LAS VEGAS — Chad Dawson finally has a victory over a notable opponent.

Dawson entered his IBF-IBO light heavyweight title fight tonight at the Pearl inside the Palms with questions that his unblemished record was the result of victories against inferior competition.

Thoroughly dominating three-time champion Antonio Tarver, Dawson silenced critics with an unanimous decision to capture both titles.

Dawson had the lone knockout when his powerful left jab sent Tarver to the canvas with 2:11 left in the final round.

Dawson won by the scores of 117-110 from two judges and 118-109 from the other.

The 26-year-old Dawson, 27-0 with 17 knockouts, and showed he'll be a major player in one of boxing's most competitive divisions. His previous biggest win was against former IBF champion Glen Johnson in 12-round unanimous decision last April.

Dawson, who controlled the pace and landed the most of the significant punches for a majority of the fight, was more active in methodically wearing out the 39-year-old Tarver (27-5). Tarver landed the occasionally punch, but Dawson was never in danger and nearly record knockouts in several rounds.

It was a marquee victory for a fighter who can makes arguments he should be mentioned among the division's elite, joining the likes of Bernard Hopkins and Joe Calzaghe.

Tarver, who beat then-undisputed champion Roy Jones Jr. in 2004 and had won his last three fights, maintained during prefight interviews that Dawson was flawed and inexperienced in big-time bouts. Those verbal jabs proved to be motivation for Dawson, who proved to be the aggressor from start to finish.