Boxing farmer swaps hay bales for haymakers

Edward Hardy balances boxing with working on his family farm

A South Yorkshire farmer is preparing to swap hay bales for haymakers after becoming a professional boxer.

Edward Hardy, a fourth-generation farmer from Marr, near Doncaster, said his dream was to one day become a world champion.

The 22-year-old, a two-time national amateur champion nicknamed the Farm Boy, hopes to make his professional debut in October.

He told the BBC he had no plans to give up the farming lifestyle, adding: "It keeps me fit and it gives me that little bit of an advantage."

Speaking after a day spent ploughing fields with his father James, Edward said the family farm featured a host of makeshift training equipment to keep him fighting fit.

He said: "We have got a pull-up bar in one of the sheds, a rope dangling from one of the ceilings and a few old tyres to do my strength and conditioning - they weigh a bit.

"I'll be doing a job, pull off for a few sets of pull-ups, then carry on."

For now, the super-bantamweight balances boxing with working full time on the farm.

"My dad is good and lets me take a couple of hours off each day to go to the gym to do my training, then we catch up when I get back," he said.

"We live on the farm, so I'm always here. It would be nice to do well in boxing and have farming as more of a hobby than a job."

Edward Hardy began boxing aged eight

Despite farm life being a family affair, it was boxing-mad James who introduced Edward to the sport aged eight and drove him "up and down the country" to fight.

"He used to watch all of Ricky Hatton's fights and showed me all the old fighters," said Edward, who had his first amateur fight aged 11 and beat Hatton's son Campbell in a national championship bout.

Having represented England boxing in Germany and shared the ring with rising star Adam Azim, Edward made the decision to turn professional after missing out on Team GB selection, which could have taken him to the Olympic Games in Paris.

He is now training at Sheffield's Steel City Gym, a place with a growing reputation for producing stars.

Edward's training partners include former world champions Sunny Edwards and Chantelle Cameron, as well as another rising star in Dalton Smith.

Training alongside such talent was "amazing", he said.

"I just want to go as far as I can and try and win as many titles as I can."

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