Eric Harding (21-3-1, 7 KO's) is set to face David Telesco (29-5-1, 24 KO's) at the Mohegan Sun Resort in Uncasville, CT on February 11th. Harding is very anxious to step back into the ring after only fighting twice in the last two years. Boxingtalk was able to speak with Eric about his upcoming fight and what his thoughts are of David Telesco as well as what he thought about the Tarver-Johnson fight.
Jose Aguirre: Eric, you have a fight coming up on February 11th against David Telesco. How's training going for this fight?
Eric Harding:"Everything is coming along good for the fight. Training hard. It's all up to the man upstairs now. I'm just so excited about the work that I've put in while in the gym training and stuff. Eveything is fine."
JA: What do you know about David Telesco and what do you expect from him when you step into the ring?
EH: "I'm expecting a tough fight. I don't think he will get in there and lay down and say I'm better than him. I know he's a pretty good puncher and a strong kid. I'm expecting it to be what I do, a fight."
JA: What can the fans expect from you on that day?
EH: "They can expect to see a more focused Eric. A better conditioned fighter than in the past. My body is looking great. I have no eating problems or weight problems. They can expect to see some fighting."
JA: How anxious are you to get back into the ring after being out of it for quite some time?
EH: "I'm very anxious. Especially when you've done all the hard work that I've done. If you're a real fighter and you love to fight like I do then you're nothing but anxious. I'm anxious and I'm patient at the same time."
JA: In your last two fights you faced two fighters who last fought each other with Glen Johnson besting Antonio Tarver. What did you think of Johnson in that fight?
EH: "I've learned from Glen Johnson since he and I fought. He and I got to spend some time together and I got to see his work ethics and I've learned some things from him. I think he is what he is, a warrior. As a human being he's a very nice man. I have nothing bad to say about him. He's not one of those guys that's arrogant or anything like that. Every fight that he's won. Everything that he's got over the last year and a half he deserves it. Nothing was ever handed to him. He deserves it. He worked hard."
JA: What did you think about Tarver's performance in the fight with Johnson?
EH: "I thought it would go just as I called it. I called it and I told these guy how I thought it was going to go and it went the same way I told them it would go. Nothing surprised me about it. I thought Tarver handled himself well but he could have handled himself better. I don't know if he underestimated Glen or not but Tarver had to deal with what Tarver had to deal with. Eric had to deal with what Eric had to deal with. There are no hard feelings there either."
JA: There has been alot of shifting in the light heavyweight division with Tarver taking out Roy Jones, then Johnson taking out Tarver. Where do you see yourself fitting in at the light heavyweight division?
EH: "I never really thought about it. Right now I'm really just focusing on winning this next fight. Afterwards whereever the chips may fall or where ever people want to put me at. Whoever they wan me to fight. I don't proclaim to be no more or less than what I am. I see myself as one of the better light heavyweights whether people want to say that or whether I say it. I don't get into saying I'm better than him in the ratings. I'm a fighter I just fight."
JA: Is there anything you want to say in closing?
EH: "I'd like to say to all the people that supported Eric thanks for being a fan of mine. I've worked hard over the last four months to get you guys the performances that you believe that I can give. I'm looking forward to going out and proving everybody that says that Eric Harding is one of the best light heavyweight in the world right! Thanks to all the people who have come up to me over the last year and said these exact words "Yo man please come back and beat Tarver and shut him up". People I don't even know.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE
Send questions and comments to: onfireboxing@verizon.net
