17.05.06 – In a battle of world-ranked contenders, Eric Harding (23-3-1, 7 KOs) defends his NABF light heavyweight title against undefeated Chad Dawson (21-0, 15 KOs, 1 NC) in an excellent main event on Friday, June 2, on “ShoBox: The New Generation” (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast) on SHOWTIME. In the 10-round co-feature, promising unbeaten featherweight Mario Santiago meets an opponent to be announced.. Gary Shaw Productions will promote the doubleheader from Chumash Resort Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.
Shaw: Welcome everybody. A special thank you to Gordon Hall and SHOWTIME and “ShoBox: The Generation.’’ As we have always done at Gary Shaw Productions, we promise to bring great fights to “ShoBox,” and this is just another one in a great line of fights that we have done and we will continue to do with Gordon and SHOWTIME. You have a real classic match-up here. Eric Harding is 33-years-old, but there is not a lot of wear and tear on his body. I would like to personally thank Roger Leavitt for bringing Eric to the table and for him being willing to take on a young buck in Chad Dawson. It is clearly a great match-up because Eric has a sterling record, and as everybody knows, he beat (Antonio) Tarver once and was ahead on the cards the other time. In Chad Dawson, you have someone who has never fought at 175 pounds, but he deserves all the credit in the world for being willing to come up and take on Eric at a weight that he has never fought at. And each guy has a great trainer. I think it is going to be a very, very exciting fight. The winner will go on to bigger and better things. And depending on who loses, it is a question of do they get rebuilt or is it just a learning experience. But I think this is a classic match-up. In the co-main is Mario Santiago, who I think is one of the most underrated 126 pound young kids coming up. He has been on “ShoBox’’ before. I also want to personally thank Chumash for hosting this card, as they do others of ours. They are a great partner.
Hall: “ShoBox’’ is all about the fighters but in making “ShoBox’’ fights, credit has to go to the promoters, the managers and the trainers, too, because “ShoBox’’ is a boxing series about young kids matched tough. And certainly this fight is a prime example of that with Chad. The other thing we like to do on “ShoBox’’ is show the progress of fighters, and this will be Chad’s second appearance. He is coming off a victory on “ShoBox’’ against Ian Gardner. It was a difficult fight because he had a difficult style. Chad is moving up in weight, as Gary said, and he is not avoiding anybody in taking on Eric Harding. So it is a credit to Chad to take this type of fight, especially in moving up in weight, and also to fight somebody of Eric’s ability, who is a superior boxer, and who has beaten some of the better fighters in the division. He also fought the best competition in the division. So, it is a great match-up for us. One slight comment about Mario Santiago, who is an extremely talented young fighter: He is coming off a great victory over Cornelius Locke, who has fought much better competition than Mario, and he looked great in that performance. He is somebody to watch in the future. I want to thank Chad and Eric, specifically, for taking this fight. We are certainly looking forward to June 2. Thanks.
Question: Eric, what are your thoughts coming into this fight?
Harding: First, I would like to thank SHOWTIME and Gary Shaw for putting it together and making it happen. I tip my hat to Chad Dawson for taking the fight. And on June 2, the best man is going to win. I think it is a good opportunity for both of us to showcase what we can do. I am looking for a good, exciting fight.
Question: Chad, what are your thoughts going in against Harding, and was this an easy decision for you to make? Do you want these kinds of fights?
Dawson: Yes. I am a young fighter, and I know Eric is a great fighter and an excellent boxer. I am going forward to this. I am trying to be an excellent boxer, as well as step up in competition. I think Eric Harding will be a good fight for me, and it will be a good fight for both of us. Like he said, may the best man win. Good luck to Eric, and I will see him on June 2.
Question: This is kind of an unusual fight for “ShoBox’’ in that they usually match the prospects tough, but not usually this tough. How did this fight come together?
Shaw: Well, most of the credit goes to Chris Middendorf, my matchmaker. We talk every day and go over a lot of things. They made a decision to bring Chad to 175. They said he was getting too big for 168. Anyway, at one point one day Chris says to me, ‘You know, I think we could do Eric Harding.’ I said, ‘Eric Harding? I don’t think Chad would take that. You know, this is his first fight at 175. We will check. I know Chad has got a ton of heart but, to be honest, maybe we should break him in a little easier.’ And that was the basic discussion. Then, I said to Chris, ‘but you check with Harding and see if they will take a fight,’ because again, the money is not that large here. But to really Eric’s credit and his manager’s credit, they both jumped on it and said yes. They saw their opportunity here to be back on TV and be back on top. That is how it all came together. I mean, credit to both sides. Credit to Chad Dawson, and credit to Eric Harding. And you know what? If more fighters took these types of fights, boxing would be better.
Question: Chad, what made you jump at this opportunity when you maybe could have had an easier one in your first fight at 175?
Dawson: I’m confident in my talent and my ability. They offered me a fight, I took it. I mean, I will not back down from anybody. I think that my skills and my talent are up to the caliber of Eric Harding. On June 2, the best man will win. I would like to thank Eric for taking the fight. It is going to be a great fight, an exciting fight for “ShoBox.’’
Question: Eric, what made it the right fight for you, being that the money is probably a little shorter than you would deserve for this fight probably?
Harding: The way I look at it, any fight is the right fight for me. I have never turned down a fight. Fights are not easy to come by for me, so when you get an opportunity, you go for it.
Question: Eric, did you spar with Chad before a fight with Antonio Tarver?
Harding: Yes. I sparred with him a couple of times.
Question: Chad, since you are both from a state, Connecticut, that does not have a lot of boxers, you must have known of Eric even prior to that time, right? Is he somebody that you might have looked up to?
Dawson: Yes. I grew up watching Eric fight. I always thought Eric was an excellent fighter, even when I was in the amateurs. So this fight means (a lot). I always thought we were good friends, and hopefully this fight will not interfere with that. We are just going in the ring to showcase our talents, and may the best man win.
Question: Chad, is there anything that you would take away from your sparring sessions three years ago?
Dawson: I would not take anything away. I was a young fighter, 19 years old. I am 23 now. I have learned a lot. I have been in the ring with good fighters. I have been sparring with good fighters. I am with Dan Birmingham, Trainer of the Year. I mean, my style has definitely changed in the last three years. I am ready for this fight.
Question: Eric, is there anything that you would take away from that sparring?
Harding: No. To be truthfully honest with you. I cannot remember much about the sparring. Like I said, it was three years ago, and sparring is a whole different world than being actually in there fighting, without the head gear and stuff on. I mean, I will take it for what it was. It was sparring, and it was three years ago. I cannot remember much about it.
Question: Chad, over the past year, you have changed trainers and regimens. What have you seen differently now that you are working in a camp that has Winky Wright in it and Dan Birmingham as your trainer? Have you noticed, internally, a difference in your game, in your attitude? And what has that done to you in preparation for a fight of this magnitude?
Dawson: I am working with the best champion conditioning trainer, Darryl Hudson, and I am working with Dan Birmingham. Just being around Winky Wright and Jeff Lacy, I pick up a lot. So that is what has really changed. I am serious about boxing now. My life revolves around boxing right now. I go away. I leave Connecticut for months at a time. So it is a whole new world for me.
Question: Eric, where do you see this fight for you? At 33, you have fought some of the best. You have beaten some of them and you have lost some of them. You have been relatively inactive, only having one fight in 2002, one in 2003, off in ’04, and then two good wins in ’05. How important is a victory here, and should you not come out ahead, what would your future be after that? Is it a must-win for you?
Harding: Every fight I fight is a must-win for me. So this one is no bigger than any of the rest of them. They were all must-win.
Question: Eric, are you training harder, or are you training like you usually train for fights?
Harding: Not really. I have trained a lot differently over the past year and a half. I have switched trainers myself, and have a strengthening/conditioning coach myself. So before I came to this camp I really had no idea about big preparations. Now, with the new team I have, we know about big preparation. The last two fights, we had a big preparation. We were prepared, and we had a good outcome.
Question: Eric, have you ever fought a guy 6’3” before?
Harding: Tarver, twice.
Question: Eric, what are your biggest strengths going in against a young guy like Chad?
Harding: My biggest strength is just being me; my experience, being the fighter I am. Being as dedicated as I am and as serious about boxing as I am now. It is a lot different for me.
Question: Eric, what changed all that? Was it maturity, and the fact you achieved such success, then lost, and now you are winning again?
Harding: Well, to have the success that I had early in my career, and to take things for granted like I did before, and to not have success. And then take two years off to … at some point I didn’t know if I wanted to fight anymore. (But) then I decided to come back and give 200%, and that is when I came back to boxing, and that is what I have done.
Question: Eric, do you remember approximately how many rounds you sparred, and where exactly it was?
Harding: I don’t know how many rounds we sparred, but we sparred up in Long Island one time, and we sparred in Hartford one time. I cannot remember how many rounds it was.
Question: It was definitely before the second Tarver fight, right?
Harding: Yes. I think it was before the second Tarver fight.
Question: Eric, what kind of difference has your new trainer made, specifically, in your camp, and how much has he meant to your comeback
Harding: Oh man, it is a whole different camp. It is a whole different atmosphere. It is a whole different training regiment. It is nothing like what I used to do. It was similar to what I used to do because all fighters basically do the same, you punch the bag, they spar, they run. But it is a lot more detailed and a lot more stuff added in.
Question: For Dan Birmingham, do you think that Chad, being more of a boxer, is more prepared to fight a tough southpaw than, say, Jeff Lacy was against Calzaghe.
Birmingham: Well, I do not even want to talk about Jeff at this point, because there were some other things involved. But Chad is ready. Chad is focused. I mean, I am living with him. He is 100 percent prepared. Believe me, you are going to see a kid, June 2, that is ready to be a world champion.
Question: Dan do you feel he is right there? I mean this is obviously a huge fight for him. It is his first fight at 175, but he is fighting a world class fighter. Do you feel …?
Birmingham: Yes, but I know what he does with Wink in sparring. I mean, the kid is ready and Eric is going to find out.
Question: You think he is right there as far as light heavyweight championship type fights?
Birmingham: I know he is. I know he is. And the whole world is going to find out.
Question: How do two guys that live an hour apart in Connecticut end up fighting in California?
Shaw: Both Mohegan and Foxwoods did not have the date available and did not have any future dates. One has women’s basketball, whatever, and Foxwoods could not take it. Chumash has been a very good casino and property, and we have done a lot of fights there. I know Gordon is happy with that venue. That is how we wound up there.
Hall: Yes. The crowd there is very knowledgeable. And they have always sold out the place. And they appreciate their boxing.
Question: Eric, for almost nearly the past decade, you have done nothing but take on the best in the light heavyweight division. Your career has kind of been spray painted all over the place. Is there any fear that it might eventually catch up to you? Like fighting someone like Chad, coming off an eight-month lay off?
Harding: I have come off longer layoffs than this and fought the best. Like you said, I have always fought the best. I can only get myself up to fight the best. Those are the fights that I really like and really interest me. Look at the fights that you can prove to everybody else, because I do not have to prove it to myself. I know me. I can prove to everybody else how good I really am. Those are the only fights that really interest me.
Question: Eric, so it is not a matter of like where, if you could take a stay busy fight, you would? Or is it that whatever fight comes along, you just have to take it?
Harding: Yes. Basically, I do not turn down any fights. Whoever in the world wants to fight me, I want to fight them too.
Question: Chad, what was your thinking in taking on someone like Eric in your first time out? You are willing to fight anybody, but why someone like Harding?
Dawson: He has a good resume. He beat Tarver, and he beat some of the greatest fighters. So me stepping up and taking this fight is only going to make me better. I know Eric is going to come in with his A game, and I am going to come with my A game. I definitely think I am the stronger fighter. I have seen Eric fight on occasion. I am really impressed by his punching power. I think I am going to come in with the punching power, the speed, and may the best boxer win, like I said before.
Question: For Dan, is this going to be your sixth fight with Chad?
Birmingham: Yeah.
Question: Dan, what, specifically, were the things you saw in Chad that you wanted to improve on after you guys hooked up? And some things that you have improved on?
Birmingham: Well, No. 1, when I met him in Las Vegas, I saw a real nice kid and good character. And that is the first thing I look for. And then I looked at some of his tapes and I saw the athleticism. So I thought, ‘This guy is trainable.’ So, we went back to basics and we have worked on everything. Nothing in specific, but everything in general.
Shaw: (For the record) I was the one who brought Chad to Dan. I just felt that one of the greatest things that I think Winky has that nobody realizes is his jab and his defense. And I thought that working with Dan, Chad could develop a stiff piston-like working jab like Winky, and develop … and I know Dan has worked on defense. And then it would be very hard to beat Chad Dawson at any weight. I do not know what they work on in the gym. I do not interfere with the training or the trainer. But that was my thought process when I brought him to Dan.
Birmingham: I think, back to Chad, we have been working on a lot of things. His punching power, and the philosophy of the 12-round fight. And the philosophy of how to be a champion. And he has learned that. And June 2, you are going to see him apply it in the ring.
Question: Chad, don’t you think this could be your best win?
Dawson: Yes, it will. I am ready for the fight. I have been ready. I have been in training camp for basically the last year. I mean, I have not let myself get out of shape. I have been in shape. I will go home for a week, I will come back to training camp. Like I said, this is going to be the … the outcome for me is going to be a victory and the world will know my name. I will be a household name. That is my goal.
Question: You have fought so many times on the eastern seaboard, and now this will be your third fight in a row outside of that area. Do you like that?
Dawson: I love it. You get to meet new people and they get the opportunity to see your talent and see your skill, and also see your face. So I love it.
Question: Eric, do you have any closing comments?
Harding: I would just like to say that I sit and I listened to everything that Chad said and his trainer and all that. But for me, none of that really means anything because when that bell rings, Dan Birmingham is going to get out of the ring, and he is going to leave Chad in the ring with me. So with that said, Winky cannot help him, Jeff cannot help him. None of those guys can help him.
Birmingham: We will not need any help, Eric. He is going to take you out by himself.
Harding: He is going to be in there with me, and you will see what happens when a grown man fights a young boy.
Dawson: You have got to touch me first. You have to get some punching power first.
Birmingham: That is right. You have to get punching power and you have to get …
Harding: I have one thing to say. And this shows confidence. If you think that you are coming up to beat me, let’s fight winner take all. Let’s bet your purse.
Birmingham: I will tell you what …
Dawson: I am not that dumb. I do not like gambling.
Birmingham: I am a gambling man, and I am confident. If you are that confident in yourself, and you are going to win, let’s bet the purse. I am a gambling man. I am willing to go for it. You never know. We are both going to be in there. You keep talking about punching power, and I do not have any. You have all the punching power. Go for it.
Dawson: I will see you the 2nd.
Harding: That shows me that you are not that confident, Chad.
Birmingham: Say that when you are on your back.
Harding: That shows me that you are not that confident, man.
Dawson: I do not want to take the bet. I mean, this is just a fight and it is not gambling. This is a fight. That is what I do.
Harding: I understand. This is just a business, and like you said, I have never had any ill feelings toward you. And I will not after this fight. But I mean, I am just that confident in myself and what I can do, and my conditioning and everything, that I am willing to go for it. I mean, but if you are not willing to go for it, that is fine too. Like you said, we will see each other June 2 and the best man will win. And afterwards we will shake hands and move on with our careers. Have a nice day.