JULY 7, 2017. The last time Guyana’s Simeon ‘Candy Man’ Hardy stepped into the ring his opponent was American Eric Moon. Hardy lost by Unanimous Decision and since then, the Brooklyn-based fighter has been crafting his course back to the ring.

Hardy, whose ring record stands at 13 wins and two losses from his 15 outings in the ring, will have 31-year-old American Brandon Baue as his target when the two meet in a six-round encounter tonight, at the Douglas County Fairgrounds in Lawrence, Kansas.

“This is my comeback fight after a year-long layoff and double setbacks within a three years’ time frame,” Hardy told Chronicle Sport during his preparation phase for the battle.

“I’ve made adjustments in preparations and feel like a newer, stronger and complete athlete. I’m looking forward to a positive outcome tomorrow (tonight) against a tough and more experienced resilient opponent,” the former World Boxing Council (WBC) Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) welterweight champion said.

According to Hardy, his first taste of professional boxing was against Patrick Batson in 2010. Training ahead of tonight’s fight with Baue has been “awesome and unlike anything else”.

Hardy’s first blemish on his record came against Armenian Vito Gasparyan where he suffered a Unanimous Decision loss, despite a good showing in the ring.

Ten of Hardy’s wins came from knocking his opponents out, using his notorious right hand.

Before migrating, the 31-year-old Sophia native had kayoed Iwan Azore to win the vacant CABOFE welterweight title at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

Hardy’s last fight in Guyana was against Howard Eastman in 2012 where he picked up a Majority Decision win after out-boxing the former Commonwealth middleweight champion.