21.12.05 – By Mark de Mori: Daniel “The Rock” Dawson , once a kickboxer with a 42-10 (35 ko’s) record, that includes two world titles, has now amassed a 23-0(15 ko’s) record as a professional boxer, and is currently ranked the number one challenger in the WBO at junior middleweight. There is only one problem though, mention Daniel Dawson to any fight fans outside Australia and they will stare back with a blank look on their face..
Dawson , who received big reception in his December victory over Mike Wanprasert from Thailand on the Danny Green-Tony Mundine fight card in Perth, knows that will all change very soon with his sights set on a big 2006. With his “apprenticeship” done, he is ready to step into the big fights, and find out exactly where he stands among the household names like Mosley, Wright, Taylor, Vargas and De la Hoya .
The first step, however, may be a world title shot in Germany against newly- crowned WBO champion Sergei Dzindziruk from Ukraine, but in the unusual world of boxing politics, Dawson knows that nothing is certain until the contracts are signed and he is standing across the ring from Sergei, ready to achieve his life-long dream of becoming a world champion.
“ We are working on getting the fight with Sergei, but I don’t want to get ahead of myself, I’m ready to fight any of the big names. My goal has always been to fight Fernando Vargas, but at the end of the day I am looking for the chance to become a world champion.”
Dawson, who was born in the gold mining town of Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, and now resides in Perth, recently had the chance to introduce himself to the American audience via Sylvester Stallone’s The Contender, until a last minute problem.
“ I was selected to try out for The Contender,” Dawson said. “I passed all the tests and they wanted me on the show, but when they showed me the contract, I didn’t think it was the right move, because I just wanted to box and become a world champion, and the TV show was not going in the same direction I wanted to go.”
Dawson is trained and managed by Craig Christian , owner of Australia’s top boxing gym Harry’s Gym, where the fighters are given every opportunity to fulfill their dreams with state of the art training facilities, including hot and cold baths for recovery, saunas and a whole lot more.
So, it’s now all up to Dawson, the training has been done, the experience is there and he has put himself in position for a world title shot, but when you see a glossy unbeaten record, most automatically assume a lack of big fight experience , this is not the case with Dawson.
“I’ve fought in stadiums over in Thailand against the best kick-boxers they have, “ Dawson said . “They have pyrotechnic entrances and so many fans it’s like Vegas, and being an Australian fighting in their backyard in front of all those people is something I’ve done many times before, so, I have no doubts about my ability to step into the ring with the likes of Mosley and Vargas.”
When you consider that Dawson comes from Kalgoorlie, a town in the middle of nowhere with an estimated population of 30 000, that was founded by a gold rush in 1893, it makes his achievements so far that much more special.
Dawson, however, is not content with just being a “contender”.
So, when Daniel Dawson gets the chance to show what he can do, in front of the big TV audiences that come with fighting the likes of Vargas, American promoters may be shouting “Eureka!” at the discovery of the next big star to excite boxing fans around the world.
Anyone wishing to contact Daniel Dawson can email him at thediddy@westnet.com.au
photo (C) www.HarrysGym.com
Mark de Mori, www.markdemori.com