MMA: Gym 01's Hardy confident of delivering knockout win

The Gym 01 featherweight faces Bailey Gilbert on Made4TheCage 27: Vendetta in Sunderland tonight.

The 23-year-old is full of confidence and bidding for a third successive win which would move his record to 3-1.

Hardy defeated Geoffroy Puigvert via first-round knockout in his hometown of Darlington in April.

The Royal Navy supply chain logistician finds himself in a contrasting situation for this fight, though, and steps into Gilbert’s backyard.

However, it’s a situation Hardy – who has trained at the Southsea base for more than two years – has been in previously as an amateur.

He insists any boos won’t interfere with his game plan and believes he’ll finish the battle inside the distance.

The Gym 01 charge said: ‘As an amateur I fought on a show against their home lad.

‘It doesn’t really bother me to be honest. If they’re booing then that will fuel me and if they’re cheering me then it’ll fuel me so it’s a win-win really.

‘I do think I’ll get the knockout, either by taking him to the mat and finishing him with ground and pound or stood up on the feet.

‘Bailey is from that area and then there’s four or five fighters from Darlington on the card where I’m from, so I’ll have a good crowd behind me.

‘It’ll be one of the best atmospheres on the night.

‘Bailey is only a young lad and he has done well to get himself where he is currently at.

‘He had a decent amateur record and is no pushover.

‘My routine hasn’t really changed with me since my last fight.

‘I’m still with the navy boxing team, doing my fitness and strength & conditioning with them and then going to Gym 01 in the night.’

Hardy’s bout against Gilbert is the first of two contests he will have this month.

On Thursday, June 28, he faces Kingsley Crawford on BAMMA Fight Night London: McKee Vs. Brazier.

The promotion is one of, if not the biggest in the UK and the fight will be televised on ITV 4.

However, Hardy is refusing to think about that bout, with his attention only on Gilbert.

He added: ‘I never thought about cancelling this fight – I’d rather just have both!

‘I just focus at one fight at a time.

‘As soon as my last bout was done, I was focusing on this one and then after one I’ll be focusing straight on BAMMA

‘I can’t think about that fight too much at the moment because if I do then my head’s not going to be in the game for this bout.

‘Bailey is not an opponent you don’t want to be thinking about.’