Around the Net: Chad Dawson vs Jean Pascal Edition

A new world light-heavyweight champion will be crowned Saturday night in Montreal when Chad Dawson takes on Jean Pascal at the Bell Centre.  With so much confusion in the sport, it's always nice to have some clarity - so whether you're a follower of the lineal system or the Ring Magazine Belt, there can be few arguments that the winner of Saturday night's fight will have earned the right to call themselves the "man" at 175lbs.

Let's take a look at some of the pre-fight buzz from around the net for the big light-heavyweight clash...

Bad Left Hook Fight Preview: Jean Pascal v. Chad Dawson

Dawson had such an easy night last time with the very safe approach that it's hard to imagine him trying to brawl with Pascal, who's probably better in that realm than Dawson. Chances are, Dawson uses his jab, uses his length, uses his feet, and stays out of the fire against Pascal. Pascal, if he's as physically fit as he needs to be, absolutely has to get Dawson to fight his fight. He cannot outbox Chad Dawson. He can't even keep up with him if he can't catch him. If Dawson has his way, this fight, as good and significant as it is on paper, won't be close. And I expect Dawson to have his way, but I'll admit I'm hoping for Pascal to make things exciting. Dawson UD-12

Safe Side of the Ropes - Back to the Future: After Seeing Off The Old Guard, Dawson Goes For The Gold Against Pascal

With a partisan crowd blowing his sails, I have a feeling Pascal will be looking for fireworks from the get go. If he can drag Dawson into exchanging leather inside, his edge in power may bring him success and pull the ringside judges onside briskly. Whilst Dawson has looked smooth against slower opposition, it will be intriguing to see how he copes with the quicksilver and unorthodox Pascal.

The Queensbury Rules - The Quick And The Quicker: Chad Dawson Vs. Jean Pascal Preview And Prediction

The speed factor is only the predominant one in Dawson-Pascal. Dawson is more skillful; Pascal, more powerful. It's an intoxicating mix of ingredients for a fight. It might not be the right mix for those who prefer to see too bombs-away sluggers, but Dawson and Pascal -- especially Pascal -- have been exciting in the past. And Dawson may have no choice but to be exciting, because Pascal's speed might force him into exchanges.

The Boxing Tribune - Chad Dawson and the Dying Art of Boxing

It seems that these days, there are fewer and fewer fans who actually appreciate the art of the sport. They will boo contests that don’t feature wild swings and porous defense and they are more than eager to label any real stylist as "boring." Even on boxing message boards, ostensibly aimed directly at hardcore fans, most of the true craftsmen of the sport get stepped on or flat-out ignored. Again, "boring" is the term they use. Stuck with this label and stigma is the current top dog in the Light Heavyweight division, Chad Dawson.

Montreal Gazette - Boxers Pascal, Dawson trade verbal jabs

"The only thing that's going to stop us going home with that belt will be Canadian Immigration," said Shaw during a news conference that started slowly but quickly heated up with stinging jabs and thudding body blows from both sides.

"He can talk all the trash he wants," the 28-year-old Dawson said about what was actually a fairly reserved and polite Jean Pascal. "I'm going to do my talking in the ring, and I promise you, it's going to be a long night for him, a long night."

Fightnews.com - Q&A: Jean Pascal

Fightnews: Is the shoulder still an issue, how did it survive the camp?

Pascal: Shoulder is not an issue, I was training to my full capacity and the shoulder did not bug me at all.

Fightnews: Do you feel that your shoulder and some of the injuries you’ve suffered in the past will be the only thing that holds you back in this fight and the future?

Pascal: Boxing is combat. It is a war. You never know if you’ll come back and you never know what is going to happen. So I’m not going to worry about that, I’m going there and I think I’m going to come back, I’m going to survive, and I’m going to win the fight., so the shoulder is not in my mind at all.

CBC.ca - 2 peak fighters + 1 big crowd = ?

This is a bit of a heart over head pick, but not to an uncomfortable degree. I like the fact that Pascal's four most recent fights have generally involved a level of effort and resistance from his opponents that Dawson's haven't. I think it will have prepared him better, despite the fact each man hasn't fought since 2009. I think he'll take a decision and maybe even hurt Dawson late in the fight. Pascal can be sloppy at times, but I think his energy level will take the day, and each punch close to the target is going to be met with a roar hard for the judges to ignore.