Déjà vu is defined as having the feeling of certainty that one has already witnessed or experienced a current situation. This past weekend fight fans witnessed a young Jon Jones defeat the older and more experienced Rashad Evans to retain his UFC light heavyweight title.

Odds makers listed Jones as a huge favorite to get past Evans and though the betting line reflected an easy fight, the genuine animosity between the two caused fans to take a considerable interest in the bout.

This Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ there is another light heavyweight title bout scheduled, but this time it takes place in a ring rather than a cage. Again we have a championship fight where the combatants have gone to great lengths to ensure fans that they too have a true dislike for each other.

Bookmakers are offering the challenger Chad Dawson (30-1-0-2, 18 KO’s) at -450 and the current WBC and Ring Magazine light heavyweight champion, the ageless Bernard Hopkins (52-5-2-2, 32 KO’s) at +350 for the rematch.

Their first encounter lasted less than two rounds. After Dawson was awarded the win, the result was overturned and ruled a no-decision. Hopkins was unable to continue after being thrown down hard on the ring mat and suffering a dislocated shoulder. Though it may seem like not much can be learned from that initial bout, I believe there is plenty to take away in order to help prognosticate the second.

Dawson is the bigger fighter and tried to use his strength to push Hopkins back – almost walking him down. That’s not surprising since it was his second fight under the guidance of trainer Emanuel Steward who prefers his pupils to move forward rather than circle opponents.

Hopkins who has made a career out of starting slow did so again and did not waste many punches. Even at 47, Hopkins was difficult to land on and has not slowed down defensively. Over the years few boxers have slipped or rolled with opponents punchers as well. That skill has enabled Hopkins to sustain very little punishment and prolong his career after 61 professional fights.

In the first fight, Hopkins learned a lot more about Dawson than the other way around. Hopkins is a cerebral fighter with a very high boxing IQ.

Dawson will be reunited with trainer John Scully after being apart for a number of years. It appears Dawson walked away from the first bout with a ton of confidence and is certain that Hopkins chose to quit that night. At 29, Dawson has shown to be quite unpredictable and that is what is most bothersome.

For Hopkins, he will need to start a little faster than usual and not give up too many rounds early on in the fight. If he digs a deep hole for himself on the judges scorecards it will be difficult to overcome since he has never been one to light up CumpuBox numbers.

To have success he will also need to force Dawson into fighting his style and by controlling the pace throughout. Even if judges do not always appreciate Hopkins’ precision as much as boxing purists do, they are well aware of his reputation for breaking opponents down systematically and fighting in Atlantic City should afford him the "home-field" edge.

Bottom line, Hopkins almost never gets hit flush and his chin is as sturdy they come so opponents must be ready to go the distance. At the moment the total rounds is listed at 9.5 and the OVER is a -550 favorite. We figure Dawson will need to be prepared to play chess for 12 rounds.

What bothers me some is the inactivity of Hopkins which at his age will not be a positive. But coming from Philadelphia and having the privilege of speaking to a source that’s close to his camp, I can say with certainty that "The Executioner" has trained extremely hard for this bout.

No way can I lay the price to back the challenger. Few bettors have made much profit over the years wagering against Hopkins when he appeared the obvious dog. At +350 or better, I’m willing to bet the "old man" has another good fight left.

UNDERCARD

Undefeated heavyweight prospect Seth Mitchell takes on Chazz Witherspoon in an attempt to move up the ladder in the division and prove that he is deserving of the label, "best American heavyweight."

Witherspoon is a tall fighter with quick hands that’s only been defeated twice in 32 professional bouts. Mitchell, who played football for Michigan State comes in off a KO of Timur Ibragimov who had previously never been stopped. Look for the prospect to get past the gate-keeper.

RECORD: 48-26 (65%) at Pregame.com.

Vegas-Runner, a pro sports bettor in Las Vegas, has been featured on CNBC/ESPN and currently holds the record for "Most Units Won" in a single year at the Sports Monitor. Follow VR on Twitter @vegasrunner and at Pregame.com.