FORMER world boxing champion Heather Hardy has announced her retirement due to health issues.
The 42-year-old, who lost the WBO featherweight title to Amanda Serrano in 2019, was forced to hang up her gloves on medical advice.
3
Hardy was scheduled to face Christine Ferea in a one-on-one match this weekend.
However, she revealed in an emotional statement on social media that she has been warned she risks going blind due to brain damage if she continues to fight.
This led to the New Yorker canceling this week’s fight with her failed attempt to get revenge on Serrano in last year’s rematch now looking to be the last time fans will see her in action.
Hardy posted: “My fight for May 11th is cancelled. After my fight last summer with Amanda, my vision remained blurred for a few days.
“I went for an MRI and had my eyes checked while I was still in Texas and was diagnosed with the after effects of a concussion. [but in] six to eight 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 from paycheck to paycheck keeping that kid in the best neighborhood so she could go to the best schools.
“And I needed to fight, long story short, a month of training for Christine and everything got worse with my vision.
BEST UK BOOKMAKER FREE BET SIGN UP OFFERSs
“I was 123 pounds because I couldn’t eat, I wasn’t sleeping, I was so weak.”
Hardy continued: “I hadn’t told anyone how bad it was, not my boyfriend, not my coaches.
“I thought I could handle the ten-minute fight, but after some very light sparring I couldn’t see anything for two days.
“I didn’t eat or sleep from Friday to Monday and I knew I was too weak to do this shit.
“After finally seeing a doctor, he said I had a lot of concussions. When you suffer a concussion, a piece of your brain dies and you never get it back. Imagine that?
“In ten years I had a lot of brain damage. I can’t do it anymore, otherwise I won’t be able to see.
“No running, no sprinting, no jumping rope and no getting hit in the head. So I said what do you know what that means.”
Hardy appears poised to retire from boxing with a record of 24 wins and three losses.
3
She won the world title by beating Shelly Vincent by unanimous decision in 2018, but lost in her first defense to Serrano.
Hardy then lost a decision to Jessica Camara, but bounced back with successive wins over Calista Silgado and Taynna Cardoso to earn a shot at Serrano, but lost a decision in August.
The star has also competed in MMA and had four fights in Bellator, winning two and losing two.
Mike Tyson’s controversial return
Mike Tyson is back!
Yes, the youngest boxing champion of all time – just 20 years old when he achieved the feat – is preparing to lace them up again.
He will face YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul on July 20 in Texas.
The controversial matchup – set for the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium in Dallas – was scrutinized in relation to the 30-year age difference.
Tyson will be 58 years old when the fight for eternity arrives and almost 20 years after his last professional competition.
He was last seen in the ring in November 2020 for an exhibition with legend Roy Jones Jr, which ended in a draw after eight rounds.
Meanwhile, Paul is 9-1 in the ring, losing only to Tommy Fury in 2023, and has won three times since then.
His fight with Tyson will also be a historic milestone on Netflix, with over 250 MILLION subscribers able to watch the fight.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
