Heather Hardy Retired After Vision Problems From Boxing
Heather Hardy’s final boxing match was her August 5, 2023 rematch with Amanda Serrano. In the year that followed, she described persistent vision and other health problems, withdrew from a planned bare-knuckle bout and stepped away from competition. Reporting since then has added a later medical and legal chapter to her story.
The final fight and its aftermath
Serrano won their featherweight rematch by unanimous decision in Dallas. Hardy later told BBC Sport that she experienced double vision after leaving the ring, along with other symptoms that continued the next day. The fight proved to be her last competitive appearance. The BBC’s 2024 report documented Hardy’s account and the effect the symptoms had on her daily life.
Why Hardy withdrew from a planned return
Hardy was scheduled to make her Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship debut against Christine Ferea on May 11, 2024. On May 6, she announced that the bout was off. In her interview with the BBC, she described persistent headaches, sleep problems, weight loss and difficulty exercising. The report described these as symptoms she experienced; it did not establish an in-life diagnosis of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). CTE can only be definitively diagnosed after death, so symptoms alone should not be presented as proof that Hardy had the disease.
Life after competition
Hardy said that regular training and even light exercise had become difficult. She also described losing the ability to earn money through coaching at her Brooklyn gym. Her account brought attention to the practical challenges retired fighters can face when health problems interrupt work and familiar routines.
A career beyond one injury
Hardy became the WBO featherweight champion in 2018 and finished her professional boxing career with 24 wins, three losses and one no contest. She also competed in four Bellator mixed martial arts bouts, winning twice. In the 2024 BBC interview, Hardy discussed her plans to pursue a manager’s license as she considered what might come after competing.
Later health and legal updates
An ESPN profile published in 2025 described Hardy’s ongoing struggle with the effects of a traumatic brain injury and the financial difficulties that followed her forced retirement. In September 2026, Hardy filed a lawsuit seeking more than $10 million from Jake Paul and Most Valuable Promotions over the 2023 Serrano fight. The lawsuit alleges negligence and violations of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. Those are allegations, not court findings. MVP said Hardy had been medically cleared by the athletic commission and that the bout followed applicable safety protocols.
Sources and further reporting: BBC Sport’s 2024 profile of Hardy; ESPN’s 2025 follow-up; MMA Fighting’s 2026 report on the lawsuit and MVP’s response.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
