Heather Hardy provides sad update after taking ‘Too much brain damage’: ‘I am permanently disabled’
Former Bellator MMA fighter and professional boxing star, Heather Hardy has revealed she is now “permanently disabled”, after revealing a planned return to combat sports earlier this summer was vetoed amid her battle with neurological issues.
Hardy, 42, most recently featured in a high-profile featherweight championship fight against Puerto Rico native, Amanda Serrano in August of last year in a unanimous decision loss to the defending gold holder, seeing her record slip to 24-3(1) as a professional.
However, ahead of a scheduled return earlier this summer of this year, New York native, Heather Hardy hinted at a likely retirement from combat sports, citing how she had suffered too much brain damage and injury during her lengthy combat sports career.
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 shit for two days. I didn’t eat or sleep Friday to Monday, and I knew I was too weak to do this shit. 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 any more 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.”
Heather Hardy provides new update on her health
And on her official X account this evening, Brooklyn puncher, Heather Hardy revealed she was now “permanently disabled”.
“I am permanently disabled and that is official,” Heather Hardy posted.
A former unbeaten WBO featherweight boxing champion, Hardy has turned in notable victories during her professional boxing career, and has competed under the Bellator MMA banner on four separate occasions, the most recent of which back in 2019.
