• UFC Fight Night 24

Hardy mocks 'basketball head' Johnson

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Dan Hardy is in teasing mood ahead of UFC Fight Night 24, warning Anthony Johnson that he is too 'fat' to keep up with the Brit on March 26.

Johnson has been out since November 2009, when he lost to Josh Koscheck, and the American allowed himself to gain significant weight, blowing up past 210lbs during his recovery from injury.

Hardy and Johnson are good friends, but that has not stopped The Outlaw taking a dig at his overweight rival, insisting he could hit Johnson 300 times in Seattle.

"I know he had surgery last year, and I know he got fat, everyone's seen the photographs - he got really fat! He had a head like a basketball at one point, it was quite funny," laughed Hardy, who is coming off back-to-back defeats.

"The difference is that I'm faster, by quite a lot, and I've been striking a lot longer. I've got a lot of technical ability to draw from, which I don't think he's got. He's a powerful guy, but he's got to hit me first, and I'm not planning on letting that happen.

"I can hit him 300 times and hurt him every time, or I can land that one clean shot that will do the damage. It's about being smart and picking my moment."

Hardy is likely to stand and strike with Johnson on Saturday, despite the fact he gives away a significant height and reach advantage. Johnson, who is capable of delivering devastating knockouts, warned the Brit not to choose the wrong gameplan.

"If he stands in front of me, that'll be a short-lived night for him," said the American. "We'll see who has the best punches and the biggest chin. I plan on knocking him out for sure, I just need to win. Dan Hardy's a good dude, I like him, he's a good friend. We're just two guys who like to fight.

"It's do or die for both of us right now."

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