Harry Hardwick will welcome a challenge from overseas when he puts his Cage Warriors Featherweight Championship on the line for the first time.
Hardwick is booked to face Brazilian prospect Keweny Lopes at Cage Warriors 181 on November 23rd, as recently announced by the promotion. The fight will headline a show from the Vertu Motors Arena in Newcastle, England.
Hardwick earned his first Cage Warriors title earlier this year, capturing the vacant belt with a second-round finish against short-notice opponent Orlando Wilson Prins. He found himself in the title opportunity after putting together a record of four wins and one draw in the promotion since 2021.
As he looks to become the seventh-ever featherweight champ in promotional history to defend their title once or more, he will try to get past a tough rising talent in Lopes.
29-year-old Lopes has attained an 11-fight winning streak, with most wins emerging on the Brazilian regional scene. He scored a quick win in the main event of an LFA card just last month, stopping Wellington Prado in 94 seconds with strikes. Before then he captured a pair of regional belts, beating Mathias Poiron in France and stopping Lucas Tavares to claim a title in Shooto Brasil.
The official Cage Warriors site also lists that flyweight champ Shajidul Haque is expected to defend his title as part of the upcoming Newcastle card. However, his opponent has yet to be revealed.
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