Former WBO featherweight titleholder Heather Hardy will headline a boxing event on February 23 when she faces Taynna Cardoso in an eight-round junior lightweight bout at Sony Hall in New York City.

The show will be promoted by Boxing Insider in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Hardy (23-2, 4 knockouts) of Brooklyn, N.Y. headlined a Boxing Insider card in her last bout, when she decisioned Calista Salgado. Now the 41-year-old Hardy is trying to extend her win streak to two as she fights her way back into contention following back-to-back losses to Amanda Serrano and Jessica Camara.

She will have to do so without her long-time trainer Hector Roca, who died earlier this month at age 82. Hardy says she is inspired by her final interaction with the man she calls ‘Papa.’

“The day before he died, we sat in his hospital room, me on the corner of the bed. He put his hand over mine and said ‘Baby, they all think you past your prime, but you didn’t hit it yet. This is going to be your year.’  I’m ready and exited to start 2023 off right, here in front of all my NYC fans for ‘Papa.’”

Cardoso (5-1, 1 KO) of São Paulo, Brazil is fighting for the second time in the United States, and is coming off a loss to her compatriot Beatriz Ferreira in November.

Also slated for the card, Frederic Julan (12-2, 10 KOs) of Brooklyn by way of Paris will face Decarlo Perez (19-7, 6 KOs) of Atlantic City in an eight-round light heavyweight bout. The 34-year-old Julan is hoping to bounce back from back to back losses to Khainell Wheeler and Joseph Ward. Perez, 31, pushed the favored Nadim Salloum to the limit on the last Boxing Insider card, losing a majority decision.

Elon De Jesus (4-1-1, 3 KOs) of Orlando, who is best known for his draw and split decision loss to Rajon Chance, will also be in action in a six-round junior featherweight bout. Three other fights are also expected to be announced soon.

Ryan Songalia has written for ESPN, the New York Daily News, Rappler and The Guardian, and is part of the Craig Newmark Graduate School of Journalism Class of 2020. He can be reached at [email protected].

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