GORDON WILLIAMS, Contributor

Glen Johnson - File

TAMPA, Florida:

In what might be his last chance to re-claim a world boxing crown, Jamaican-born Glen Johnson will step into the ring tonight to face American Chad Dawson in a 12 round title fight at the St. Pete Times Forum here.

At stake is the 25-year-old Dawson's World Boxing Council (WBC) light heavyweight belt. Yet Johnson, at 39, with a ring career spanning nearly 20 years and 59 professional fights, believes he is risking much more.

The former world champion in the 175-pound division is full of confidence going in, but after turning down a mandatory shot at the International Boxing Federation (IBF) title later this year he knows tonight's bout is do or die.

"We gave up a mandatory IBF shot to take this one because it came before the (Clinton) Woods bout," Johnson said recently. "Now we have to go out and capture the title. We're not looking towards tomorrow. (Tonight) is it."

The Johnson vs. Dawson match-up is part of a card being televised by Showtime featuring two light heavyweight title bouts. In the other fight Britain's Woods, the current IBF champ, will face American Antonio Tarver. Johnson has beaten and lost to both Woods and Tarver in the past.

But tonight the Miami-based Johnson's focus is on Dawson, who owns an undefeated ring record from 25 fights, with 17 knockouts. The American, who won the title by beating Poland's Tomasz Adamek by unanimous decision in February 2007, is strong and quick. He is also eager to use Johnson, who has 47 wins with 32 knockouts, 11 losses and two draws, as a stepping stone to greater recognition in the sport.

"I need to beat a big name to make my name known," Dawson told ESPN.com recently.

Yet Johnson is not ready to be Dawson's guinea pig. He has plans to cement his own place in boxing history after a rough and tumble career, enduring dubious decisions that have tarnished his record.

"I have to earn the respect I deserve in the ring," Johnson said.

Johnson said he plans to hurt Dawson tonight, but stopped short this week of predicting a knockout. He polished off 100 rounds of sparring on Monday with a six round stint. Those rounds pitted him against young, fast and powerful fighters similar to Dawson and Johnson appeared satisfied with his training camp strategy.

"All the rounds were wonderful," he said on Tuesday before departing for Tampa.

Johnson feels he has peaked at the right time. He said his experience, especially against quick fighters such as Roy Jones Jr., will help him nullify Dawson's style. Then he plans to impose his own will.

"It's up to me to dissect and destroy," said the Clarendon-native, who lost the IBF light heavyweight title to Tarver in 2005 after beating Woods to win it in 2004, when he was named fighter of the year.

"Without a doubt we're going to be champion again," Johnson said.

Gordon Williams is a Jamaican journalist based in the United States.