REIGNING World Boxing Council/Caribbean Boxing Federation (WBC/CABOFE) welterweight champion Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy will be looking to retire former European middleweight champion Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman, when the two meet for the second time in the main bout of Leon ‘Hurry Up’ Moore promotions ‘Foreign Invasion’ next Saturday at the Banks DIH, Thirst Park ground.

At the same time, the 25-year-old Hardy whose record reads 9-0 with seven knockouts, warned WBC/CABOFE and national middleweight champion Edmond ‘Wonder Boy’ De Clou to tread carefully before he gets hurt, responding to De Clou’s wish to face him.
“I am looking to dominate him (Eastman) right through the contest once again. He told me to walk the walk, after I gave him a verbal assault at the signing ceremony and as everyone knows, Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy always walks the walk to the talk he has talked and unfortunately, he don’t know it.
In that regard, I will be going all out to stop him as quickly and clinically as possible, as he is no match for me. I proved it in the first fight, wherein he fought me dirty (like he always does), but I am prepared for him this time around,” said Hardy.
Hardy was referring to their first meeting which took place at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall last June, and one in which he came away with a comfortable unanimous decision victory – a loss the 41-year-old Eastman is looking to make right this time around.
He added, “I have seen him in action via tapes, including our first clash and he fights dirty but I am prepared for him. He has flaws, lots of them which I will be exposing on my way to disposing him and when I am finished with him, he will regret lacing his boots for this battle.
Eastman, from June 1 to now September and later on October 13, is much older, slower and weaker and from June 1 to now, I can only be smarter, stronger and increasing my ability in my craft and I will be looking for a knockout and give him a chance to call it a day, as he’s had a long career and it was good.”
Hardy compared himself to several boxers in the international arena, such as former undisputed heavyweight champion ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr, Sugar Ray Leonard and Floyd Mayweather, giving his reasons for doing so.
“When people look at me in action and they see my punching power, they must remember Tyson, my speed goes hand in hand with that of Sugar Ray Leonard, with regard to charisma, I see myself in the mould of Roy Jones Jr, while the brilliance in disposing of my opponent is in similar fashion to Mayweather Jr.
“I am prepared to wear the scars of boxing as a badge of honour and next Saturday, I will be walking the walk with my head held high, as I back my talks up against Eastman and even though I am not taking him or anything he brings for granted, Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy and Team Candyman will be dominating him from the opening bell to the last,” posited Hardy.
Asked why he made such a comment, the number 38-ranked WBC welterweight pugilist was referring to the critics who categorised him as a lackadaisical fighter.
“The critics say I am skeptical during my fights, but what I learnt is once you can hit an opponent and avoid being hit, then you win your fights easier and I have been training hard to make all my fights easy and this will be evident when I face Eastman.”
Touching on De Clou’s comments which were made at the contract signing ceremony last Wednesday, Hardy said the WBC/CABOFE champion is looking to get some attention, as he wishes to have the spotlight shine on him.
“He is jumping out of his shell and I have a strong message for him. I see him as paint and I am an artist and my job, which I am very good at doing, is to put him on the canvas, so if he is willing to face me, I am more than willing to make him an expensive piece, in comparison to the Mona Lisa.
“I have seen him in action and like so many fighters, I have seen his weakness and even though I would be more than willing to exploit that and dispose of him early, I want to give him a rude awakening before I put him away and like Eastman, he must have second thoughts on continuing his career,” said Hardy.
Meanwhile, Moore who will be facing Dominican Republic’s Juan Carlos Pena in the feature bout informed Chronicle Sport that Mitchell Rogers would be facing Anthony Augustine in a six-round encounter.
In other fights on the card, Charlton Skeete will challenge American Allan Phallen in a featherweight clash and Orland ‘Pocket Rocket’ Rogers will do battle with national featherweight champion Clive Atwell in a catchweight contest.
Admission prices and other details of the card will be made public shortly.