Jeff Harding (boxer)

Jeff Harding
Personal information
Born 5 February 1965

Jeff Harding (born 5 February 1965 in Sydney) was a world champion boxer from Australia, known as "Hit Man". Jeff lived in South Grafton N.S.W. Australia and was a student at South Grafton High School. He trained with Steve Cansdell in Grafton before relocating to Sydney where he was first trained by John Lewis at the Newtown Police Boys' Club from where he won his first amateur title (NSW State). Others training at Club with John Lewis at that time included Jeff Fenech and Peter Mitrevski amongst others. Jeff later chose to relocate to a Gym in Glebe (Sydney) where he was trained by Manny Hinton.

Professional career

Harding turned professional in 1986 and in 1989 won the WBC Light Heavyweight Title with a 12th round TKO over Dennis Andries in only his 15th professional fight with Johnny Lewis in his corner. He defended the title twice before losing the belt via KO in 1990 in a rematch with Andries. In 1991 he recaptured the WBC Light Heavyweight Title by taking a majority decision over Andries in their third match. He defended the belt twice before losing the title in 1994 to Mike McCallum by unanimous decision. Harding retired after the bout.

After Boxing

After years of battling alcohol abuse, he attempted to turn a corner. In September 2009 he had been off the drink for 4 months.

Professional boxing record

23 Wins (17 knockouts, 6 decisions), 2 Losses (1 knockout, 1 decision)
Result Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 46-2-1 Jamaica Mike McCallum UD 12 23/07/1994 North Dakota Bismarck Civic Center, Bismarck, North Dakota, United States WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. 112-116, 114-115, 113-115.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 15-10-3 United States David Vedder UD 12 03/12/1992 France Salle Franklin, Saint-Jean-de-Luz, France WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. 117-113, 116-114, 118-114.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 30-1 France Christophe Tiozzo TKO 8 05/06/1992 France Palais des Sports de Marseille, Marseille, France WBC World Light Heavyweight Title.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 39-8-2 United Kingdom Dennis Andries MD 12 11/09/1991 England Odeon Cinema, Hammersmith, London, United Kingdom WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. 115-114, 115-113, 114-114.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 23-4-1 United States Bobby Jennings TKO 7 02/06/1991 Queensland Conrad Jupiters Casino, Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia Referee stopped the bout at 0:57 of the seventh round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 13-9-3 United States David Vedder UD 10 14/12/1990 New South Wales Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia 98-92, 97-94, 100-92.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 15-18-3 United States Stacy McSwain KO 3 13/10/1990 New South Wales Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background: #ffdddd; color: black; vertical-align: middle; text-align: center; " class="table-no2" |Loss 36-8-2 United Kingdom Dennis Andries KO 7 28/07/1990 Victoria (Australia) Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. Harding knocked out at 2:15 of the seventh round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 28-4-2 Argentina Nestor Hipolito Giovannini TKO 11 18/03/1990 New Jersey Resorts Casino Hotel, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 0:56 of the 11th round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 24-15-1 United Kingdom Tom Elton Collins RTD 2 24/10/1989 Queensland Brisbane Entertainment Centre, Boondall, Queensland, Australia WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. Collins retired at 3:00 of the second round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 34-7-2 United Kingdom Dennis Andries TKO 12 24/06/1989 New Jersey Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States WBC World Light Heavyweight Title. Referee stopped the bout at 1:23 of the 12th round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 27-3-2 Argentina Nestor Hipolito Giovannini UD 10 10/05/1989 New South Wales Newcastle Basketball Stadium, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia 98-93, 98-95, 96-95.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 12-2 United States Art Jimmerson UD 10 01/03/1989 New South Wales Cardiff Workers Club, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia 100-90, 100-87, 100-82.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 18-0 Brazil Carlos Antunes Fonseca KO 9 07/12/1988 New South Wales Seagulls Rugby League Club, Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 9-10-1 United States Charlie Dean Moore TKO 8 05/09/1988 New South Wales Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 27-3-2 United States Don Vincent Lee TKO 8 18/07/1988 New South Wales Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 36-17-6 Argentina Jorge Juan Salgado TKO 5 06/06/1988 New South Wales Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 21-4 Australia Doug Sam TKO 5 28/04/1988 New South Wales Rosehill Racecourse, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia OPBF Light Heavyweight Title.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 5-0-1 Samoa Apollo Sweet UD 10 16/03/1988 New South Wales Mount Pritchard Community Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia New South Wales Cruiserweight Title. 99-93, 98-94, 98-94.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 6-3 Fiji Mosese Vilia TKO 2 11/12/1987 New South Wales Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Referee stopped the bout at 1:21 of the second round.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 4-7 Fiji Luka "Sugar" Joel KO 2 25/09/1987 New South Wales Cronulla Workingmen's Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia Australasian Light Heavyweight Title.
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 9-8 New Zealand Johnny Taupau, Sr. TKO 2 24/07/1987 New South Wales Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 18-17-1 Australia Materati Valu KO 2 19/06/1987 New South Wales Blacktown RSL Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 23-7-2 Australia Emmanuel Otti TKO 5 05/02/1987 New South Wales Hordern Pavilion, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style="background:#bfd; color:black; vertical-align:middle; text-align:center; " class="table-yes2" |Win 19-13-3 Australia Tommy "Gun" Roberts KO 4 07/11/1986 New South Wales Marrickville RSL Club, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

External links

Preceded by
Dennis Andries
WBC Light Heavyweight Champion
24 June 1989 28 July 1990
Succeeded by
Dennis Andries
WBC Light Heavyweight Champion
11 November 1991 23 July 1994
Succeeded by
Mike McCallum