A stocky, game pressure fighter, his speed and aggression made him a marginal top ten contender for the world heavyweight title.
He defeated Neville Meade, a future British Heavyweight Champion, and the fairly useful Bjorn Rudi and Ngozika Ekwelum during this period, before being caught cold in the first round in 1977 by Ibar Arrington (Gardner was a notoriously slow starter).
However, he earned his first title shot that year in 1977 when he defeated Denton Ruddock by TKO for the Southern Area British Heavyweight Championship.
Gardner, a contender for the vacant British and Commonwealth Heavyweight Championship in 1978, defeated Billy Aird by TKO for the title.
Afterwards, Gardner defended his title against the notorious Paul Sykes in 1979, winning by TKO after six rounds forcing his opponent to back down.
He defeated American fringe fighters Ricky James and Lou Benson Jr before being knocked out in two rounds with Noel Quarless.