After opening as a 5-2 favorite in the first Chad Dawson vs. Antonio Tarver bout the rematch has the young stud Dawson pegged as a 5-1 favorite this Saturday on HBO. Big-time fighters move where the $$$ is which is why Chad Dawson vs. Antonio Tarver II has been made with the shallow pool of marquee names for Dawson in the Light-Heavyweight division. The first bout saw Dawson overwhelm the now 40-year old Tarver with his speed and abundance of boxing skill. Does Tarver have one last great fight in him or has the “Magic Man” run out of tricks? The boxing betting moneyline for the Chad Dawson vs Antonio Tarver II bout has Dawson carrying a weighty -600 price tag.

Dawson is one of the most gifted boxers in the sport today with a blend of size, speed and skill. “Bad” Chad seems to have improved since winning a controversial war against Glen Johnson 13 months ago. Dawson can fight both inside or outside and unload with blinding combinations to either the head or body from his southpaw stance. Dawson has every punch in the book and is a committed body puncher with good physical strength.  Defensively Chad has great footwork, a lightning quick right jab and some “cute” moves that make him tough to hit. Dawson’s punch resistance to both the head and body have been questioned but Tarver never came close to hurting Dawson in their first encounter. Dawson’s face is of the more sensitive variety and can be swollen if tagged cleanly enough times.

Sometimes the mind wants what the body cannot produce which seems to be exactly the case for the 40-year old Antonio Tarver. Antonio was having problems pulling the trigger when he faced the super elusive Dawson in their first rumble. Antonio still has a decent skill set that once helped him conquer both Glen Johnson and Roy Jones Jr. but he has not been the same since Bernard Hopkins drilled him in 2006. Tarver is still a strong puncher with above-average hand speed and a nice left cross and uppercut. Tarver knows how to set up his punches with a busy right jab and can still string together some hurtful combinations occasionally.  Antonio’s legs however are very plodding these days and he seems to fight at a measured pace to reserve his stamina. With his dulled reflexes Tarver’s counterpunching ability is limited and he has trouble blending his offense with defense. 

Is Dawson overlooking Tarver in hopes of landing a big payday against Bernard Hopkins? Is Tarver shot? Can Tarver plant a bomb on Dawson’s suspect chin? Will Tarver’s experience help him in the rematch? Will Dawson’s overconfidence be his downfall? Tarver was the aggressor in the first bout, can he land enough to reverse the judging in the rematch? Is Chad Dawson on his way to your nearest pound-4-pound list? The boxing betting Vegas odds for the Antonio Tarver vs. Chad Dawson give Dawson an 86% chance of beating Tarver.

Antonio Tarver Power Ratings 1-10 Marchetti Scale

*Power: 8 (*indicates x200%)
Size: 8
Speed: 6
Stamina: 6
Defense: 6 (*x200%)
Chin: 8
Cuts: 8
Heart: 6
Legs: 5
Jab\Reach: 6
In-Fighting: 7
IQ: 8
Peak: 5

Marchetti Rating 1-10: 7.4

Tale-of-the-Tape for Antonio Tarver

From: Orlando, FL
Height: 6'2
Weight: 175
Reach: 75"
Age: 40
Style: Boxer\Puncher
Best Punch: Left Cross

Chad Dawson Power Ratings 1-10 Marchetti Scale

*Power: 6 (* indicates x200%)
Size: 8
Speed: 10
Stamina: 8
Defense: 8 (*x200%)
Chin: 5
Cuts: 6
Heart: 7
Legs: 10
Jab\Reach: 8
In-Fighting: 8
IQ: 7
Peak: 8

Marchetti Rating 1-10: 8.3

Tale-of-the-Tape for Chad Dawson

From: New Haven, Connecticut, United States
Height: 6'3
Weight: 175
Reach: 76"
Age: 26
Style: Mover\Puncher
Best Punch: Left Cross.