Dean Lonergan's National Boxing Series gives Issac Hardman a chance to shine

For one, the Headsplitter doesn't mind "telling people how it is, and I don't mind telling people I don't like them".

So there's that, and the fact the unbeaten (6-0) middleweight boxer could so easily have the mixed martial arts world at his feet.

Unbeaten with a 9-0 record, he had three Australian titles to his name and the UFC had come calling in search of its next superstar.

Then an anterior cruciate ligament tear changed everything. Hardman's career was far from over - in fact, it was only just getting started.

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"That gave me a chance to blow some steam off and reevaluate some goals," Hardman said.

"I realised the UFC is not the be all and end all, in actual fact, to make money and to make a career, I don't think it's a good path unless you're a champion. The contracts are pretty rubbish to be honest, and they don't get paid like they deserve to be.

"I had a comeback fight, and even then the plan was to have a comeback fight in boxing and then go sign to the UFC.

"At the time boxing was super relaxed for me and I didn't worry about winning or losing, and I think that came out in my fights because my first three fights were all first round finishes within a minute."

He soon found himself on the undercard of Paul Gallen's bout with John Hopoate - and watching on was D&L Events promoter Dean Lonergan, the man who plotted Jeff Horn's path to a world title.

Lonergan knew straight away - he wanted Hardman for his National Boxing Series stable, so he set up a meeting. Hardman and his coach Blair Studley were just going to test the waters.

"Then the contract came through with the opportunity he has got going and the idea he had with the NBS," Hardman said.

"It seemed really exciting and that day we left the meeting and I said to my coach, 'I'm going to be boxing from now on, let's do it'. That was it.

"MMA can be so cutthroat. You get into the UFC, have one bad fight and they could throw you to be the backburner before you go and fight in pubs again.

"With Dean, he builds me up for four years, taking good, smart fights, and I'll become a world champion. Then if I want to go and scratch the itch of MMA I can do that in another four or five years if I decide to.

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"I will be comfortable financially, I'll be able to look after everyone who has looked after me on the way up. That's the plan for me."

Right now a sport which can be ruthless even on those who love it sits on the backburner.

The coronavirus pandemic has given Hardman a chance to shift his focus towards keeping the Nitro Boxing Fitness Centre afloat, towards keeping those around him happy and healthy.

The 24-year-old knows how important that is with the COVID-19 crisis coming just as he put a pair of injury setbacks behind him.

First came the broken hand in November. Told he would be out for 12 weeks, Hardman was back hitting the bag a day after Christmas. Then came a "scary" head injury.

Soon enough he was able to set his sights on an NBS appearance at the AIS Arena, having been in talks for a bout with Canberra's Beau Hartas - potentially for the Australian title - on a card headlined by Brock Jarvis.

And then society ran into a pandemic which has forced sports and businesses to shut their doors all around the globe. So now Hardman is content to bide his time, waiting for his next chance to shine.

"The platform is massive, I don't think there has been a platform like this in Australian combat sports," Hardman said.

"I can fight on Foxtel and pay per view. I can fight under Jeff Horn, Michael Zerafa and Tim Tszyu. I'm trailing those guys, and guys like Brock Jarvis and Jai Opetaia, all of these guys are 15-plus fights into their career.

"I'm just a baby following them, I'm going to blow up when they take off overseas and there is a void that has to be filled in Australia by the next main eventer.

"When Jai is gone and Brock is gone, that'll be me. It's a great opportunity for me to have, I'm taking it with both hands."