Anth Hardy will be enjoying a week or two off before plotting his next move.
The Hartlepool and Horden boxer’s is partly enforced any way given his big fight with unbeaten London Jez Smith was stopped in the fifth round at York Hall on Saturday night.
However, after two fights in the space of nine weeks, plus the intense training, a breather has been well earned, but the 26-year-old will be back.
“I’ll be having a little break after two quick fights on the spin,” the quality southpaw told punch-lines.
“He hit me with everything but I went out on my shield to be fair.”
He certainly did. Having been felled with a heavy shot in the third he got back up and battled on before being put down in the fifth.
This time he did not beat the count, but coach Peter Cope said he was proud of the performance and the guts he showed.
“First couple of rounds was good stuff,” said the Gus Robinson Developments head coach. “Anth looked good and Jez knew he was in a fight.
“Anth did great to get back up in the third but I’m not sure he ever recovered from that.
“I can’t praise him highly enough as a fighter and as a man.
“He is a privilege to train, a consummate professional who lives the right life and does his training and diet right.
“We said after [beating] Michael Williams [In July] we were going to have a proper go at it.
“He gave it everything against Smith, he’ll have a break now, which he’s earned.”
There is plenty left in Hardy, who deserves credit taking on an unbeaten prospect in his own back yard win just his second bout back after an absence of over a year.
Boxing reporter Oliver McManus, writing for boxinginsider.com, insists Hardy has a “bright future”.
He wrote: ‘Jez Smith looked impressive and showed he packs serious power but Anthony Hardy put in a warrior’s display and remained magnanimous in defeat – both these fellas look to have a bright future’.
For Oliver’s full report of the British Warriors event, click here
