CHAD DAWSON vs GLEN JOHNSON

After going through hell in his decision win over Glen Johnson last year, Chad Dawson knows what is in store when he defends his light-heavyweight title against the ageless veteran on HBO from Hartford, CT, on Saturday night.

The first fight was one of the best in recent light-heavyweight history. Dawson triggered off some dazzling combinations from his southpaw stance, but Dawson kept driving forward and he seemed to land the harder blows, appearing to hurt the younger man several times.

There were many who thought that Johnson deserved the verdict but all three judges had Dawson ahead by the same margin: 116-112.

If ever a fighter deserved a rematch, it was Johnson — and now he gets one.

Gentleman Glen turns 41 in two months, but he seems just as relentless and seemingly tireless as when he was a decade younger. His trainer, Orlando Cuellar, told me that Johnson has been looking tremendous in the gym, having worked extensively with strength and conditioning coaches in the buildup to the fight. “We’re going to bringing the heat with no letup,” Cuellar said over the phone from Miami. “Last time we believe we won. This time we’re not looking for it to go the judges, we’re looking to get Dawson out of there.”

Dawson, though, feels that the war with Johnson 17 months ago has made him a better fighter. Since then he has twice defeated another ex-champ, Antonio Tarver, in title bouts. Johnson has also boxed twice since the first meeting, low-profile affairs in which he stopped trial horse Aaron Norwood in four rounds and then pounded out a one-sided, unanimous decision over old rival Daniel Judah after almost scoring a first-round win — Judah was given an eight count when the ropes held him up and was then saved by bell.

Johnson has been around seemingly forever — his only inside-schedule loss came in a middleweight title fight against Bernard Hopkins 12 years ago when American network television still showed boxing on weekend afternoons in what now seems a golden era for fans. (Hopkins-Johnson was on CBS, with Gil Clancy and Tim Ryan providing the commentary; happy days.)

Everyone knows how Johnson fought all comers, travelling overseas to meet local favourites, always giving his best and never getting any breaks in the scoring.

Finally, through dedication, professional pride and a grinding work ethic, Johnson made the breakthrough, with the unwavering support of a manager Henry Foster, and a new trainer, Orlando Cuellar, who had faith in him.

Johnson shocked Roy Jones and became a light-heavy champ by defeating Clinton Woods in England. His only losses in the last four years were the one to Dawson and his split decision defeat against Woods in their third meeting — and not surprisingly he feels that he won those bouts.

Last time Johnson was boxing in his home state of Florida, but Saturday’s rematch is on Dawson territory — not that this will bother Johnson after boxing in Germany, Italy and the U.K.

Dawson, 27, has youth, speed and style on his side, but Johnson is physically stronger, more robust and probably the heavier one-punch hitter.

While Dawson is capable of producing fancy moves and throwing flashy combinations, Johnson is the type who keeps up a steady, persistent pressure, blocking punches on his high guard and seeking to do damage with hooks, short right-hand jolts and uppercuts when he gets up close, although he can be very dangerous on the outside when he wings a right hand over the top — the punch that left Roy Jones rigid on the canvas.

I see another long, hard, gruelling fight on Saturday. Johnson showed in the first meeting that he can take everything that Dawson throws and keep on coming. He fights very well against southpaws, crowding them, shutting them down, outworking them on the inside, and he is especially effective with a double left hook — one on top, then one immediately ripped in downstairs in the Micky Ward manner.

Dawson, though, has had almost a year and a half in which to mature as a fighter since the first fight with Johnson and, of course, his opponent is nearly 18 months older. While Johnson is sure to give a gritty, determined, hard-working performance I think that, having found a way to beat him before, Dawson can do so again. Dawson is gifted, athletic and speedy but he also has the substance of an authentic fighter, as he showed when getting off the canvas to beat Tomasz Adamek and in weathering some torrid moments to outpoint Johnson. I’m expecting another unanimous decision win for Dawson — but he’ll have to fight for it.