Daniel Dawson – “I cannot lose this fight”

 
DANIEL Dawson knows he is in for the fight of his life.

 
In this exclusive interview with Aus-Boxing, The 36 year-old West Australian discusses his biggest challenge to date, his fight with former WBA light middleweight champion and one of the biggest names in the sport, Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs).

 
The battle hardened Dawson (40-3-1, 26 KOs) also touches on his battle with depression and why he is in the best from of his career. Trout vs Dawson is the main event on ESPN’s stable broadcast, Friday Night Fights from the Pechanga Resort and Casino, Temecula, CA this weekend.

 
Daniel Dawson is a relaxed and engaging character. A man who speaks intelligently and forthright about his upcoming challenge of taking on former world champion, Austin Trout. In undoubtedly his biggest test to date, Dawson appeared very optimistic about the challenge that lay in front of him, but things haven’t always been that way.

 
The former kick boxer turned pugilist elaborated on the fact that he has challenged for a world title back in 2010 against then WBO light middleweight champion, feared Ukrainian, Serhiy Dzinziruk, who held the title for six years.

 
In that fight, Dawson was stopped in the 10th round but explains the circumstances of the fight.

 
“I had ten days’ notice to fight Dzinziruk, my father had just passed away and I tried to use it as motivation for the fight. It was a very hard time in my life and when I get back from LA from that fight, I suffered a lot of depression,” Dawson explained.

 
“During this, I said stuff it, I am not going to let this beat me and jumped back in there to fight Frank LoPorto five months later. I shouldn’t have been in there fighting at that stage, all credit to Frank, he come in really fit and got the twelve round decision and fought a good fight but I felt like my life was unravelling a bit.”

 
Since his personal troubles, Dawson has gone on a six fight winning streak and has reinvented himself under trainer, Bobby Mayne.

 
Dawson explains the process.

 
“That fight (Frank LoPorto) was a good reader for me to let me know where I was at in my career. I knew before I got back in that I had a lot of work to do on myself mentally and to go back and work on my skills, my abilities, and reinvent myself with Bobby (Mayne).”

 
“We have had a great last 3-4 years and to be matched up with a guy like Trout is really what I have been working and striving for my entire career.”

 
When asked by this author if his fight against Trout was a last roll of the dice being aged 36, Dawson replied by saying he thought it was a win/win situation, perhaps a good indicator of where his head space is at these days.

 
“For me, I see that now I am at this level, we believe we have the game plan to beat him (Trout). If the judges do or don’t see it in our favour, I really can’t see we are losing anything by putting in a great performance in this fight,” he continued.

 
“I believe it will open up huge doors for me and if I give it everything I f***** have it’s only going to be a win/win situation.”

 
One thing that struck me about my chat with Dawson is his state of mind.

 
He genuinely seems to be in a great place in his career and he oozes with positivity and a championship mindset and has expressed interest in a fight with one of the hottest guys in his division, Saul Alvarez.

 
For all that he has endured in recent times, and to come out the other side of it bigger and better than ever, win lose or draw this Friday night, Daniel Dawson is a winner.

 
 
Words: Dan Smart
Photo: Damo Photography