No longer will Peter Dobson be known as the journeyman, a term in boxing that describes the long haul for a fighter to become prominent. Dobson, the 33-year-old Bronx native has been on that long journey. Saturday night in Las Vegas, going the distance and losing to unbeaten Conor Benn made him a winner despite sustaining his first loss (16-1).
It’s been a journey for Dobson, a Bronx kid who won numerous amateur Golden Gloves titles. He has surmounted the odds, pitched promoters, and last year competed in a professional boxing round robin tournament. His posts on social media explained the journey and how difficult it was to obtain the lucrative fights.
He loves boxing, studies the sport, and is not shy about his views on the dirty politics of the sport at times that can be controversial. You will find Dobson in the boxing gym. Previous fights got him to an undefeated rank and the purses sufficient to purchase a home for his family. Though, all along this journey he had to convince promoters with constant phone calls and meetings to grab the opportunity. Dobson has a team of coaches that include conditioning.
But what separates him from other fighters is not signing a promotional deal with Top Rank, Golden Boy, PBC, or Matchroom Boxing and Eddie Hearn with the DAZN streaming network that showcased his main event with Benn. He is self managed and to Dobson that’s always been his thing doing business as. At times a self employed fighter confronts the reality that boxing is big business and not for everyone.
Though in the boxing fraternity self managed and making deals with promoters at times is a risk because you become an opponent, anything negative can be the outcome. Except this has always been the aggressive and business agenda all along for Peter Dobson, a fighter who had a plan and did not dig into the politics of promoters or the alphabet soup boxing organizations.
Hearn and Dobson met numerous times and fights were turned down. The persistence continued as Dobson stayed ready in the gym and all of that came into play. Benn, a renowned fighter from the UK, son of British legend Nigel was the pick and Hearn, his promoter made the fight. Dobson was the heavy underdog, except his opponent got more than expected.
Because Dobson was relentless. He said he would defeat Benn, fighting at the catch weight of 150. All along said he would destroy Benn, a 27-year old who went the distance for the first time in his eight year career. During fight week it was Dobson who said “I am that dog from the Bronx.”
He said, “I am the greatest fighter and went as far as saying there would be a first round knockout, of course the skeptics downplayed that comment and looked at Dobson as an opponent. It was supposed to be an easy time for Benn, he said so.
And of course Dobson, even from this perspective, fooled us all. He was relentless and went the distance, a fight that all the experts said would not last past the fourth or fifth round. This veteran of the boxing arena could not have expected this, then again Peter Dobson has never bowed down from a good fight.
“I was in cruise control,” Benn said after the 12-rounds were complete. “You know, hey, it was all right. I’ve had harder sparring. Do you know what mean? But it was good work.”
Good work, too for Dobson. He displayed a good chin and had the good right going as the fight got better for him after the third round. The fourth round got better and in the fifth it was Benn who started to pay more attention as the Dobson right connected more than once. To be honest the judges had it 119-109, 118-110 twice and it appeared much closer.
Regardless, Dobson gave a quick handshake to the winner and was not available for comment. He has bever been a media type and his effort Saturday night was enough to say that that journey ride has concluded.
Bigger fights are ahead for Peter Dobson. No longer a journeyman opponent or to be taken lightly. There will be more fights to come and another lucrative purse or two as questions continue to arise about where Benn goes from here?
Dobson will continue to be self managed. Hearn or another promoter will pick up the phone and make an offer. Who or when that will be is to be determined, but better believe that journeyman status is now removed with the name of Peter Dobson.
GARDEN WILL BE BUSY: Monday afternoon at Legends NYC Tom Loeffler and 360 Promotions officially announced their St. Patrick’s Day weekend event at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden , Friday March 15 to be broadcast live globally on UFC Fight Pass.
It will be an Irish card featuring the return of undefeated Ireland native “King” Callum Walsh in the main event opposing Dauren Yeleussinov in a ten-round main event super welterweight bout. Included is a stacked undercard.
The 22-year- old Walsh, (9-0, 7KO’s) made his Garden debut in November and got the 10-round unanimous decision over the determined Ismael Villareal of the Bronx, a loss that many said was too wide on the judges scorecards…
And Friday evening, February 16, the Theatre at Madison Square Garden will host Top Rank Boxing and televised on ESPN platforms. O’shaquie Foster opposes Abraham Nova, 12 rounds for Foster’s WBC junior lightweight title. Undercard includes Bruce “Shu Shu” Carrington (10-0), the undefeated 26-year old featherweight from Brooklyn.
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