Emotional Heather Hardy ready for HBO shot

She is not known at all as a filibusterer but Heather Hardy is unafraid of speaking her mind. And so it was interesting to see how brief her time at the mic was at the Wednesday press conference to hype the Saturday night MSG Theater show topped by a Danny Jacobs vs Sergiy Derevyanchenko IBF 160-pound title fight.

It may have been that she was feeling a bit more emotional than per usual in such a setting. The 21-0 fighter from Gerritsen Beach, Brooklyn explained.

“It was very emotional. I’ve sat on so many of those dais at the very end, as an honorable mention. Lou DiBella (her promoter) would say a few nice words and I would get to wave my hand and represent the undercard. But after 7 or 8, always being at the end of the table, always thanking everyone for the opportunity, it started getting old. And I lost my love for it.

“Wednesday was the first time I moved a seat over and I wasn’t at the end. I got to be one of the main fights, on the billboard. And hearing Eddie Hearn talk about the advancement of women’s boxing, and how more women and more fights need to be promoted. Such an incredible introduction by Lou. It’s been the first fight I feel like I don’t have to represent women’s boxing. Like I have a whole team behind me, who believes in the fight too!”

My three cents: Hardy said, “I actually feel like I could cry” at the mic but held her composure and the game face which suggests what I already know: her fight with Shelly Vincent could easily steal the show Saturday night in Manhattan.