MEXICO CITY, Mexico, CMC – The World Boxing Council (WBC) on Thursday sanctioned the November rematch between the Jamaican Glen Johnson and the undefeated American Chad Dawson.
The WBC’s president Jose Sulaiman has agreed for its interim light heavyweight title being at stake when the two meet on November 7 in Hartford, Connecticut.
This will be the first world title bout in Hartford in 20 years. A former WBC light heavyweight champion, Dawson had relinquished the belt to take a fight against International Boxing Federation (IBF) champion Antonio Tarver in October last year rather than fight a mandatory against Adrian Diaconu.
This week, Dawson — joined by his promoter Gary Shaw, as well as by his lifelong manager Mike Criscio – met with WBC officials and pledged their loyalty and desire to “come back home” to the World Boxing Council.
“Chad is thrilled that the WBC has sanctioned this fight as it gets him one step closer to regaining the first world title he ever won and even closer to unifying the titles which has always been the goal of both fighters,” said Shaw in a Fightnews web site story.
“We are grateful to the WBC for seeing the value and the importance of the Dawson-Johnson rematch to the fans and to the division,” Shaw added.
Johnson, a former world champion, had been clamouring for a second bout with the 26-year-old Dawson since they fought in April 2008 when Dawson won a disputed decision and retained his WBC light-heavyweight title.
Many ringside observers and TV viewers believed the judges’ decision was unfair and that Johnson deserved the victory. Dawson won 116-112 on all the judges’ cards.
The 40-year-old Johnson has a ring record of 49 wins (33 knockouts) against 12 losses and two draws while Dawson is 28-0 with 17 knockouts. Dawson-Johnson II will be broadcast live on HBO World Championship Boxing.
