Heather Hardy has complained about the politics of boxing in the lead up to her fight at Bellator 222, but promoter Lou DiBella has promised her a nice payday to return to the sport.
Hardy is one of female boxing’s best at 22-0, winning the WBO Female Featherweight Championship in her last outing in October. Hardy, however, has tried her hand at MMA and signed with Bellator in 2017, looking for a way to escape boxing’s politics and stay in combat.
Hardy seemed to have a desire to stick with MMA entering Bellator 222, but that is no longer certain after Hardy suffered a lopsided loss to Taylor Turner on the preliminary card.
DiBella, Hardy’s longtime promoter, took to Twitter to praise her MMA efforts but wish for her to return to boxing, promising she will get a megafight with a six-figure payday.
…If female boxing champions were paid appropriately and given fair opportunities to shine, I’m not sure she would ever have participated in #MMA (though I know she doesn’t regret trying). You will get that #boxing mega match, Heather, and soon. You have my word.
— Lou DiBella (@loudibella) June 15, 2019
Hardy is 2-2 inside the cage. She made her professional MMA debut at Bellator 180, defeating Alice Yauger. After losing to Kristina Williams at Bellator 185, she scored a decision win over Ana Julaton at Bellator 194 in a fight that was very negatively received for the level of grappling.
Original Story: MMAJunkie