Hurt Hopkins appeals Dawson loss

Bernard Hopkins has filed an appeal with the California State Athletic Commission to have his knockout loss to Chad Dawson overturned into a disqualification victory, ESPN reported on Wednesday. Dawson reclaimed the World Boxing Council light-heavyweight crown from Hopkins in controversial fashion on Saturday in Los Angeles, grabbing Hopkins by the leg, lifting him up and slamming him to the canvas in the second round. Hopkins suffered a dislocation of the joint connecting his left shoulder and collarbone and could not continue, but referee Pat Russell awarded Dawson the victory by technical knockout rather than rule Dawson's move a foul. Hopkins had become the oldest fighter to claim a major world title in May at age 46 when he beat Jean Pascal for the WBC crown. Had Russell ruled Dawson's foul accidental, the all-American bout would have been declared a no contest and Hopkins would have kept the title. But Hopkins wants a harsher ruling from the seven-member California panel, a disqualification foul on Dawson that would hand Hopkins a triumph as well as the title. "Dawson should be disqualified because that was no accident," Hopkins said. "I think it should be a DQ because it was intentional. He intended to hurt me, period. I'm asking for a disqualification because of the intent. "It's clear this guy tried to hurt me. I believe that it wasn't a move boxers do, but the game-changer came when he wrapped his arm around my leg and threw me to the canvas. That makes me argue the intent was to hurt me." An attorney for promoters Golden Boy told ESPN that the formal protest was filed Tuesday night with the commission, the US sports network's website reported. The case for Hopkins will likely be heard at the board's next meeting on December 13. The WBC is also reviewing the fight in the wake of a protest from Golden Boy filed on Monday. Hopkins had an MRI exam on his injured shoulder on Tuesday in Philadelphia and has vowed not to retire.