By Emmerson Campbell
Simeon ‘Candy Man’ Hardy’s ambition of a continuous ‘chin checking’ career was dented on Friday night at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall as a game Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman surprised his younger opponent with his staying power and turned on the heat in the latter stages of their 10-round contest.
The undefeated Hardy, who had disposed of seven of his eight previous opponents within the distance, confessed that it was the toughest fight of his professional career, although he came away with a unanimous decision.
However, it was the gangly 42-year-old Eastman who highlighted the deficiencies of the `Candy Man’, causing the sizeable crowd to chant his name in the final frame. Eastman, a former world rater and European middleweight champion, used every trick in the book, which at times frustrated Hardy, who was clearly seeking eight consecutive knockout victories.
However, the ‘Candy Man’ was unable to land his sweet deadly potion as its sugar content was dissolved by the experienced Eastman.
Throughout the bruising fistic battle, Hardy would try to land his go-to punch but the CABOFE welterweight champion either missed or was blocked by Eastman who showed why he was a former world-rated boxer.
Despite landing a few jabs and combinations throughout the bout, Hardy never seemed to hurt Eastman.
The former European champion grew in confidence as he weathered the Hardy storm and in the latter rounds turned the tide on Hardy and landed a few combinations to his head and body.
Despite taking the ‘Candy Man’ into deep waters, the ‘Battersea Bomber’ failed to drown the 24-year-old and had to settle for a bitter unanimous defeat. The judges’ scorecards read 98-91, 96-94 and 95-94.
Eastman’s record now drops to 46 wins and 10 losses.
After the fight both fighters said that they would like to have a rematch.
Hardy revealed that it was indeed the toughest fight of his career as he had hurt his left hand in the second round and relied on his talent and brains to pull off the victory.
In the post-fight interview, he pointed to the short time he had to prepare for the fight, which he said was 13 days and graded his performance as a ‘B’.
“He fought with Bernard Hopkins and these other guys and they failed to knock him out,” hardy said of Eastman. “He is older than I am and he has all the experience and he was supposed to beat me but he didn’t as everybody could see. I’m young, I have less than 10 fights and I have a lot of talent as everyone saw. Because only my talent and brains could pull off a fight like that, for the short notice and the guy that I fought with all the experience I would say that was a ‘B’ but I am proud of myself and my team.”
Hardy said once his injured hand is cleared medically, he is willing to take on any opponent from welterweight to junior middleweight and reaffirmed his stance on taking on former world champions ‘Vicious’ Vivian Harris and Andrew ‘Sixhead’ Lewis before the year is completed.
Meanwhile on the under card, Iwan ‘Pure Gold’ Azore used his superior skill and speed to outbox journeyman Troy Lewis in their six-round catch weight trilogy. Lewis, who was a late replacement for Barbadian Miguel Antoine, threw several telegraphed heaves to the head and body of Azore who blocked, ducked and counter punched the slower Lewis.
Azore who fought to a draw and gained a victory over Lewis in their past two fights respectively, improved his record to 15 wins, five losses and four draws after gaining a majority decision on Friday night. Lewis’ abysmal record dropped to four wins, 15 losses and one draw.
James Walcott was also in the winner’s row when he unanimously defeated Kelsie George in their four-round light heavyweight matchup.
The highlight of this fight came when Walcott floored George in the second round with a right hand to the chin. George, however, got up and stunned Walcott with crunching right hands of his own to put Walcott on his heels. The judges scored the bout 39-36, 40-35 and 40-35.
Rudolph Fraser and Cassius Matthews fought to a punch-filled draw in their junior lightweight four-round matchup. Two judges scored the bout 39-37, one in favour of Matthews, and one in favour of Fraser, while the third judge scored the bout 38-38. After the fight both fighters called for a rematch.
On the amateur segment of the card Tyron Lashley (85 to 89 pounds), Michael April (85 to 89 pounds), Anton Branch (110 to 114 pounds) and Travis Fraser (junior welterweight) all recorded victories over their respective opponents.
April and Branch defeated Orin Bancroft and Matthew Hollingsworth 3 to 0 respectively, while Lashley defeated Shaka Moore 3 to 1. Fraser won his bout against Kevin McKenzie after the referee stopped the contest at one minute, 38 seconds of round two.
Food hampers were shared out at half time, compliments of Courts Inc, to the eight amateur pugilists.
WIBA’s bantamweight champion Shondell Alfred was in attendance.
The next Pro Am card is scheduled for June 29 at the same venue.
The monthly card is an initiative of the GBBC in collaboration with the Sports Ministry and National Communications Network (NCN).
Sponsors of the event include Digicel, Giftland Office Max, Courts, Banks DIH Limited and ANSA McAL.
