After previously being announced for Bellator 222, Heather Hardy now has her opponent — Taylor Turner, who will enter the fight on a two-fight win streak.
Heather Hardy has her opponent for Bellator 222. Newsday was first to report that Hardy, a championship boxer who has found some success crossing over to mixed martial arts for Bellator, will face Taylor Turner at the event in June. Bellator 222 features an anticipated welterweight clash between champ Rory MacDonald and Neiman Gracie, which also falls under the promotion’s welterweight grand prix. It’s topped by Chael Sonnen taking on Lyoto Machida.
Hardy (2-1), is a multi-time champion in boxing, most recently winning the WBO featherweight title against Shelly Vincent. In MMA, she made a successful debut for Scott Coker at Bellator 180, defeating Alice Yauger by TKO. Kristina Williams, however, set Hardy back at Bellator 185, bloodying Hardy in an entertaining fight that ultimately proved ‘Heat’ still had lots of work to do when it came to her MMA game.
Following the loss, Hardy bounced back against fellow boxer Ana Julaton at Bellator 194, her only MMA fight in 2018. It will have been over a year before she returns against Turner at Bellator 222 in New York City.
Hardy recently told Cageside Press that she was looking for a striking battle next.
For Turner (3-5), the bout will be her third of 2019 and fourth within a 12-month span. She’s won two straight, most recently earning a first round submission against Anastasia Bruce at Valor Fighting Challenge 57 in April.
Bellator 222 takes place at the storied Madison Square Garden in New York City on June 14.
