Simeon Hardy starts American sojourn on high note

Mar 02, 2014 Sports

‘Chin checks’ American fighter in 5

By Michael Benjamin
He commenced his professional career sporting the sobriquet ‘Candyman’ but by the end of his fourth fight he had earned the tab ‘Chin Checker’ after delivering fierce left hooks to his opponents’ chins and leaving most of them senseless.
Now, just around fifteen months after clinching a unanimous verdict over former European Middleweight champion and world-rater, Howard ‘Battersea Bomber’ Eastman, and some eight months in the United States of America, World Boxing Council Caribbean Boxing Federation (WBCCABOFE) welterweight champion, Simeon ‘Candyman’ Hardy endorsed the famed nickname when he scored a convincing 5th round stoppage over American, Chad Greenleaf when the two faced off in a light/middleweight encounter at the Horseshoe Casino, Hammond Indiana USA, Friday evening last.

Hardy and Greenleaf stare each other down at the weigh in Thursday evening last.

Kaieteur Sport attempted to speak with Hardy yesterday morning but he had already left Indiana, bound for Brooklyn NY, where he is currently residing. Later yesterday morning he despatched a terse text message, “They say save the best for last; I put him to sleep in round 5, thank God for another victory and all my family, friends and fans that supported me.” , ,
It is not yet clear when Hardy will re-enter the ring but he has indicated an intention to resume training sessions at the famed Gleason’s Gym, Front Street Brooklyn, as early as possible. He is under the tutelage of former professional boxer, now trainer, Colin Morgan who had been in his corner for the just concluded bout.
Hardy commenced his career at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall (CASH) with a 20 seconds knockout over Patrick Boston in 2010 and within a 6 months period had notched up victories over Patrick Boston (KO 1), Troy Hill (UN 4), Cassius Matthews (RTD 3) and Eversley Brown (KO 1). He continued the rampage with 4 more knockouts over Winston Pompey (KO 2), Julian Tannis (TKO 2) for the WBCCABOFE Welterweight title, Iwan Azore (KO 9) and Mark Austin (TKO 8).
His high knockout ratio had earned him the infamous sobriquet ‘Chin Checker’ but suffered a dent after ‘The Battersea Bomber’ pushed him to the limit in two non-title catchweight bouts. Hardy was then set to participate in the World Boxing Council 50th anniversary championship but opted out after leaving for the United States of America and accepting a managerial contract with top promoter, Cameron Dunkin. He spent a few months holed up in Las Vegas, California but it appeared fights were hard to come by and the lanky Guyanese cut ties with Dunkin even before a solid union could have fructified.
The Greenleaf bout is his first since arriving in the USA and following such a sterling performance might just open the gates to more lucrative matchups.