Issac Hardman now at the centre of a Japanese dream for boxing promoter Dean Lonergan

You know, before Michael Zerafa said sayonara to Jeff Horn's Japanese dream, in the words of boxing commentator Ben Damon.

But now Issac Hardman has emerged as the man in Dean Lonergan's promotional stable with a road being mapped out to WBA middleweight champion Ryota Murata.

Lonergan has revealed his long-term ambition is to set up a world title bout between undefeated Queenslander Hardman and the Japanese champion.

But what he wants first is an "explosive finish" when Hardman [8-0] takes on Mark Lucas [10-2] for the WBO Oriental, IBF Australasian and Australian middleweight titles in Canberra on Friday night.

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Horn, who has not fought since being dismantled by Tim Tszyu and admits he would need to rediscover the fire within if he was to compete again, was once slated to face Murata.

But the near $2 million pay day went up in smoke when Horn was beaten by Michael Zerafa in a Bendigo boilover.

The good news? Lonergan believes Hardman will have a better chance of dethroning Murata when the time comes - though it may be some time away, and the pay packet may fall short of what Horn was promised.

"We had that fight sorted out for Jeff Horn in 2019, and Jeff unfortunately lost to Michael Zerafa, so that put paid to that. Zerafa tried to get that fight and we forced them into a rematch," Lonergan said.

"Jeff probably would have struggled against Murata because Murata is a true middleweight, but it was going to be a very good payday for Jeff. That's a fight Issac Hardman could be well suited for.

"Murata only fights about twice a year, mid-year and December. Murata is promoted by Top Rank on a co-promotional basis. Issac has had regular fights, and I think he is maturing with every fight.

"What we need to see is an explosive finish against Mark Lucas."

Hardman's last bout in December was a gritty 10-round affair with Tej Pratap Singh, with the 24-year-old now determined to get back to his devastating best.

Those who have seen Hardman in action know how devastating he can be. The man himself? He's known it for years, and he couldn't care less about a perceived lack of experience.

It was September 2016. Hardman was a little known mixed martial artist with four fights to his name.

He entered a grand prix-style boxing challenge in an 85 kilogram weight division - far heavier than the 70kg he was fighting at in MMA - and won four fights in one night to win the $4000 prize.

The moral of the story? Hardman doesn't care how much more experienced you are, or how skilled you are in the art of the sweet science. In fact, you might as well "scrunch that shit up and throw it out the window".

NATIONAL BOXING SERIES

Friday, April 23: National Boxing Series Volume Seven - Brock Jarvis v Nort Beauchamp at EPIC's Coorong Pavilion, 6pm.

Fight card:

IBF Pan Pacific and WBO Global featherweight titles: Brock Jarvis [18-0] v Nort Beauchamp [18-3]

WBO Oriental, IBF Australasian, ANBF Australian middleweight titles: Issac Hardman [8-0] v Mark Lucas [10-2]

ANBF Australian super featherweight title: Ben Dencio [8-3] v TC Priestley [3-4]

Heavyweight: Arsene Fosso [3-1] v Jamie Porter [10-6]

Super welterweight: Abe Archibald [5-0-1] v Michael Hall [7-1]

Welterweight: Jorge Kapeen [2-1] v Ryan Cotten [5-6-2]