On June 2, 2006, a 33-year-old Eric Harding (23-3-1, 7 KOs) and a 23-year-old Chad Dawson (21-0, 15 KOs) met in the ring in a light-heavyweight bout.
Harding came in to the fight on a 2-fight win streak with a 25% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 7 months and 12 days. Dawson was on a 21-fight win streak with a 71% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 2 months and 29 days.
Chad Dawson defeated Eric Harding via unanimous decision in the 12-round light-heavyweight fight. Dawson improves his record to 22-0, while Harding adds a loss to his record at 23-4-1.
On May 18, 2003, a 30-year-old Eric Harding (21-2-1, 7 KOs) and a 34-year-old Jamaican boxer Glen Johnson (38-9-1, 27 KOs) met in the ring in a light-heavyweight bout.
Harding came in to the fight on a 1-fight losing streak with a 29% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 9 months and 28 days. Johnson was on a 0-fight win streak with a 56% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 1 month and 14 days.
Glen Johnson defeated Eric Harding via unanimous decision in the 12-round light-heavyweight fight. Johnson improves his record to 39-9-1, while Harding adds a loss to his record at 21-3-1.
On July 20, 2002, a 29-year-old Eric Harding (21-1-1, 7 KOs) and a 33-year-old Antonio Tarver (19-1, 16 KOs) met in the ring for the 2nd time,.
Harding came in to the fight on a 2-fight win streak with a 30% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 7 months and 6 days. Tarver was on a 3-fight win streak with a 80% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 5 months and 25 days.
In the rematch, Antonio Tarver stopped Eric Harding via TKO in the 5th round. Tarver improves his record to 20-1 (17 KOs), while Harding adds a loss to his record at 21-2-1.
On September 9, 2000, a 27-year-old Eric Harding (19-0-1, 6 KOs) got a shot at the light-heavyweight IBF and WBC title held by 31-year-old Roy Jones Jr. (42-1, 34 KOs).
Harding came in to the fight on a 19-fight win streak with a 30% KO rate, and was fighting after a gap of 2 months and 17 days. Jones Jr. was on a 8-fight win streak with a 79% KO rate, and fighting after a layoff of 3 months and 27 days.
The challenger refused to continue the fight in the 10th round, and Roy Jones Jr. is crowned the new light-heavyweight world champion. Jones Jr. improves his record to 43-1 (35 KOs), while Harding adds a loss to his record at 19-1-1.