock on Saturday. Both fighters are of the U.S.

    Tarver’s trainer shares tips, wisdom

    May 9, 2009

    By Andy Samuelson

    He’s trained champs and chumps. Kids, like Antonio Tarver made it all the way to the top. Others lay dead in the streets. Jimmy Williams’ message of a better life couldn’t save them from some of mankind’s biggest pitfalls: drugs and violence. Williams was a contemporary of Muhammad Ali, Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson. But all accolades and accomplices aside, the 81-year-old’s illustrious career, which also saw him perform a stint as a professional dancer, is best defined in the ring.

  • Photogallery

    Tarver-Dawson News Conference

    IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson and former champion Antonio Tarver took part in a news conference at the Hard Rock Thursday, May 7, 2009 to promote their Saturday title fight.

  • IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson, left, and former champion Antonio Tarver pose face-to-face during a news conference at the Hard Rock Thursday May 7, 2009. Dawson will attempt to retain the title that he took from Tarver when the boxers meet for a rematch at the Hard Rock on Saturday.

    Tarver keeps quiet, while Dawson predicts similar performance

    May 8, 2009

    By Brett Okamoto

    The last time Antonio Tarver fought Chad Dawson, his mouth got him in a bit of trouble. Showing no respect to his younger opponent, Tarver was anything but quiet leading up to their Oct. 11 bout last year, saying "I've got a lot of Chad Dawsons on my resume, he don't have one Antonio Tarver." Tarver paid for those words on fight night, as the 26-year-old Dawson defeated him by unanimous decision, knocking him down in the 12th round.

  • Photogallery

    Tarver workout

    Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver hosted an open workout at Bones Adam's Boxing Gym in Las Vegas on Wednesday, May 6, 2009 in anticipation for his title fight against Chad Dawson Saturday night at the Hard Rock.

  • Former light heavyweight champion Antonio Tarver, left, works on his timing with assistant trainer Joe Ponce as trainer Buddy McGirt during a workout Wednesday, May 6, 2009. Tarver will fight Chad Dawson for the IBF title Saturday night at the Hard Rock.

    Tarver eager for rematch

    May 7, 2009

    By Andy Samuelson

    The talk is a lot tamer this time around from Antonio Tarver. That tends to happen when you’ve had your head handed to you like the former light heavyweight champ did last fall, in a lopsided loss to Chad Dawson. But a rematch clause in their first contract allows a confident Tarver the opportunity to take his title back and keep his second-time around streak intact.

  • IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson shadow boxes at Johnny Tocco's boxing gym Monday, April 20, 2009. Dawson will defend his title May 9 when he faces Antonio Tarver for a rematch in The Joint at the Hard Rock.

    ‘Bad Chad’ not mad at rematch

    April 21, 2009

    By Brett Okamoto

    Chad Dawson laughs when the question of his May 9 bout with Antonio Tarver at the Joint at the Hard Rock, the first rematch of his professional career, is brought up. "I don't think Tarver deserves the rematch, that's why I'm smiling," Dawson said. "Hopefully he can come in and make it a more interesting fight. But I think if he opens up on this one, if he tries to throw more combinations, that's going to work to my advantage because of my hand speed."

  • Antonio Tarver, left, and IBF light heavyweight champion Chad Dawson will fight May 9 at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel, a $60 million facility that is part of the resort's recent $750 million expansion. Dawson beat Tarver by unanimous decision in October, and although Tarver agrees that he lost the fight, he took exception to the judges' scoring.

    For both Dawson and Tarver, it’s personal, again

    March 21, 2009

    By Jeff Haney

    Coming up through the ranks, Chad Dawson always respected and even admired Antonio Tarver from afar. Then, as Dawson tells it, he met Tarver in an up-close-and-personal manner, only to come away disillusioned.

UFC 141
Jon Jones defends belt for third time, downs rival Rashad Evans

UFC 145 Jon Jones had already gotten past three former light heavyweight champions in the last 13 months — Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Now, Rashad Evans can be added to the list. Jones put Evans away in Atlanta with a unanimous decision victory, taking a combined 13 rounds out of a possible 15 combined on the three judges' scorecards. Jones rebuffed all of Evans' takedown attempts to keep the fight against his former training partner standing. Jones' striking was at another level, as he flawlessly mixed elbows, jabs and leg kicks to keep Evans guessing for the duration of the fight.

Main Card Results -
WinnerLoserMethod
Jon JonesRashad EvansUnanimous Decision
Rory MacDonaldChe MillsTKO
Ben RothwellBrendan SchaubKnockout
Michael McDonaldMiguel TorresKnockout
Eddie YaginMark HominickSplit Decision
Mark BocekJohn AlessioUnanimous Decision

Fight Schedule
DateEventHeadlining MatchLocation
June 1 "The Ultimate Fighter Live" finale Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann Las Vegas: The Pearl at the Palms
June 8 Boxing: ESPN2 Friday Night Fights Kelly Pavlik vs. Scott Sigmon Las Vegas: The Joint at Hard Rock
June 8 UFC on FX 3 Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall II Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
June 9 Boxing: Pacquiao vs. Bradley Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley Las Vegas: MGM Grand Garden Arena
June 22 UFC on FX 4 Gray Maynard vs. Clay Guida Atlantic City, N.J.
June 23 UFC 147 Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin II Belo Horizonte, Brazil

Complete Schedule »

The Sun

Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.