By Dave Sholler
Photo © Tom Casino/Showtime

In the world of horse racing, a promising young thoroughbred sometimes fizzles after a fast start out of the gate. Somewhere between the middle and end of the race, the charging stallion inexplicably pulls up lame, his powerful legs seemingly out of steam. From the grandstand, the horse’s owners, trainers, and fans watch in horror as their projected stud falls to the back of the pack.

Last year, three young boxing broncos looked as if they’d win every furlong contested. Lightweight Juan Diaz, welterweight Paul Williams, and light heavyweight Chad Dawson all began to ascend in their respective divisions. Each captured championships in 2007 and the trio appeared to be destined for continued greatness in 2008.

However, somewhere in the early stages of the New Year, two of the three suffered their first setbacks. Williams, 26, a 6’2 southpaw who looked freakish at 147 pounds the year before, saw his progress impeded by the gritty Carlos Quintana in February. Likewise, Diaz, 24, whom many thought was the best young fighter on the market, watched as veteran Nate Campbell jockeyed his world titles from him in just the third month of 2008.

Dawson, 25, is hoping he can avoid a similar fate when he defends his WBC crown against the seasoned Glen Johnson on April 12. Facing an experienced opponent with 60 professional bouts, “Bad” Chad is out to prove that there are no hiccups in his game. With his sights set on Johnson, the Connecticut native vows to display the same hunger that has propelled him near the top of the light heavyweight championship derby.

“We are all young guys and some win titles and lose the hunger,” Dawson said in reference to the comparisons to Williams and Diaz. “I’m not saying they (Williams and Diaz) lost their hunger, but some others don’t work as hard as they used to.

“Me, I want to unify the titles and make the pound-for-pound list. I don’t look at the (WBC) title as if it’s going to make or break me. I’m staying focused.”

To ensure that he’s getting the best sparring, roadwork, and training possible, Dawson set up camp at the Top Rank Gym in Las Vegas five weeks ago. After accepting the fact that his lean, athletic frame would benefit from increased muscle development, Dawson hired a strength and conditioning coach to help add mass. In addition, Dawson relied on trainer Eddie Mustafa Muhammed to provide the best sparring partners and create an “all-business” atmosphere. In the end, Dawson is hoping this attention to detail will serve as a stern message to other marketable 175-pounders. On April 12, Dawson wants to show that his rise to the top of the division will not be derailed.

“I’ll be honest,” Dawson said, “I’m not a true light heavyweight.

“I came into camp at 170 pounds. Right now, I’m at 175. I’m working hard and on April 12th, you are going to see nothing but muscle. In this fight, I will make a statement. If you notice, I get better and better with every fight. Glen is just the guy I need to bring the best out of me.”

While Dawson is confident that he will outbox Johnson in April, one must wonder how the seven-year pro will react if he’s faced with adversity in a bout with major implications. One look at Quintana-Williams or Diaz-Campbell shows that regardless of pedigree, frustration is often a young fighter’s worst enemy. For Williams, frustration came by way of failure to stop Quintana’s looping left hands. Similarly, Diaz looked puzzled when Campbell was eager to trade punches inside a phone booth. Both failed to adapt. Both lost their titles.

So the question remains: Is Dawson ready to adapt to unfavorable situations and remain calm in tight spots?

“I’m ready,” Dawson said. “Glen Johnson is a big fight for me. I’m going to show everything I’ve got. I know I’m the best light heavyweight in the world and I’m going to set myself apart from the rest.”

With a victory over Johnson, Dawson said he would like to face the winner of the Antonio Tarver-Clinton Woods bout, which will be contested on the same Showtime card. But before he jumps ahead to his next bout, Dawson must be concerned solely with Johnson. If he does not, he could easily fall victim to the “Payday Prowl,” a mentality that affects young fighters that look past their immediate opponents, instead focusing on future mega-fight purses.

For proof of this, look no further than Williams. In the weeks leading up to his title defense, Williams told this writer that he was focused on Quintana, but couldn’t help but to have his sights set on another, more financially rewarding Puerto Rican fighter, Miguel Cotto. Many could argue that Juan Diaz was looking ahead to big money fights with Manny Pacquiao or David Diaz, too. With that said, Dawson needs to have tunnel vision in the next few weeks. If he does not, the result could take the wind out of any plans he may have already developed.

While he understands the potential flaws of looking past an opponent, Dawson argues that the window of opportunity for young fighters is small.

“As everybody knows, boxing is not about who has the titles,” Dawson said. “It’s about the money. They match up fighters by name. Look at Mayweather-De La Hoya or Judah-Mosley. They are big money fights based on matching up names.

“I’ve put my heart into this sport and I think it’s time for me to get big fights and make those paydays.”

Chad Dawson wants big fights. Here’s to hoping the 25-year-old stallion focuses first on the weathered workhorse in Johnson that lies ahead.

STIFF JABS

JAB ONE: I’m really excited that the Mikkel Kessler-Edison Miranda bout may come to fruition. While I would have enjoyed Winky Wright-Mikkel Kessler, the hard-punching Miranda will pose some interesting problems for Kessler. If this fight were based on boxing IQ alone, I’d give it to Kessler outright. However, can you count out a puncher with Edison’s power?

DOUBLE JAB: Good to see Shane Mosley and Zab Judah signing on for a May tango. Even though I picked against him, I thought Sugar Shane proved that he’s got plenty of tread left on his tires when he went the distance with Miguel Cotto last November. As far as Judah goes, I really hope he brings his “A” game for the entire bout. When Zab stays focused, he’s one of the world’s best boxers.

TRIPLE JAB: The folks in Atlantic City are already gearing up for the June 7 return of Kelly Pavlik. Even though Boardwalk Hall will host a great welterweight doubleheader on April 12, the South Jersey boxing aficionados have already been emailing me about “The Ghost.” With Cotto and Pavlik headlining cards, the AC fans have quickly adapted to life after Arturo Gatti.

PARTING SHOT: With some major MMA organizations locking up lucrative television deals, I’m forever hopeful that ABC, NBC, or CBS will bring boxing back to network television. As I’ve said time and time again, I think Oscar De La Hoya can convince one of the “Big Three” to televise a card. The Golden Boy and Richard Schaefer should at least have it on their “things to do” list.

Dave Sholler serves as a boxing/MMA analyst for sports radio stations across the country. Reach Sholler at shollerholla4@hotmail.com .