Atlantic City, NJ – Chad Dawson defeated Bernard Hopkins in a 12-round decision on Saturday to capture the WBC Light Heavyweight belt.
One judge ruled the fight as 114-114, but the other two both had scores of 117-111 to give Dawson (31-1, 17 KOs) the belt in a rematch of a fight from October 15.
In that fight, Hopkins (52-6-2, 32 KOs) was initially ruled a second-round technical knockout loser after he was driven to the ground by Dawson and injured his shoulder.
However, the WBC reviewed the incident and declared a technical draw, giving the title back to Hopkins.
This fight, though, was clearly won by the 29-year-old Dawson as he dominated the 47-year-old Hopkins for much of the fight.
Dawson was cut over the left eye on an accidental headbutt in the fourth round and blood continued to come from the injury throughout the fight.
That didn't stop or slow down Dawson though as he out-fought Hopkins for the rest of the fight, landing 151 punches compared to just 105 for Hopkins.
Needing a knockout to win the fight, Hopkins went on the attack in the 11th and the two got mixed together and fell to the mat.
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