BREAKING NEWS: Former UFC Commentator Dan Hardy Returns to Action In an 8 Round Boxing Exhibition
Two former UFC veterans are set to collide in the boxing ring in an exhibition match-up in Manchester, England in July. Dan ‘The Outlaw’ will return to combat sports after nearly a decade of inactivity and will go head-to-head against former TUF 1 combatant Diego Sanchez. The scrap is scheduled for 8 rounds, with each round coming in at 2 minutes each.
The news of this boxing exhibition bout was confirmed to MMA Fighting by promotional officials and the clash is set to go down at the AO Arena in Manchester. Chiefly, a press conference will be held on Sunday and more clarity will be provided regarding the formation of the bout.
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However, one notable headline is that the card is headlined by the unexpected return of Ricky Hatton at the age of 43, as he takes on Marco Antonio Barrera. Given the long lay-offs that nearly all the aforementioned fighters are coming off of, it’s safe to say that combat sports fans couldn’t have called this.
Dan Hardy and Diego Sanchez: A look back at their MMA careers
‘The Outlaw’ Hardy retired back in September 2012 on a two-fight winning streak, citing medical issues as his reason for stepping away. At the time of his retirement, he wasn’t long removed from his welterweight title shot against Georges St-Pierre, which ended in defeat.
However, Hardy’s promise at the top of the division was high, as he had accrued a 7-fight win streak on his way to a title shot. While his attempt to snag gold against ‘Rush’ St-Pierre didn’t pan out, it’s impossible to dispute that he showed promise to mount a return to form.
Diego Sanchez is still an active MMA fighter, and he competed as recently as March 2022 for Eagle FC’s super lightweight division. He was defeated by Kevin Lee, making his losing skid up to two.
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However, prior to the two recent losses, he was 3-1 in his last four fights in the UFC, and fans were excited to see him go out and put on a show. Sanchez’s longevity in the sport is arguably his biggest accolade of prominence to many newer fans.
