A former world champion has had to make the difficult decision to retire after it emerged they had suffered ‘too much brain damage.’
Ex-WBO featherweight champion Heather Hardy is a veteran of combat sports having fought not only as a boxer but also having competed in the world of mixed martial arts.
She is now 42-years-old and has not fought since her unanimous points loss last August against undisputed featherweight champion Amanda Serrano.
She was scheduled to fight again on May 11 against BKFC flyweight champion Christine Ferea at Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, Connecticut, but has had to cancel that fight after suffering from sight loss in turning camp.
Hardy posted a reel on Instagram with an update.
My fight for May 11 is off. After my fight last summer with Amanda, my vision remained blurred for a few days. I went for an MRI and to get my eyes checked while I was still in TX and it was diagnosed the after effects of a concussion. 6-8 months I should be fine.
“So basically I needed a fight, and it never got better. My daughter is in college. Everyone thinks I made millions in my career but I didn’t, I went paycheck to paycheck keeping that kid in the best neighborhood so she could go to the best schools.
“And I needed to take the fight, so long story short a month into training for Christine and everything got worse with my sight. I was down to 123 pounds because I couldn’t eat, I wasn’t sleeping I was so weak.
“I hadn’t told anyone how bad it was, not my boyfriend not my coaches. I thought I could make it through the ten minute fight, but after a very light sparring session I couldn’t see sh*t for two days.
“I didn’t eat or sleep Friday to Monday, and I knew I was too weak to do this sh*t. After finally seeing a doctor, he said I’ve had too many concussions. When you have a concussion, a piece of your brain dies and you never get it back. Imagine that?
“In ten years I’ve had too much brain damage. I can’t get anymore or else I won’t be able to see. No running, no jogging, no jumping rope, and no getting hit in the head.
“So I said the thing 😔 ya know what that means.”
Hardy’s professional boxing debut came all the way back in 2012 and the highlight came when she lifted the WBO featherweight world title in 2018, though lost it the same year against Serrano who is soon to rematch Katie Taylor. She moved to MMA and had her debut at Bellator 180 when she fought against Alice Yauger in June 2017.
Everyone at Boxing Social wishes Hardy well in retirement.
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