Dawson takes Hopkins’s WBC title belt in bizarre finish

Chad Dawson took the WBC light heavyweight title from ageing veteran Bernard Hopkins with a controversial technical knockout late Saturday, ending Hopkins’s reign as boxing’s oldest world champion.

The referee stopped the fight at 2:48 of the second round and awarded Dawson the victory after Hopkins appeared to injure his right shoulder in a fall at Staples Centre arena.

Hopkins, 46, had jumped on Dawson’s back during a clinch and then Dawson used his shoulder to throw Hopkins backwards onto the canvas and he landed awkwardly on the right shoulder.

“He jumped on me and I gave him the shoulder,” Dawson said.

“I don’t know if he thought they were going to disqualify me. He is old and flabby. He was looking for a way out of the fight. I didn’t break a sweat.”

Hopkins complained after the fight about referee Pat Russell’s decision to call it a TKO, which marked the first time in his career he was stopped inside the distance.

He was also angered by the controversial exchange with Dawson which took place in one of the neutral corners.

“It should have been no contest. He threw me down with a foul,” Hopkins fumed.

“They want me out of boxing, and this is one way to do it. Chad Dawson came in the ring tonight, and he just wanted to rough me up with dirty tactics. He wanted to get me out of there, and that was the only way he could.”

Hopkins lay on the floor for several minutes while his corner attended to him. Dawson then skipped over and screamed at Hopkins as the crowd at Staples Center booed the bizarre scene.

“You are a pussy. Hopkins you are a pussy,” Dawson yelled as several people tried to push him away.

Hopkins said he told Russell he would continue the fight “with one arm”.

But Russell waved his arms signalling an end to the fight and ruled it a TKO.

It remains to be seen if this defeat sends Hopkins through the gates of retirement. Boxing’s greyest greybeard did not attend the post-fight news conference because he had to go to the hospital.