Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City - Chad Dawson (31-1, 17KOs) won a twelve round majority decision over Bernard Hopkins (52-6-2, 32KOs) to capture the WBC light heavyweight title. The scores were 114-114, 117-111, 117-111 for Dawson.

In the first meeting, which took place last October in Los Angeles, the fight ended with a two round TKO win for Dawson. Hopkins injured his shoulder after taking a fall. The outcome was later reversed and now stands as a no-contest.

The rematch started slow. Not much activity from either guy. Dawson using a jab and Hopkins moved around while trying to find an opening. Dawson took over the second, but it was Hopkins who landed the best shots in the third.

Dawson suffered a bad cut in the fourth, over his left eye, from a clash of heads. The cut riled Dawson up, who pressed forward and went after Hopkins, who managed to land a sneaky right hand when the openings were there.

Dawson started outboxing and outworking him in the fifth and continue that trend until the eleventh, when they started trading punches. Dawson was being very aggressive in the exchanges and Hopkins actually tackled him down. Not much action in the twelfth, with more holding and wrestling than anything else.