• UFC Fight Night 24

Hardy worried Anthony Johnson won't make weight

ESPN staff
March 3, 2011
Anthony Johnson is a hugely powerful opponent for Dan Hardy to overcome when they meet at UFC Fight Night 24 © Getty Images
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Dan Hardy has expressed fears that Anthony Johnson may fail to make weight for their co-main event at UFC Fight Night 24, handing the American a significant advantage.

Hardy is preparing for his comeback bout following a knockout loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 120. On March 26 he takes on an opponent in Johnson who boasts arguably even more dangerous hands than Condit, plus a significant size superiority.

Johnson is one of the biggest welterweights in the 170lb division, and he has history of missing weight after his victory over Yoshiyuki Yoshida in October 2009 had to be switched to a catchweight bout with Johnson missing the legal limit by five pounds.

Yoshida, a Judoka by trade, looked tiny by comparison to Johnson on fight night, suffering a TKO after 41 seconds, and Hardy is urging his foe to meet him on a level playing field in Seattle.

"I saw him a few months ago, he was about 235lbs," Hardy told Middle Easy. "Even if it was nine months ago, to lose 65lbs is a push.

"It's going to be tough on his body. He struggles to make weight anyway when he's fighting regularly, so coming down from that weight - I don't know.

"I'm a little concerned because I don't want a percentage of his purse, I want the win bonus."

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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