Let's compare these two fighters by the numbers and that's our tale of the tape.
You'll see the biggest difference certainly in the age. Dennis Andres claiming to be 35 by his own admission may be closer to 40 years old.
At ringside for this afternoon's fight there is the undisputed world heavyweight champion Mike Tyson.
He's getting ready for his fight coming up in July against Carl Williams.
The rules for today, the scoring will be on the 10 point must system. The three knockdown rule is not in effect.
Neither is the standing eight and a fighter cannot be saved by the bell in any round.
There's our referee for today Joe Cortez from New Jersey and we're ready to get this on.
Our three scoring judges today by the way Richard Murray, Arsenio Garcia and Ismael Quinones.
Round one underway Dennis Andres in the gold trunks. Jeff Harding the challenger from Australia wearing the black.
Dennis Andres is traditionally a slow starter but he's picked up the pace, his normal pace a little bit here.
I think that's smart. I don't think he wants this kid to get any confidence. I think he wants to try to jump right on him, drain him of confidence and not let him into this fight.
There's a left jab by Harding who told us ahead of time that was his plan.
He wanted to hide behind that jab. He wants to stay behind it until he figures out Dennis Andres, certainly the stiffest competition Jeff Harding has ever seen.
The word that used to be synonymous with Dennis Andres was awkward. I mean he was a very crude awkward guy but he has at the advanced stages of his career in his middle or late 30s refined himself.
They say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Emmanuel Stewart says when Dennis Andres got to the Cronk gym in Detroit he didn't know any tricks. He had to teach them.
Alex wouldn't know a good word to describe Andres being relentless. He just beats on you and beats on you.
Yeah he is prepared to do whatever is necessary to win. He'll just keep coming back at you. He has tremendous resiliency.
And so does Jeff Harding. I mean to this date so far in his career against the opponents that he's faced he has shown the ability to take punishment and come back also.
He is not the type of fighter talking about Harding who's going to score much going backwards. He's a typical Australian fighter in that respect. He's going to move forward and try to take the offensive.
Dennis Andres though not an opponent used to going backwards so.
No neither man.
This will be fought in the middle of the ring I would suspect.
Right.
Good jabs by Harding but good work to the body by Andres. Left and right combinations to the ribs.
You know it's ironic both these men if you had to find a fault with them the most glaring thing has been that they have good body shot there by Harding. Very good.
Both men have had defensive liabilities. They've been wide open and easy to hit.
A good right from Andres found home and you saw it snap the head of Harding back. And now it's Jeff Harding up against the ropes.
The point I was making about defense both men are concentrating at times on holding their hands up much higher than normal.
There's a cut on the left eye an abrasion or a cut in left eye of the challenger Harding by the amount of redness and a solid right from Andres landed on that eye and it has opened it up.
It also buckled the legs of Jeff Harding.
A lot of punches from both fighters have landed. There's another left to the ear of Harding.
These two fighters have taken a toll on each other already here in the first round.
And now it's Jeff Harding.
The bell just sounds and round two is underway and Alex between rounds we could see that that cut is more to the side of Jeff Harding's eye.
Right it may bother him more mentally than physically. I don't think it's going to obscure his vision but it's a tough thing to go in trying for your world title and get busted up in the first round.
The way these two are landing punches in the first round you have to wonder if they can do that to each other over the course of 12 not a lot of solid blows and not at that pace they can.
Right now Dennis Andres is backing up much more than he did in the first round. He's giving more ground.
Oh good good right and then two left by Dennis Andres that might look like a somewhat wild overhand right by Andres but that's a straight right compared to what he used to do he used to really wing his punches.
He has been working hard to shorten them up. Oh and another right followed by right both landing to Harding but still neither one of those punches rocked him backwards.
I'll tell you something Jeff Harding may not yet be a world class fighter but he has a world class chin. I mean he's taken some solid shots right on the button he did buck a little bit once in the first round but he's still in there winging.
He's a tough kid and he in turn Alex has landed some solid blows to the body on Andres neither one of these two fighters using their bicycle here today. I think they're on the rack.
This is a definite phone booth fight. This could be fought in an eight foot ring.
Action here in the second round from Atlantic City New Jersey. Almost a low blow by Harding very close. Dennis Dennis thinks you can lose the almost.
Oh and another right finds the chin of Harding and Dennis Andres swinging that right the left lands and Jeff Harding up against the ropes.
And Alex your point I think is well made that right looks like it's wild but it's it's going right where it's supposed to go. Yeah and Harding also is not just not a good enough fighter to get out of the way of it.
He's been able in his 14 pro fights today to get by on toughness.
He can take two punches to land his one because his one has always been stronger but now he's in with a guy who's as strong as he is.
And then the other fighter Joe Cortez the referee telling Harding to work off the ropes just don't stay there.
Neither fighter giving any ground but up to this point it's been Jeff Harding who's been absorbing most of the heavy blows a majority.
Dan a lot of fighters would get discouraged when they hit a man with as good many good punches as Dennis Andres has hit Harding with and haven't had him go down.
And Andres does not discourage easily coming to the end of the second round.
Rockham Sockham.
Can't hear anything. There I am.
Yeah we're having made we're having major audio Bob you got to speak very loudly.
You're breaking up horribly.
Ted Williams you see Ted Williams over there.
This is action in the third round that just got started.
Dennis Andres the champion in the gold trunks and he has been landing some rockets to Jeff Harding's face and body.
But Alex you made the point about Harding having a world class chin at least to this point it looks like he does.
He also got a good cut man that cut that cut is that was not a problem in round two and would know is there is round three starts.
The one thing we know for sure about Jeff Harding who fights in the same stable with Jeff Fennig the WBC featherweight champion is that is that Johnny Lewis the trainer does one thing with his fighters.
They are relentless and they are in shape.
They could go 20 and 30 rounds at least that's the impression they give you.
He also likes to emphasize body punching Harding just landed two solid blows one with each hand to the body.
We now see a little bit of blood from the nose of Jeff Harding.
I think that I call Fennig the featherweight champ if I did he's a lightweight champ.
I'm not sure what I said Jeff Fennig long side at ringside sitting next to Mike Tyson.
You were right the first time he was retired now but he was the featherweight champion.
Sooner or later I'll get it.
Oh good right.
A good contingent has come up from Australia.
There's a look at Fennig right next to Mike Tyson.
Who's that guy sitting next to Jeff Fennig.
Since he retired because of bad hands a few months ago Jeff Fennig looks like he'd have trouble making the middleweight limit right now.
He does look big.
Jeff Harding and only his 15th professional fight.
Right in the center of the ring he's not going anywhere.
And right now Dennis Andre seems to be loading up a little bit more he seems to be looking for a little bit of air.
I think Jeff excuse me Jeff Harding would do very well to try to jump on Dennis Andre's right now not let him catch his breath.
Of course you say that you always wonder if Harding needs the breather as well.
Two good shots to the body by Andres.
Yeah you see it and in turn Harding counters.
Good work inside by Jeff Harding.
Oh and a solid right uppercut from Andres got between the gloves.
Neither man has any ability to slip a punch.
They either try their defenses either to hold their hands up in front of their face or that's all they have.
They really just don't throw punches.
The end of round three.
You know that might have been Harding.
You got to start throwing some more punches particularly Jeff.
How you doing man?
And Alex here in the beginning of the fourth round as we look back at round number three.
One of those rounds very difficult to score.
That's one of those easily could go to either fighter.
Well Andres was so dominant not so dominant but dominated the first two that you kind of look for the other guy to.
Oh just missed you look for the other guy to make a move and Harding definitely made a move in that round.
May have been even Harding might have won it just barely but it was a round in which he got a little bit back into the fight.
And you could sense the concern in Andres corner between rounds.
Emmanuel Stewart telling Dennis Dennis you can't back up and you have to throw more punches.
You have to get his respect.
Right now Harding has been hit with a lot of heavy punches but he has no respect yet for Dennis Andres.
We mentioned Dennis Andres was living in London but came to Detroit to work under that man.
Emmanuel Stewart the patriarch of the Kronk Gymnasium in Detroit one of boxing's more famous table gyms.
And these two are just trading some heavy duty artillery.
Very very few jabs.
Both men say they like the jab.
Dennis Andres trying to develop one late in his career.
There they both tried him.
Oh and a solid right from Andres to the ribs of Harding.
And a good inside left with it too Dan.
Again an uppercut from Andres and then he backs out and follows it with a right.
Oh and a solid combination left and right from Andres.
But Harding just takes it and doesn't move back.
And keeps coming back.
You have to wonder what Jeff Harding could do for training Alex to prepare himself for this kind of punishment in the ring.
He could hit walls with his chin I guess.
I don't mean he is getting wrapped with huge power punches.
And every time he gets hit with those big punches from Andres he doesn't back up.
He comes and counters and a good right.
And that caught Harding's attention.
Another right from Andres scores.
That hit glove.
The left eye of Jeff Harding is no longer bleeding but it is swelling a little bit.
And another right to the hairline followed by a left.
And right about now you'd have to think Andres is saying to himself my god what do I have to hit this guy with.
I think he is reaching a stage where if this kid doesn't have the effect of his punch show the effect of the punches soon.
Dennis will get discouraged.
It's been fast and furious.
The fourth round is coming to a close here in Atlantic City.
Stay with us.
Keep doing what you are doing.
Keep going.
Keep going.
This is the beginning of round number five.
Dennis Andres the champion in the gold.
Jeff Harding is challenger wearing the black.
There we go.
And Jeff Harding to this point has shown that he can take a lot of punishment illustrated there by that right left combination from Andres.
Emmanuel Stewart told Dennis in the corner between rounds keep throwing that right hand.
He can hit him with it and no man could take that punch for long.
Jeff Harding has not only taken it but he's also countered with good punches of his own.
And there goes Harding down.
Jeff Harding getting up with a smile on his face and Alex a mystery blow.
I didn't really see a big enough punch to drop him after what he's taken.
We'll wait and see the replay and then I didn't either.
He's obviously not hurt.
Only been down once before.
Never before as a pro once before as an amateur.
And that will count as the first knockdown of his career.
Ruling knocked down by referee Joe Cortez and he really had no choice.
But it was obvious to us at ringside that Harding really wasn't affected at all by whatever it was that put him to the canvas.
I don't think he was affected because I don't think he was hit very much.
It had to be the feet getting tangled up somehow or just a cuff to throw down his maybe his own feet got tangled.
We'd like to alert our ABC stations down the line that at the conclusion of this round we'll be taking a station break.
But that's that's an important event in the fight because that was a case where now makes us a two point round even though he wasn't hurt even though there was no apparent punch.
Still a two point round.
Well that's normally the way you could count on a judge to score that when there's a knockdown he adds he takes away the extra point.
Of course you can't imagine that these guys could go to a decision anyway the way they're fighting.
But they are both very very well conditioned as we said at the top.
Jeff Harding content to hammer away at the ribs and work inside with a close compact punches.
Neither one of these two has any intention of moving backward.
And you and I were talking earlier Alex about the Australian fighters.
I said that I thought Harding had a facial resemblance to Jeff Fennec.
He has a fighting resemblance to Fennec as well.
You know he has the same intensity the same determination the same grit.
ABC's Wide World of Sports will continue after this word from our ABC stations.
Let's listen to Manuel Stewart in the corner of Dennis Andres.
You can see them applying the cold device that they keep in ice to reduce the swelling.
Let's listen in now to the corner of Jeff Harding. Let's see if we can pick something up.
Those are the words of his trainer Johnny Lewis.
And we're underway in round number six from the Atlantic City Convention Center.
Jeff Harding and Dennis Andres in a match to this point that they've dished out some punishment.
You have to wonder whether they can go 12. That's what we're scheduled for here today.
And again we're here in Atlantic City New Jersey. Dennis Andres the champion in the goal.
Jeff Harding in the black. We're underway in round six.
Two minutes and 20 seconds remaining here in the sixth round.
Dan I know you're supposed to give a 10-8 round whenever there's a knockdown.
I scored that last round 10-9 for Dennis Andres. I just didn't give him the 10-8.
The punch we looked at it on replay in between rounds. It was just a cup and Jeff Harding's knee.
I'm sorry. Feet got caught. He just went down really off balance.
It was obvious that Harding was fine as he popped right up.
And in between rounds we looked in on the corner of Jeff Harding and here he is sitting there after five rounds.
Fighting the type of fight that he fought. He wasn't even breathing through his mouth.
A remarkably conditioned athlete. I'd have to say the same for Dennis Andres as well.
The ability to take a punch comes from conditioning.
You have to have a God-given chin.
But at the end of the day the ability to come back, the ability to have resiliency mean these guys have put in tremendous amounts of time getting themselves ready for this fight.
I guess paraphrasing that would be what Vince Lombardi said. Fatigue makes cowards of us all. You're right.
No cowards today. No.
First time Jeff Harding is laid on the ropes.
His corner yelling get off the ropes.
You can see he doesn't have the skill to turn his man but he does have the strength to try to fight his way off.
And he did so pretty effectively there.
That big overhand right from Andres landed on the glove of Harding.
Jeff is still throwing punches. It's still landing punches. He looks a little bit slower right now.
Neither one of these two, the least bit hesitant to work the body when they're inside close.
The other thing when you're in condition is you wait for second wins and third wins. They're at the shoulder of Jeff Harding.
Yeah and Joe Cortez gives him the warning.
That's a good job by Cortez. It was obvious that Harding cleared Andres off with a forearm.
Good job there by Joe Cortez as Dennis Andres started to hold ahead of Jeff Harding.
To the midsection of Dennis Andres and Cortez let him continue to work.
Sixth round is winding down.
This fight is scheduled for 12. If it makes it we're halfway there.
We've got to be tight here. Get on the ropes. We want to do the work. Get off the ropes and put him on there.
We've got to pick it up now. We've got to pick it up now.
We're going into the last half of the fight now.
You're losing the fight. You're losing the championship. You're losing the power.
You can't think about it when you get home. Throw the right hands lower. You're throwing them two down half. Bring them down some.
In the seventh round we're started here in Atlantic City. And Alex pretty funny words by Emmanuel Stewart between rounds.
Well he told Dennis Andres the champion that you're losing the fight. Now I question Emmanuel's sincerity in saying that. I think that's motivational.
He also said you've got to pick up the pace. And Dennis looked at him like please God.
Emmanuel Stewart proving to be a tough man to please telling his fighter to pick up the pace and you're losing.
The only round I've seen that Harding might have won would have been the third.
Oh good work inside by Jeff Harding. Oh and again there right gets over the top and lands by Andres.
With all the punches they're throwing their heads are also very close doing some punishment causing some punishment from time to time.
Again a reminder to everyone about our light heavyweight bout we've got coming your way tomorrow from the same ring.
It's going to be Prince Charles Williams and Bobby Ches on our slits small liquor professional boxing series.
That'll be a rematch of their October 87 fight for 30 Eastern 330 Central tomorrow.
And we didn't know what this fight would turn out to be because Harding was so unknown.
We knew tomorrow's fight would be good because of the styles and the motivation of Ches and Williams in their rematch.
But this fight we really were unsure about. But Harding really has been as good or better than we could have ever dreamed.
Working the uppercuts as Harding and then the left counter gets in and lands on the air.
But neither one of these two fighters seems to have an impact on the other guy.
And Alex my ears can't be deceiving me. Those are solid blows.
Yeah sometimes you can land a lot of punches and wonder why the other guy doesn't go.
And it's because the guy landing the punches doesn't have power. Both these men have proven power.
Again Jeff Harding on the ropes and showing an inability to get off.
That's more or less a case of Andres just letting him off.
That left eye on Harding is open again and it may be open a little bit more on top this time.
I've got to go back and reference what we were talking about earlier about Dennis Andres being 35 years old and potentially being even older than that Alex.
To keep up this kind of pace for a 12 round fight. Truly remarkable for a man of that age.
There are people in England who say Dennis Andres is 40 years old.
I mean he just really is an amazing specimen. He's very dedicated and very very determined.
Draw a hot bath for these two. If this goes much longer they've got to be hurting.
That's your round.
This is the champion's round.
You're in the champion?
How do you feel?
I'm a champ, Doc.
You don't feel like a champion if you get hit.
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome Mr. Andres.
He's my line-up.
How you doing, man?
I'm going to need these five now. You've got to take it.
And the bell sounds to get the eighth round started here in Atlantic City.
This is the WBC Light Heavyweight Championship between Dennis Andres and Jeff Harding.
I'm Dan Deardorff along with Alex Wallow and this has been a fight Alex.
Not much on finesse but a whole lot of toughness and a whole lot of great shots landed by both fighters.
And both fighters have stood up to the shots. The other man has landed.
I mean it's really been remarkable especially Jeff Harding.
It's hard to believe that this fight with all the punches that have been landed that this fight could go to a decision.
Especially the body punches that have been landed like the ones that Harding just landed on Andres.
You'd think they'd have a toll here in the later rounds that one of these guys, oh you see Andres there.
Touching his left eye like he thought he might have gotten cut.
If it wasn't for the physical signs that this fight has gone this long in terms of the redness around the face of Harding and his cut eye
to look at these two fighters and the way they're moving and the way they're breathing you'd think this was four or five rounds ago.
This is as much action as you will ever see with two guys of this size. Light heavyweights.
If you joined us late the pace you are seeing here in round number eight has not changed from the opening bell.
This is actually a little bit, oh there. Andres goes back on the ropes on purpose.
Stung by a Harding shot.
Andres trying to load up with a wild right that was easily blocked.
And his combination gets between the gloves of Harding.
And this is Jeff Harding's opportunity in this fight.
Dennis Andres is not real hurt. He's still dangerous but he needs a rest.
And psychologically Dennis Andres has to be saying to himself I don't think I can take this guy out.
I don't know if I can hit him hard enough to take him out.
He may not stay that way but for the first time in the fight Dennis Andres actually looks discouraged.
So in a good left right combination from Harding both found the chin of Dennis Andres.
I think Harding can feel it. He's trying to turn it up a notch.
A right from Dennis Andres that took him off balance. One of the signs that fatigue is beginning to set in.
Is he reaching the point where the younger fighter has an advantage? I don't know.
Four rounds scheduled. This bout is supposed to be 12.
Round 8 comes to a close.
We're coming home.
And when you throw the right hand, break it down.
Just underway in the ninth round.
The eighth round being Jeff Harding's best round to date. Wouldn't you say Alex?
Absolutely. Let's see if we can sustain the action of whether Dennis Andres gets his second, third, fourth win wherever he is.
Oh man. That uppercut is such a dangerous punch. He's landed it a number of times.
Tries it again because that can really bust up a man's nose and get him a lot of trouble breathing.
Harding has not seemingly been affected by them.
He's got his fighters bleeding from the mouth. It doesn't appear to be serious for either one of the two.
But when you look at the two fighters between rounds, Jeff Harding clearly appears to be the better in shape.
Good body punch there by Harding.
There's a baseball card show taking place here in Atlantic City. And how's that?
That's a Yankee Clipper Joe DiMaggio sitting next to the splendid splinter Ted Williams.
Two of baseball's greatest players taking in the fight here today in Atlantic City.
Maury Will is also here. Joe DiMaggio though is a real good fight fan.
He's the kind of guy that would show up in a fight whether he was doing a baseball card signing or not.
Well I bet both of those guys are saying spring training was never this tough.
Getting the little white ball doesn't seem so hard compared to what these two are doing to each other.
Each of these fighters are like to have a baseball bat in their hands right now.
I don't know if they could hurt each other. Oh a good combination from Harding.
The crowd sensing a momentum shift.
And Jeff Fennec, Harding's Australian teammate and friend over in the front row on the other side of the ring, about to hyperventilate.
There's just really not a lot to analyze here. Dan, I mean you hit me, I'll hit you.
And who's in the best condition and who can take the punch the best and who can throw the most punches?
That blow from Andres hit the glove of Harding. Don't be confused by the sound.
We are in the ninth round of this championship fight. Oh good left by Andres.
You pointed out about Harding but you know neither of these men is really sucking for air. They both just, it's unbelievable.
Again Harding on the ropes and not showing the ability to get out.
And again it's Andres who more or less lets him off although Harding comes out with a pretty strong left.
Jeff Harding is a little bit too upright there. He's throwing punches but he needs to bend like that.
Like he did for the body punch to get the leverage. He can't stand straight up.
The waning seconds of the ninth round. What more can he ask for?
He's the one that's tired. He's the one that's starting to run on empty. He can only tire us down if he hits us.
He's going to stay in place all the time.
In the tenth round these two pick up where they left off. Right in the middle of the ring and wailing away.
And Alex I know announcers often are guilty of over hyping their event but what do you say about a fight like this?
Yeah I'm in a little bit of trouble right now because I never thought this fight was going to distance. So I've got to figure out the scoring.
Harding I have winning the last two rounds. He's climbed back into it. I think he'd have to at least win two out of these last three.
That's the way my scorecard reads as well that he would have to win two of the three to have a shot at it.
Because it was Dennis Andres through the first six rounds with maybe Harding stealing the third.
But it has been Jeff Harding and his ability to take everything that Dennis Andres has thrown his way.
And we're not talking about fluff either. We're talking about heavy duty barrages.
A good example there. Two good lefts from Andres.
Now by the same token Harding has hit Andres with a lot. A good example of that left to the body. But Andres doesn't appear to be worse from where.
He came right back with a brutal right hand to the head.
That slit over the left eye of Harding is just starting to open again.
Dennis Andres shaking his head as he backed out of that last exchange. Has to be a frustrated fighter.
All of a sudden Jeff Harding is starting to show the effects of this. Bleeding from the nose, bleeding from the mouth, bleeding from the left eye.
But still coming forward. Still trying to become the first light heavyweight, the Australian light heavyweight, to win a world championship.
He's got the heart of a big time fighter.
Now you have to wonder if he's fighting a fighter who wants to show a lot of movement. What kind of fighter Harding would be.
But we've certainly not had any of that today by either one of these two.
I think you're exactly right. He might have trouble with a clever boxer.
But there are going to be too many men who stand there and make themselves available outside of Dennis Andres who are going to be able to stand up to this.
He's a tough kid.
That may be the stupidest thing I've ever said.
What scares me is it made sense to me.
You don't know he's a tough kid by now. You haven't been watching.
This is the end of the 10th round.
We'll be back. Stay with us, won't you?
All right.
Get your hands up.
That's the bell that begins the 11th round for the WBC World Light Heavyweight Championship here at the Convention Center in Atlantic City.
Dennis Andres wearing the gold, Jeff Harding the challenger wearing the black.
And these two have wailed away on each other for 10 rounds.
I'm Dan Dierdorf along with Alex Wallow and some punishment has been dished out.
Chewed, digested, and neither one of these guys showing much in the way of an effect.
Well, Harding bleeding from the nose now.
But again, it's difficult to tell whether it's more along the line of abrasions or really something internal.
When somebody bleeds from the nose like Harding is bleeding, you wonder whether he has broken that nose.
The minute I say neither one of them showing much for worse for where Harding is now beginning to bleed pretty profusely from that nose.
Oh, again, the good Harding body punch.
A lot of fighters are afraid to get in close like that, aren't they, Alex, and work the body?
Certainly leaves you exposed to the uppercut.
Especially when you're as busted up as Jeff Harding is and when the guy uses his head like that.
Oh, and another right, the left was blocked, but the right really rocked Harding.
And what does he do? He counters and knocks Andres back to the ropes.
Arm punching right now. Jeff Harding should dig down and rip some punches, not arm punch.
And the blood really starting to come out of the nose of Jeff Harding.
And now it's Dennis Andres, but Harding fights his way off the ropes.
Look at the Andres head.
Andres leaning on Harding, attempting to keep him on the ropes.
Nifty little side step by Jeff Harding. That's the first time he's made a move on the ropes.
Oh, tremendous body punching by Jeff Harding.
And it shows on Dennis Andres, who's covering up.
A little bit of a wobble, and Dennis Andres right there for those four body punches.
And that right sends Andres back, and for the first time Dennis Andres giving the appearance of a man in trouble.
If Harding could dig down and throw and land a series of power punches, Joe Cortez might stop it.
Fifteen seconds left in the eleventh round. Dennis Andres ought to throw a punch.
Joe Cortez looking closely. Inside five seconds here in the eleventh.
That's it. There's a bell. One more round.
And look at the spring and the step of Jeff Harding at the end of the eleventh round.
He threw his hands up, bounced back to his corner.
Let's take a look at some of the blows from the eleventh, Alex.
This is after the body punches that got Andres in trouble.
He went back to the ropes. Harding putting together a series of punches.
Could not get over the one or two punches in combination that would force the referee to stop it.
A lot of blood from Jeff Harding, but again, he's not breathing deeply.
These are two of the most finely conditioned fighters I have ever seen, Alex.
You know, we said at the top of the show. Oh, and again, Andres is rocked early by a left from Harding.
Boy, this round not even ten seconds old and Andres against the ropes.
Dennis Andres will not give up his title without a fight.
Dennis Andres legs appear to be very stiff.
He doesn't seem to have a lot underneath him.
If Jeff Harding could put together a series. Oh, oh, there it is.
The combination and Andres is down.
Dennis Andres legs are stiff as can be.
And Jeff Harding on the attack and that's it. He's down.
There is no look at Jeff Harding. There is no three knockdown rule.
Dennis Andres says I'm fine.
Jeff Harding, the first Australian ever to be the light heavyweight champion of the world.
The Australian contingent is in the ring.
On the shoulders of his countrymen, Jeff Harding.
Let's take a look at the first knockdown. Here is Jeff Harding.
Two lefts and the combination sends him to the ground.
Dennis Andres, it just appeared he just gave everything he had.
He wasn't unconscious when he went down. He just had nothing more to give.
On my scorecard, Jeff Harding needed a knockout to win and he got it.
Dennis Andres rose for the third time.
Now Cortez wisely steps in, stops it and Jeff Harding, the WBC light heavyweight champion of the world,
will return here to Atlantic City for an interview.
We'll be back in just a minute.
Hello, Test. Can you hear me?
I hear you.
How long do we have for an interview?
All right. Okay. I hear you. I hear you fine. Now what's going to happen here?
No, we don't have to do that. Let's go right to interviews.
Alex, I'll throw it to you.
How much time does?
Alex, I'll throw it to you.
But how much time does?
Jeff, Matthew, let me talk to him for TV, please.
Johnny, Johnny, please.
The crowd here in Atlantic City is on their feet and Alex Wallow is in the ring with the new champion.
Jeff, not one of the best fights of the year, one of the best fights I've ever seen.
Your reaction to your unbelievable performance.
I'd like to first of all thank everybody from Australia that came out here with me.
My trainer, Johnny Lewis, I love so much.
And everyone else that helped me.
I'd like to thank Master Saab, Mohammed, who gave me such a great sparring session in the preparation for this fight.
And also I'd like to thank everybody else that was involved with Jeff Harding's success.
And I'd like to say hello to my mother, mother, dad, and her.
And I'll be home. I'm the champ.
Jeff, when you got this shot, because Donnie Lawn retired, you only had 14 pro fights.
In your mind, was there doubt whether you were ready to win a world championship?
Johnny Lewis took the fight. That was good enough as a win for me.
He's my mentor. He tells me what to do. I just do the boxing.
Johnny Lewis, I love this guy.
Because of Johnny Lewis, I'm here. And Stevie Cansdell, I love you too, brother.
Jeff, I have the scorecards here.
One judge had the champion, Dennis Andres, ahead by two points.
One judge had him ahead by one point.
And Richard Murray had him ahead by three points.
You needed that knockout to win.
Did you think when you came out for round 12 you did?
I got the knockout. I was there till the end.
The knockout came. That's boxing.
Congratulations to you, Jeff. Thanks for talking to us.
Let me try to get a word with Dennis Andres, the former champion.
Dennis? Yeah.
I know you're terribly disappointed.
I don't know who was ahead in the card.
You were ahead. He had to knock you out to win the fight.
You're kidding. I was told that I was behind.
Would you have fought any differently if you thought you were ahead?
I would have jabbed some more.
It looked like you ran out of gas, Dennis.
You just ran out of gas at the end of the 11th and couldn't continue in the 12th.
I did.
Were you amazed and discouraged at how he was able to take your punches?
I wasn't discouraged. I just kept on punching.
I was in real, best physical condition.
I didn't feel I was really in best physical condition.
I know you're disappointed. Thank you for taking the time to talk to us, Dennis.
It was a terrific fight.
It was. It was an amazing fight. It was a good fight.
I take nothing away.
Where do you go from here?
I don't know. I've got to sit down and talk with my manager.
Okay, Dennis. Thanks very much.
Back to Dan Deardorf at ringside.
Thank you, Alex.
And interesting there, Dennis Andres saying he thought he was behind on the fight.
Remember we told you, Emmanuel Stewart, we thought, not wisely, telling his man he was behind.
So there is a new light heavyweight champion of the world in the WBC.
Jeff Harding, for the first time in the 12th round, sends Dennis Harding,
sends Dennis Andres, rather, to the ground.
Andres got back up, couldn't mount anything at all.
And Dennis can't stay on his feet, down for the second time in the 12th round.
Remarkably, got back up, and Jeff Harding closes in for the kill.
And as Alex told you, needed the knockout here in the 12th to win this fight.
So Jeff Harding, the new WBC light heavyweight champion, and all of Australia must be proud.
Their first light heavyweight champion.
That's it from Atlantic City.
Remember, we'll be back here tomorrow for Prince Charles Williams and Bobby Chess.
For Alex Swallow, I'm Dan Dierdorf and back to Frank Gifford.
Thanks for watching.