No shame in retiring from a brutal sport like boxing when the passion and desire are gone. I was curious what led Harding to retire. He had the trilogy with Andries and had just lost to McCallum. I wasn't positive if here was a primary reason. Sent from my NS-P10A6100 using Tapatalk
One of my work mates is an acquaintance of Jeff. Jeff actually threw him out of a pub one day. He said Jeff grabbed him and he became a human javelin. My work mate said Jeff was a big celebrity in his time. He once hung out with him at Grafton races, this was after one of Jeff's fights and my friend said he looked like Frankenstein with the stitched up eyes and swelling in a business suit. He also commented that Jeff looked ultra shredded and super-fit, he had a massive frame for his height and his arms were noticeably very long. Jeff was a HUGE drinker and lived a rough life outside the ring. Even though he travelled the USA and fought big fights he didn't make big money. His manager took large part soft his purses. he retired due to all the accumulated punishment. Once he retired he had no real money and the boze completely took over, he was pretty much homeless. He used to joke that he was called hitman not because he killer in the ring but because he got hit so much. Everyone has a story about Jeff Harding fighting on the street or getting kicked out of a pub. Quite sad for a country boy that became famous.
I work in Marrickville (Sydney) and see him round the streets most weeks. He looks good. But it doesn't look like he works and I've heard things are a bit hard for him. His first fight against Andries is one of the great moments in Australian boxing history, although barely remembered now outside hardcore fans. Pretty sad really. Jeff was a big name in a really tough light heavy era.
Thanks for the replies! He certainly had the wars to attribute to a shortened career. Alcohol abuse wouldn't have helped much either. Sent from my NS-P10A6100 using Tapatalk
Guess i shouldn't risk spilling his pint at the bar, the result might be very much not to my liking. As The great John L Sullivan said after he stopped drinking alcohol, "There is only one way to get the best of John Barleycorn, and that is to run away from him. There are men who say about liquor that they can take it or leave it. But those are the ones who always take it. And in the end, it gets them. I say to the young men of the United States, ‘Leave liquor alone." I hope Jeff can defeat his 'demons'.
