01.06.06 – One night before the most anticipated rubber match in recent history between World Boxing Council (WBC) Lightweight Champion Diego Corrales and former two-time WBC titleholder Jose Luis Castillo, Eric Harding will defend his North American Boxing Federation (NABF) light heavyweight belt against undefeated Chad Dawson in a battle of world-ranked southpaws on SHOWTIME.
Dawson (21-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs), is set to challenge Harding (23-3-1, seven KOs) in the 12-round “ShoBox: The New Generation” main event Friday, June 2, on SHOWTIME (11 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). In the co-feature, undefeated Mario Santiago will face Lenny DeVictoria in a 10-round featherweight match for the vacant USNBC, a minor title of the WBC. Gary Shaw Productions, LLC, will promote the doubleheader from the Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.
ERIC HARDING (23-3-1, SEVEN KOs) 174 Pounds
“I am going to be the aggressor. I am going to come forward and apply pressure. I can fight any style and beat any style. If Dawson tries to outbox me, I will beat him. If he tries to slug it out with me, I can handle that too.”
“I hope to dominate the first five rounds and wear Dawson out. I want to break him down. I would like this to be an inside fight. We will have to see if he wants to make it an inside fight.”
“I did not train to go 12 rounds. I trained to knock Dawson out.”
(Regarding loss to Antonio Tarver in rematch): “I let my confidence become ignorance. I trained really hard for the first fight against Tarver. I just was not there the second time. It was a learning experience. Tarver knows he cannot catch lightning in a bottle twice. That is why he is not rushing to fight me a third time.”
CHAD DAWSON (21-0, 1 NC, 15 KOs 175 Pounds
“Harding is not a hard puncher. He is a good boxer. I do not think he will be the aggressor, so I will have no choice but to take the fight to him. I want to land the jab as much as possible.”
“I used to look up to Harding. I saw him fight many times when I was a kid. Now, I will look down on him when I win.”
“When I get in the ring, I do not look at whether someone is right or left handed. I just look at someone who is trying to take me out.”
DAN BIRMINGHAM (Dawson’s Trainer)
“Harding is a crafty boxer, but Dawson is too young, strong and determined. When everything works out Friday, we are going for a world title.”
MARIO SANTIAGO (14-0, NINE KOs) 124 Pounds
“When I was little, my uncle always taught me to punch to the body. Now, that is my best weapon.”
“I have new management and my career is now more solid than it has ever been.”
“I am 27, but I feel very young. I live a pretty straight life. I have a wife and kids. I am always at home. I do not go to clubs or do drugs.”
LENNY DEVICTORIA (8-3, TWO KOs) 126 Pounds
“I am a banger. I like to go straight forward and fight. Normally, I am a slow starter, but I usually pick up the pace in the fifth round.”
“Santiago is not a bad fighter. He has a good jab. We believe if we neutralize his speed, we will beat him. He will not be able to hurt me with just one or two shots.”