Boxing In Australia: Daniel Dawson Wins Vacant PABA Crown

Last night at Lords Sports Club in Perth, Australia, light middleweight Daniel Dawson regained the PABA Light Middleweight title with a stirring fifth round knockout of visitor Lee Oti.

"The Rock" solidified his postition as one of the top men in Oz at 69.9 kg (154 lb) with the pounding of hard punching Oti, 7-6 (5), who had never been stopped previously.

The result bodes well for Dawson, 28-0 (19), as Oti had dropped top domestic man Daniel Geale in a losing effort for the IBF Pan Pacific/OPBF titles in February.

Dawson may very well sit atop the domestic standings at light middle/middle but would have to face and defeat such opponents as Geale, Robert Medley, veteran Shannan Taylor or Adam Vella and Ben Crampton before the Perth man could offically lay claim to that position.

All bets are off should Sam Soliman drop back down to middleweight but "The King" is likely only interested in the type of top level fights that would get him another shot at a genuine world title.