[Rocco Del Sesto]

01/09/67 Monday

Washington, DC, USA
Rudy Brown Holliday - HW (2-1-0) vs. Bill Hardney – HW (3-1-1)


Rudy Brown Holliday - USA Rating 4
Heavyweight 1965-67, 70

5 wins / 3 losses / 0 draw / 2 KO

Hometown: Washington DC

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Fought a Roger Russell(12-18-2) twice in his career loosing both fights by decision. Won two consecutive decisions in January 1967 over Bill Hardney(27-27-1). Those were the hilites of HOlliday's brief career. He fought 4 times in 1967 loosing the last two fights including his 2nd bout with Russell and then did not step into the ring until July 1970 for one more fight which he did win over a Don Branch.

Bill Hardney - USA Rating 1
Heavyweight 1965-76

27 wins / 27 losses / 1 draw / 15 KO

Hometown: Newark, NJ

Rating by: Rocco Del Sesto

Wild Bill must have been that as a boxer, just all out swinging with little attention to defense. That or he just couldn't take a punch as would the 21 times he was stopped in a fight! A decent punch by his 15 KO's.

His career started against the usual set of club fighters, including two straight fights against Ruby Brown Holliday in one week in January 1967. Hardney lost both of those fights by decisions. Later on in 1968 and 1969 he was KO'd in two fights with Roy (Tiger) Williams, KO'd in the 4th in 1969 by Larry Middleton and in the 1st round by Ted Gullick and then lost an 8 round decision to Light HW Billy Wagner(31-9-2). In Feb. 1970 Bob Foster stopped him in the 4th round. Later on in the 1970 he won 8 round decision against Wagner and Moses Harrell(15-16-4), Harold Carter(22-48-4), Jose (King) Roman, and Ron Stander who was 12-0 at the time in Aug. 1970. In June 1971 he went up against Earnie Shavers only to be KO'd in the 1st round. That put Harney's career record at 13-18-1 and he would from there out the rest of his career see little top flight opponents. He fought again and lost by 1st round KO to Harold Carter again in 1972 and in his second to last career fight was KO'd in the 3rd round by Bob Foster who was nearing the end of his great career.

The fight.....

A couple of beginners in the heavyweight scene in the US. Holliday out of the DC area up against “Wild Bill Hardney” from Newark, NJ. These two would actually stage this fight and the battle in a rematch the next week. In 1967, Holliday defeated Hardney in a 6 round decision. Both of this fighters packed some punch and it would show in the replay. Less then a minute into the first round, Holliday lands a hard shot to Hardney’s body that drops him to the canvas for a quick 3 count. Holliday follows up with some hooks and jabs that land that leaves Hardney dazed but somehow “Wild Bill” manages to stay on his feet and fend off enough of Rudy’s blows to stay in the fight. The first round Bill lands nothing to score with. The second round starts like the first with Holliday landing a quick jab and then a hook, but Bill counters with a smashing jab that staggers Rudy and Bill maneuvers Rudy into the corner. Rudy works himself clear and the action slows until he manages to land a cross. Hardney regains his senses and manages to land some punches that ends the 2nd round in his slight favor. The 3rd round is pretty evenly matched. The in the 4th round Hardney manages to jab in that lands Holliday to the canvas for a quick 3 count. This rounds ends with Hardney totally dominating the action. Hardney then controls the 5th round totally also to the point that even though Holliday manages a bit of a comeback in the 6th and final round, it’s not enough to overcome the scoring on the judges card that gives Hardney a Unanimous Decision 58-55, 57-56, 58-55 in a very close fight.