Memo To HBO Boxing: Make Your Own Light Heavyweight Final Four

I do not always agree with everything that venerable HBO commentator Larry Merchant says, but he did make a real telling statement in the wake of Jean Pascal’s (26-1, 16 KOs) upset win against "Bad" Chad Dawson (29-1, 17 KOs) last night.

With arguably the best super middleweight in the world Lucian Bute (26-0, 21 KOs) sitting ringside, it is only natural to consider pitting him against Pascal in all-Canadian superfight at 175 pounds. Merchant echoed that sentiment, and went even further. He suggested that the just-vanquished Dawson fight the recently-victorious (over Glen Johnson) Tavoris Cloud (21-0, 18 KOs).

And there you have it. A truncated version of Showtime Boxing’s Super Six super middleweight tournament, featuring the division’s top four fighters. Making the match-making conceivably easier is the fact that they are all HBO fighters. I left out Bernard Hopkins for the time-being, since he appears more interested in fighting older peers.

THE PARTICIPANTS

Lucian Bute is probably the slickest boxer of the entire crew. Even scarier (for his opponents) is that he seems to be increasing his punching power of late — three straight knockouts in his defenses. The negatives: he’d be naturally smaller than any of his opponents in this tourney and his opposition at 168 hasn’t exactly been scintillating.

Tavoris Cloud‘s stock is as high as his last name right about now. In a very exciting fight last week, he decisioned the always-tough Glen Johnson. He’s the hardest-punching and physically-strongest fighter of the lot. His problem: he may be too plodding and slow for Bute, Dawson or Pascal.

Chad Dawson‘s stock couldn’t be lower. He’s coming off the first defeat of his career, suffered a nasty cut via accidental headbutt that may require extended time off, and he’s apparently dealing with various financial/legal issues according to recent reports. All that being said, he’s probably still the best boxer of the bunch.

Jean Pascal is a happy man right now. He’s the Ring champion at light heavyweight. He has more options than a millionaire bachelor. Not including any of the boxers listed above, he’s already thrown out names like (retired) Calzaghe, Froch and (functionally retired) Hopkins. In my humble opinion, his biggest problem is that he’s the worst fighter on the list.

But tell that to Chad Dawson.

That is why they fight the fights. And it’s why I am re-tweeting Merchant’s idea to HBO Boxing. It can’t hurt, can it?