Going there to win.
It’s on oft-used cliché in the world of boxing but Anth Hardy intends to do just that when he boxes in London for the first time on Saturday night.
The Horden and Hartlepool boxer has his hands full at the York Hall, where he tackles unbeaten cockney, Jez Smith.
It’s a step up and it’s a big fight, for both men.
Each welterweight has won 10 times, with just two blemishes on the Hardy record and one draw on unbeaten Smith’s log.
It has the makings of an intriguing battle between the come-forward Smith, younger brother of Mitchell, the World Boxing Organisation’s ex-Inter-Continental super-featherweight title holder, and skilled southpaw Hardy, a former challenger for the English light-welter championship.
Free Sports screen the show live from the famous Bethnal Green venue.
Hardy’s trainer, Peter Cope, told punch-lines there is respect for Jez though no fear.
“Smith is very good,” said the Gus Robinson Developments head coach. “But he is no world-beater.
“He’s not a puncher, he’s not a mover, he doesn’t do anything particularly brilliantly, he just does everything good.
“Anth can more than compete at this level. He boxed for the English title in only his eighth fight and lost away from home on a split decision.
“After his last contest we said ‘right, we’re going to have a couple of years at this’,
“We’re going there to win, not to compete, going there to win.
“Anth has all the ability in the world, but it’s been emphasised from the day this fight was made that he has to stamp his authority on the bout.
“He’s got to win five or six of the eight rounds, minimum.”
Cope believes how well the 26-year-old acclimatises to the East End auditorium could dictate the outcome at this British Warrior Boxing Promotion event.
“A lot could come down to how Anth adapts to the York Hall,” added Cope. “It’s a fantastic venue but it can be an intimidating place.
“But there will be no excuses, the preparations could not have gone any better.”
Hardy has clocked up a half-century of rounds in sparring given his relative inactivity over the last 18 months.
“He’s sparred OK,” said Cope. “Anth’s never been the best in sparring, he’s probably too nice a lad.
“He fights better than he spars, but given he’s only had one fight in the last year and a half, we had to get n as many rounds as we could.”
Words: Roy Kelly Picture: Tom Collins/ East Durham Life
