Posted on 03/14/2024
By: Sean Crose
“What a decision!” says former WBO world featherweight champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy. Indeed, Hardy surprised a lot of people Thursday when she announced a May 11th throwdown between herself and BKFC flyweight champion Christine Ferea. That’s right, Hardy is entering the realm of bare knuckle boxing. “Being a member of the boxing community,” she says, “the two sports don’t often cross paths in the best way. Everyone from the owner of Gleason’s Gym , to my boyfriend and my grandma begged me not to – to think of my health, such a barbaric sport.”
Hardy ended up taking some sound advice from perhaps as close a relation as one could find. “My mother told me to drop my knees in a place of God and He will tell me what to do,” she says, “and within 24 hours I came to realize that boxing has done nothing but open doors and create opportunities for my little family.” Hardy has long been known as one of the more exciting boxers in the business, exuding a blood and guts attitude that would make George Patton nod in approval.
Sure enough, the Brooklynite will now be facing no small challenge when she answers the opening bell at Connecticut’s Foxwood’s Casino in May. Not only will Hardy be new to the bare knuckle fight business, she’ll be facing an undefeated world titlist in the 13-0 Ferea. Not that Hardy is lacking in confidence “I’ll enter this fight with Christine representing the discipline of boxing,” she says, “and show that skills pay the bills.” The fight is already generating heat (pardon the pun) online due to the simple fact it’s a very fascinating pairing of combat sport professionals.
“I’m grateful to Christine!,” Hardy exclaims. “Earlier this year I reached out to her as a fellow champion to feel around her organization and see if she wanted to make a match. I have college tuition this first quarter, so I was looking for work and she delivered.” Now Hardy herself is aiming to deliver this spring. Indeed, Hardy has fought her share of high level competition in her 28 fight career. Aside from winning the WBO featherweight belt by virtue of besting the intensely game Shelly Vincent in 2018, Hardy has met such names as Iranda Torres and the legendary Amanda Serrano.
“There’s only one ‘queen of violence,’” says Hardy. “And she’s an 80s baby from Brooklyn.”