They All Told Heather Hardy No on Bare Knuckle, All But One

Heather Hardy finished up the last scenes of Akeelah and the Bee, a 2006 film I have not seen. It’s a Hardy fave, though, so I asked the 42 year old Brooklyner about it.

In the end, if you don’t know, speller Akeelah reaches the finals of the big one spelling contest. She gets “pulchritude” correct and is the champ.

“It’s uplifting, I feel it,” the fighter said, sufficiently fueled to tell me about her upcoming gig, in the bare knuckle realm.

Heather Hardy has boxed, and done MMA, and yeah, this feels like somewhat of a “natural” progression, if you know her and her career (and more so her character).

The DUMBO resident, a bed-rock fixture at the famed and fabled Gleason’s Gym, will do battle for BKFC on May 11, at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, CT.

Hardy, 24-3 in pugilism, 2-2 in MMA, has been there and done things at that location.

“The winner is to be crowned ‘the Queen of Violence,” she shared.

OK, I dig that, it’s on the nose, not pretending that this all is akin to a spelling bee.

This seeker of the Queen of Violence crown isn’t put off by the site of blood, hers or the foe. It’s part of the package for this Fighter

On the outside looking in, it’s a lot easier than it looks. Only those in the arena know of the pain, physical and mental and even emotional in dealing with a fighting life.

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“Woodsy, I like to be the queen of anything,” Heather Hardy continued, chuckling. “Out of the ring, of course I don’t consider myself ‘violent’ but in a cage…”

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She was in planning 2024 mode around November-December, doing training and all the rest, to make ends meet and then oh yes, there’s the kid in college, they want money.

ALERT: This is among the ventures, projects and activities Hardy does in the vocational
realm

Heather Hardy publicly and also privately stirred some pots, offered potential matches, and she worked back-channel as well. She messaged Christine Ferea, current BKFC flyweight champ, and also Paige Van Zant, gauging interest.

Both said they’d run it up a flag pole.

Ferea did and got a thumbs up to pursue. “So I contacted Lou DiBella, asked him about it, he looked at the contract,” Hardy said.

He’s not a fan of that product so much, but knows Hardy and her mindset.

About that—-when Heather Hardy was contemplating doing this bare knuckle gig, she asked around to family and friends.

There were a ton of dissenters. Too violent, too bloody, too risky, etc. “Everyone said don’t do it, but one person. Woods, you know me awhile. Who do you think that was?”

I mulled. Too slow, time is money, she told me: “My mom.”

Gleason’s gentleman icon Bruce Silverglade practically wept as he contemplated the trading we are likely to see when the Crown of Violence is awarded in CT, Heather Hardy admitted.

“The coaches, Lou, my grandma, all against… but Linda Hardy said, “Every step practically on the way people have said don’t do it. Pro debut, Serrano fights, etc. She said I should look for a sign, from God to make sure.

“I looked, there was a church on High St. I went to look for a sign, but I couldn’t get in. But then I knew, I didn’t need a sign like that. God put me here to do this (fight).”

Linda Hardy helped put a spin on it when she suggested that it’ll be fun, CT allows a good Gerritsen contingent to make the trek.

And ok, yes, there could be the occasion for having a lil flashback. Mohegan Sun is where this happened…Bellator MMA, one Kristina Williams made like a pissed off Rockette, let left leg kick to the face had Mauro Ranallo saying, “Her face is a crimson mask, her nose has been pulverized!”

It will be that arena, same site. “I was thinking I’d fight in Vegas, I’ve wanted to fight at the MGM… OK, this CT, going back to the scene. “Same smell, all that,” Heather Hardy noted to her mom.

Linda’s response: “Look on the bright side, there will again be plenty of your people there, to help look around for your nose.”