In his first fight since losing to Saul Alvarez and Erislandy Lara in 2013, Austin Trout (27-2, 14 KOs) almost didn’t get the spectacular return he had hoped for.
The former WBA Super Welterweight champion got up from two knockdowns to score a unanimous decision victory over Daniel Dawson (40-4-1, 26 KOs) at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, California.
The 10-round fight was the main event of a card presented by Gooseen Tutor Promotions and ESPN 2.
Although Trout won comfortably on the scorecards, the fight was in danger for him in round three when he was knocked down twice by Dawson’s right hand.
Trout began the fight aggressively, but his slick southpaw style was more effective on the outside, where his longer reach could allow him to land shots and stay out of range.
Indeed, in the first knockdown, similar to the way he was floored by Lara in his last fight, Trout leaned forward with a left hand where he was immediately countered by a short right hand.
After getting up from the canvas twice, however, Trout regained his confidence, allowing himself the time for his talent to take over the fight.
Trout scored a knockdown in round eight, dropping Dawson with a powerful left hand.
Trout searched adamantly for the knockout in the final two rounds, but without a proper setup to the body, he was unable to stop the 36-year-old native of Western Australia.
All judges scored the bout 97-90 for the 28-year-old native of as Cruces, New Mexico, who could have fighters such as Vanes Martirosyan and Demetrius Andrade in his future.
In the co-main event, Erick Bone (15-1, 8 KOs) scored a unanimous decision victory over Mahonri Montes (29-4-1, 21 KOs).
Bone scored a comfortable lead in the early rounds by several left hooks on Montes, who responded by tapping his chin as if he were Antonio Margarito.
Bone’s offense was quicker and stringer, while Montes sought for quick countershots, doing his best to keep Bone off of him.
In the sixth round, sensing his comfortable lead, Bone began using his footwork to find his shots on the outside, while Montes plodded forward, again in a fashion very similar to Margarito.
Bone’s change of game plan allowed him to land shots without taking risks.
The 25-year-old native of Manabí, Ecuador won with scores of 97-93, 97-93, and 100-90.
In the first televised bout, Ahmed Elbiale (6-0, 6 KOs) knocked out Dwayne Williams (5-4, 2 KOs) in the very first round of a scheduled four-round Light Heavyweight fight.
Elbiale threw everything he had in a perfectly-timed right hand that immediately sent Williams to the canvas.
