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Daniel ‘The Rock’ Dawson
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Australian junior middleweight Daniel ‘The Rock’ Dawson, 13-0 (10 KO’s), is looking to clean out his division domestically before he makes a run for a world title next year. The first step in that process takes place this Friday night when he makes the first defense of his PABA title against rugged veteran Ian McLeod in the main support bout to Nedal Hussein vs Fernando Saucendo at Panthers World of Entertainment in Sydney, New South Wales.
With a 20-11 (4 KO’s) record, McLeod is easily the most experienced fighter that Dawson has faced. He has been in with some of Australia’s best talent including Anthony Mundine, Shannan Taylor and Nader Hamden and holds points victories over Taylor conqueror, Julian Holland and local tough guy John Wayne Parr. And while Dawson is expecting McLeod to bring his best to the ring on Friday, he doesn’t anticipate too many problems from the former IBF Pan Pacific and Australian Champion.
"I'll stop him if he doesn't jump out of the ring and run away!" laughed Dawson. "If he comes to fight and he puts in the fight as a fighter, then he'll get stopped."
Dawson is hoping to be ranked in the top ten in the world by the end of the year, but he plans on cleaning up his own backyard first before taking on international opposition.
"Ian McLeod and Josh Clenshaw, they're two other names in my weight division that I've got to beat to be able to go to the next level," he said." The only other person in Australia is Shannan Taylor, but we're good friends and we train together, so we'll just see how we go."
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Dawson, a former world kickboxing champion with no amateur boxing experience, has been progressing steadily under the tutelage of trainer/manager Craig Christian at the renowned Harry’s Gym in Perth alongside talented prospects Naoufel Ben Rabah and Ben Cruz.
"I don't think I've ever been to a gym where we've all sort of trained like this," he said. "You get together, you talk about training and fighting afterwards, how to get better at training, how to get better at this and that and you help each other out… It's unbelievable, mate. It's better than any other gym in Australia or the world really."
With thirteen wins on his ledger it’s easy to forget that Dawson has only been punching-for-pay for eighteen months, but the Kalgoorlie-born banger doesn't mind learning on the job.
“I think I've improved a lot since my last fight,” he said. “Definitely the style I've tried to be as a fighter is getting better all the time… I've started to keep my guard up a lot better and I've definitely improved my jab since my last one or two fights.
"I've still got a lot to learn and I imagine in a couple of years time when I'm at my best, I'll still be trying to improve."
While there is no lack of confidence or ambition in the Dawson camp, the 26 year-old has been the subject of criticism from certain sections of the boxing community who seem to view former kickboxers with a degree of skepticism. Some people have questioned his toughness and believe he will wilt under pressure.
"Obviously a lot of people in New South Wales don't know me," he explained. "They don't know the real me or haven't seen me in action. I myself believe I am one of the toughest guys out there without a doubt. I don't go out there to prove that, I just know that in my heart."
Dawson himself is not sure what the basis of this criticism is.
“I don't know, maybe from my lack of experience in the boxing, but whereas I see it I've had so much experience in the kickboxing behind me with big fights, big events, fighting champions, the best fighters from all around the world, so if they think that I'm lacking in experience, well, I don't think that I am,” he said.
Although he has a 77% knockout ratio, Dawson is a fighter who prefers to break down his opponents rather than go out looking for the KO.
“I'd say that's about true. I mean, I'm not going to go and run out there and either knock them out or get myself knocked out in the first or second round. I play with them like a cat would play with a mouse, find out where they're weaknesses are and soon as I've found out their weaknesses, chop 'em up,” he said.
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© Copyright / All Rights reserved: Doghouse Boxing 1998-2004
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by Anthony Cocks (May 20, 2004) 
