Fish out of water: Austin Trout looks to get back on track

By Peter Wells:



Austin Trout celebrates after defeating Miguel Cotto

It may not be the case all the time, but the majority of boxers will look back at their careers and hurry quickly past the memory of a certain year. Maybe it was a year halted by injuries, or a year where that defining fight they craved never came off. For many it will be the year that the sound of the opponents name being read out as the victor was all they heard after the final bell. Austin Trout 26-2(14) was one of those, and 2013 was the year he will love to forget.

The only two defeats of his otherwise faultless professional career came in 2013, both on points, against the top two Light Middleweights in the world. Saul Alvarez was the first, last April, when the Mexican's victory was never in doubt, despite it being an extremely close fight, that myself and several others scored in favour of Trout. The New Mexico fighter was rightly aggrieved with the manner in which he lost, with ludicrous scorecards of 118-109 and - less so - 116-111 that didn't reflect how close the fight was.

Defeat to Cuban hotshot Erislandy Lara was as clear cut as it gets, the often unpredictable Lara boxed on the move, never allowing Trout to set his feet. This defeat last December must have been the toughest to take, as Lara made the former world champion look rather ordinary.

Trout (left) endures a torrid 12 rounds against Erislandy Lara

Now after 8 months out of the ring, Trout returns to recapture the form that saw him defeat the likes of Rigoberto Alvarez, Delvin Rodriguez and most impressively Miguel Cotto - all unanimous decisions over the championship distance.

His opponent this Friday night is Australian Daniel Dawson 40-3-1(26), a record that is filled with wins over modest opposition. Defeats to former WBO Light Middleweight ruler Serhiy Dzinziruk (TKO 10) and an earlier reverse to then 17-0 Daniel Geale (UD 12) were predictable, unlike his 2010 setback to 12-4-2 Frank Lo Porto (UD 12). Since that latest defeat Dawson has fought his last 7 fights at the same venue in Australia - WA Italian Club. In there is a draw and majority decision win over Virgil Kalakoda.

Not the most fearsome of opponent, but 'The Rock' will be up for his chance on ESPN Friday Night Fights, at 36 knowing this is his last opportunity to make an impression.



Daniel Dawson

Trout looked poor last time out against Lara, but then again Lara can do that to anyone on his day. In spite of defeat to Alvarez, there were more positives than negatives to take from that fight.

A quality boxer who grows stronger as a fight goes on, Trout puts his punches together nicely. He has the ability to fight both on the outside with a solid jab and long left from the Southpaw stance, or on the inside where he slings uppercuts in that were so effective against Cotto.

So long as confidence has not been shattered, Trout will be far too good for Dawson, and he can quite possibly force a stoppage late in the 12 rounder to dive back into the world title picture.