Heather Hardy returns against Taynna Cardoso on February 23 at Sony Hall

Former world champion Heather “The Heat” Hardy will take another step to become a contender once again when she battles former Brazilian champion Taynna Cardoso on February 23 at Sony Hall, in the heart of Times Square, mid-town Manhattan.

Hardy vs. Cardoso, an eight-round super featherweight bout, is the main event of the show promoted by Boxing Insider in association with DiBella Entertainment.

Featured on the undercard is a battle of undefeated knockout authorities, Colombia native Juan Carrillo and Plainfield, NJ’s Akhiem Nurse, in an eight-round light heavyweight bout.

Rounding out the card, Brooklyn’s Frederic “French Revolution” Julan will clash with South Jersey’s Decarlo “3medno” Perez in an eight-round light heavyweight bout; Dunkirk, NY’s Elon “El Leon” de Jesus will fight in a six-round super bantamweight contest against Juan Pablo Meza; New York City’s Michael Hughes and Nelson Morales will battle in a four-round super lightweight contest; and opening the show will be Mongolia’s Tsendbaatar Erdenebat opposing Chile’s Cristian Oliveres in a six-round super featherweight bout.

“Very grateful to DiBella Entertainment and Boxing Insider for going out of their way to ensure me a slot on this show that will be honoring my late trainer, mentor, and papa, Hector Roca,” said Hardy. “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 training hard as always and I’ll be ready and I’m excited to start 2023 off right, here in front of all my NYC fans for papa.”