By Keith Idec (photos by Ed Mulholland)

NEW YORK – There shouldn’t be much debate about Heather Hardy’s second victory over Shelly Vincent.

The 36-year-old Hardy improved to 22-0 and won the previously vacant WBO female featherweight title. The 39-year-old Vincent, of Providence, Rhode Island, slipped to 23-2.

hardy-vincent-rematch (35)

Hardy-Vincent was just the second women’s bout televised live on HBO since the premium cable network began broadcasting boxing in 1973.

Hardy won their entertaining first fight by majority decision, but that 10-rounder was considered closer than the scorecards indicated in August 2016 at Ford Amphitheater in Brooklyn. Two of the three judges scored Hardy a wide winner of that bout (99-91, 97-93), while another judge had it even (95-95).

hardy-vincent-rematch (31)

hardy-vincent-rematch (32)

hardy-vincent-rematch (33)

hardy-vincent-rematch (30)

hardy-vincent-rematch (29)

hardy-vincent-rematch (18)

hardy-vincent-rematch (17)

hardy-vincent-rematch (8)

hardy-vincent-rematch (1)

hardy-vincent-rematch (16)

hardy-vincent-rematch (12)

hardy-vincent-rematch (13)

hardy-vincent-rematch (11)

hardy-vincent-rematch (15)

hardy-vincent-rematch (9)

hardy-vincent-rematch (10)

hardy-vincent-rematch (4)

hardy-vincent-rematch (3)

hardy-vincent-rematch (5)

hardy-vincent-rematch (6)

hardy-vincent-rematch (2)

hardy-vincent-rematch (22)

hardy-vincent-rematch (23)

hardy-vincent-rematch (24)

hardy-vincent-rematch (25)

hardy-vincent-rematch (28)