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CHAD DAWSON SAYS HE WOULD FINISH TAVORIS CLOUD

During an interview with RingTV.com, southpaw light heavyweight contender Chad Dawson (30-1, 17 KOs) predicted that he will score a sixth-round knockout over RING champion Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2, 32 KOs) in their HBO-televised rematch for Hopkins' WBC belt on April 28 at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

The controversial Hopkins-Dawson I clash in October was initially ruled to be a second-round TKO victory for Dawson after Hopkins was shoved to the canvas and deemed unfit to continue by referee Pat Russell. Hopkins, who turned 47 on Jan. 15, was diagnosed with a left shoulder separation as a result of the incident.

The WBC later restored Hopkins as titleholder following a majority vote by its membership, the California State Athletic Commission ruled the bout a no-contest, and the WBC mandated an automatic return bout to clear up the matter.

Beyond Hopkins, Dawson said he would like to challenge IBF beltholder Tavoris Cloud (24-0, 19 KOs), who is coming off a controversial, Showtime-televised split-decision win over left-handed Gabriel Campillo (21-4-1, 8 KOs) on Feb. 18 in Corpus Christi, Texas. Most ringsiders and media members felt Campillo had won.

Campillo's handlers have filed an appeal against the decision with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, and is considering similar action with the IBF, according to Leon Margules, an attorney for Campillo's manager, Sampson Lewkowicz..

Dawson said he watched Cloud and Campillo, who was floored twice in the first round but appeared to take control for the fight's remainder, pounding home head-swiveling combinations that sliced open cuts around each of Cloud's eyes.

"Tavoris Cloud took a beating. Everybody saw it. The whole world saw it," Dawson said of Cloud's match up with Campillo, a former WBA titleholder who has split bouts with Beibut Shumenov, the current beltholder. "He took a beating. It's terrible."

Dawson said he would handle Cloud in a much easier manner than did Campillo, whose style is similar to his own.

"Who wouldn't want to fight him after that fight? Who wouldn't? He fought a tall, lanky southpaw just like me. Just like me. The guy was tall, good feet, and he was a boxer. He knew when to punch and when not to punch. Pretty much, the guy had the same style like I have. And look what happened," said Dawson.

"So do you think that Tavoris Cloud wants another fight with another tall southpaw? I mean, he just fought a guy who has only seven knockouts. I'm a southpaw but I believe that I can punch. We want the fight to happen, but you've got to be smart. Just like sending him back in to get finished off. Same type of fighter."

Cloud had hoped for a more decisive victory against Campillo to force potential bouts against Hopkins, Shumenov, unbeaten WBO titleholder Nathan Cleverly or once-beaten former champ Jean Pascal.

During an interview with RingTV.com, Cloud said his sub-par performance might make those bouts even more likely.