CHAD DAWSON W12 ANTONIO TARVER

Youth, speed and energy won the day as Chad Dawson outpointed and at times outclassed Antonio Tarver in a beautiful display of boxing to win the IBF and IBO light-heavy titles in Saturday’s main event on Showtime.

Dawson showed something else apart from his undoubted artistry, revealing the savvy and poise of a veteran in those moments when he was under pressure. He covered up, let Tarver expend energy by hitting arms and gloves, then came back with dazzling combinations.

Tarver stuck to his guns and kept trying but Dawson had all the answers in this meeting of southpaws. Tarver seemed to be making inroads in the third and sixth rounds, but Dawson nodded to him as if to say: “OK, that wasn’t bad but I’m in charge.” I wasn’t sure if Dawson purposely gave away these rounds or not, but in almost every round he was controlling the fight, and even when he did get hit he took the punches well. At no stage did I have the impression that Dawson was at risk of being stopped by one big shot, although some of Tarver’s intended haymakers came close.

Tarver showed excellent conditioning and had clearly worked long and hard for this fight. He had a busy-punching 11th round, and he admirably came back with a last, desperate attack after suffering a flash knockdown early in the 12th. He need a KO to win, though, and that was never likely to happen.

Dawson was disciplined and determined, although between rounds his trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammad gently reminded him to stay focused. A veteran such as Tarver is dangerous if given an opportunity. Dawson didn’t give him one. It was an intelligent and pleasing performance by the 26-year-old, who does indeed seem to have grown as a fighter after his gruelling win over Glen Johnson in April.

Often, as I have remarked before, one holds one’s breath when a fight goes to the scorecards, because one never knows how the judges are going to have it. In this fight, though, the unanimous decision in Dawson’s favour was the merest of formalities. The only rounds that Tarver could possibly have won were the third, sixth and 11th — and a case could be made for Dawson winning the latter round because his punches seemed harder although the 39-year-old defending champion threw more.

Tarver went out fighting, all credit to him, but he was in the ring with a gifted young boxer who came into the fight with a quiet certitude that this was would be his night — and so it was.