Editorial By John Gatling, Real Combat Media NY Boxing Correspondent
Heather Hardy to finally face Shelito Vincent
Brooklyn, NY (August 4th, 2016)– “I won’t say this is the fight of my life, because there’s still so much more I want to do in this sport. This is a step forward for me, a step up and over just like my last 17 fights. I will give it no less than the 110% I’ve given every other girl I step in there with.”
Heather “The Heat” Hardy, on her August 21 showdown with Shelly “Shelito” Vincent @Ford Amphitheater in Coney Island.
That comment appears on Hardy’s Facebook page against the backdrop of a pretty picture which features her in TITLE headgear and ponytails clad in pink. She doesn’t just appear to be a woman of grace- she is.
Her words were recaptured and framed in Michael Wood’s stellar portrait of a fighter “Ready to Rumble” with life and the ring, knowingly using her dangerous occupation to pioneer and advance women, in a science too often considered bittersweet to them.
This is not Hillary Swank from “Million Dollar Baby”. No. But on August 21 at Ford Amphitheater in Coney Island, the former “Badass in Brooklyn” subject, will star in a movie-like fight for women’s boxing co-starring Shelito Vincent. The script is straight forward: “Kick her ass.”
On a frigid morning in March 2014, I journeyed to Brooklyn’s famed Gleason’s Gym to meet up with Hardy to discuss a powerful student project-turned-documentary on her life called “Hardy”.
She was 8-0, and was personally selling tickets – like she always does – for an upcoming fight with Nydia Feliciano at the Aviator Sports Complex in Brooklyn.
I’d heard about some tough talk with Rhode Island’s Vincent, and upon merely mentioning her name, Heather shifted dark, eager to chop up the beef and throw it in the pan.
“Look, we can do this,” fired “The Heat” (now 17-0). “She shows up at my events talking all this sh*t about what she’ll do to me and all that I’m not. I’d love to show this bitch exactly who I am.”
I’ve been holding on to that qoute for over two years, in the hopes they’d one day meet. Both still undefeated (Vincent is 18-0), this is a can’t-miss fight on NBCSN that could score big for women’s boxing. All because of Heather’s iron will and determination to rise above incredible odds in a male dominated industry.
Shelito will have to overcome a woman who has turned the tables on physical abuse and super-sized life trials– while dealing with her mouth, as the new “Dove” commercial star looks to clean up the grimey Vincent for win #18.
Longtime Rivals Meet Sunday, August 21 In PBC on NBCSN Action from
Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn
Click HERE For Photos From Ed Diller/DiBella Entertainment
BROOKLYN (August 4, 2016) – Undefeated contenders Heather “The Heat” Hardy and Shelly “Shelito’s Way” Vincent hosted a media roundtable in Manhattan Thursday to officially announce their long awaited showdown taking place Sunday, August 21 on Premier Boxing Champions on NBCSN from Ford Amphitheater at Coney Island Boardwalk in Brooklyn.
PBC on NBCSN coverage begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT and is headlined by exciting contender Claudio “The Matrix” Marrero taking on unbeaten Derrick Murray. PBC on NBC coverage begins at 5 p.m. ET/2 p.m. PT and features undefeated rising star and 2012 U.S. Olympian Errol “The Truth” Spence Jr. in a welterweight title eliminator against once-beaten contender Leonard “The Lion” Bundu.
Tickets for the live event, which is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and presented by BROOKLYN BOXING™, start at $35 and are on sale now.
Tickets can be purchased online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com and fordamphitheaterconeyisland.com.
Hardy and Vincent will meet in a 10-round featherweight showdown years in the making. Vincent began calling Hardy out at her second professional fight, looking to get in the ring with the popular Brooklyn ticket seller. Despite the rival, both have campaigned for a women’s match on this platform for years and will look to make their mark on August 21.
Here is what the fighters had to say Thursday:
HEATHER HARDY
“I wouldn’t be here without all the help of my team and fans. I don’t stand here alone. I stand here with all of the women who have fought before me that no one knows about.
“This is the kind of platform that this fight deserves. I’ve always imagined this fight being on television and I’m thankful that this fight has come together on NBCSN. It’s important to have a stage like this and I hope it’s the first of more fights like this on television.
“I really can’t wait to punch Shelly right in the face. I like that everybody is sleeping on ‘The Heat’. Don’t sleep on me.
“Shelly started her career a little bit before me. She started showing up at my fights with all these antics from almost my pro debut and talking about wanting to fight me. It was inappropriate at the time, but then she signed with Lou and we’ve both developed in our careers. Hats off to her, it worked. I’m ready to brawl.
“I’ve seen her fight before. I went to one of her fights to talk to press and build up this matchup. I don’t get too hung up on what I’ve seen. I go into the ring ready to make adjustments based off what I see. I’m not treating this fight any differently than other fights.
“Every fight I’m back in the gym working on getting better. I don’t work hard, I don’t work on getting in better shape, I work to improve at my craft. You’re going to see a new and better Heather than ever before.”
SHELLY VINCENT
“I’m thankful for this opportunity for women as a whole. This is a fight we’ve been waiting for, for a while. I can’t wait to get in there and hit Heather. She thinks there’s no pop in my punches but she’ll be surprised on fight night.
“Heather and I really just don’t like each other. I’ve tried to make this fight for years and she wouldn’t take the fight. I’ve seen her lose some of these fights. I don’t believe she’s undefeated. I feel like she’s avoiding me.
“I’ve been trying to make this fight happen but I’m glad it didn’t happen back then; this is the perfect time for it. We both deserve this opportunity. Heather and I work hard, taking nothing from her, but I can’t wait to get my hands on her.
“I know Heather is going to use her legs. She doesn’t seem strong so I think she’s going to try to get away from me. I just have to cut the ring off.
“I always knew I’d have to come to her home territory. I’m going to stick to what I have to do. I know she’s not better than me. It’s going to be me coming forward with constant pressure. I hope she comes at me because that would make it an even more exciting fight.”
LOU DIBELLA, President of DiBella Entertainment
“We’re making a lot of history on August 21. This will be the first women’s bout broadcast from Coney Island. I want to thank PBC and NBC for giving these women this much deserved platform to showcase their talents.
“The co-featured bout on NBCSN will be this long awaited contest between these two women. It’s been talked about for years. They’ve been talking to each other for years and it’s finally happening.
“This is history and I think it’s going ot be a good night for boxing, and especially for women’s boxing. This is a great opportunity for these two contenders and two women who have earned the right to be on television. They both have crowd pleasing styles. This is going to be a Gatti-Ward fight. These two want to beat each other up.
“Heather and Shelly are two of the most popular female fighters in the country. They like to rumble. They make every fight a war. They’re willing to be hit and that’s what makes their fight so much fun.”
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