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Former world champion Heather Hardy retires from boxing after ‘a piece of her brain dies’

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Former featherweight world champion Heather Hardy announced she was retiring from boxing due to a concussion. Even though there is a bare-knuckle fight with Christine Ferea on the horizon, the 42-year-old decided to hang up the gloves.

Hardy, who previously held the WBO belt in 2018, was scheduled to make her bantamweight debut on May 11 at BKFC 61. However, after initial reports suggested the fight had been postponed due to an injury, “The Heat” clarified on social media that she was leaving retirement.

This means that her last professional appearance will be a defeat in a rematch with Amanda Serrano for the WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, IBO and The Ring titles in August. In the co-main event, which pitted Jake Paul against Nate Diaz, Hardy lost the fight via unanimous decision.

Now the fighter from Brooklyn has revealed the reasons for her sudden retirement after 26 fights. She confirmed on social media that the physical effects of her fight with Serrano proved too much to recover from.

“My fight scheduled for May 11 is canceled. After last summer’s fight with Amanda, my vision was blurry for a few days. I went for an MRI and had my eyes checked while I was still in Texas and was diagnosed with side effects from the concussion [but in] six to eight months, everything will be fine.”

“I didn’t eat or sleep from Friday to Monday and I knew I was too tender to do it. I finally went to the doctor who said I had had too many concussions. When you have a concussion, a piece of your brain dies and you never get it back. Can you imagine that? I have suffered too much brain damage in ten years.

“So basically I needed a fight and it never got better. My daughter is studying. Everyone thinks I made millions in my career, but I didn’t. I was going paycheck to paycheck keeping this girl in the best neighborhood so she could go to the best schools,” she said. “And I had to take this fight because after a month of training for Christine, everything got worse with my eyesight.”

“I dropped down to 53 pounds because I couldn’t eat, I couldn’t sleep, I was so tender. I didn’t tell anyone how bad it was, not my boyfriend or my coaches. I thought I would be able to make it through the ten minutes of the fight, but after a very lithe sparring session I couldn’t see it [….] for two days.”

In a surprising turn of events, she decided to hang up her gloves after 14 years of professional boxing. Expressing concern about the impact this is taking on her health, Hardy stated: “I can’t achieve this anymore or I won’t be able to see. No running, no jogging, no jumping rope and no blows to the head. So I said what you know what that means.

Now it remains to be seen what the future may hold for the Brooklyn fighter as she begins to navigate life outside of boxing. He is also a trainer. She graduated in forensic psychology from John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Recent York.

  • This article was produced using AI tools that speed up the Daily Express’s editorial research. The editor of the Daily Express reviewed this content before publishing it. You can report any errors Here

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UK Boxing

Mike Tyson candidly admitted to fighting Jake Paul before buying his £11 million mansion

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Despite earlier declarations that the fight with Jake Paul would not affect his lifestyle, Mike Tyson spent £11 million on a up-to-date, elegant residence. The 58-year-old icon returned to the ring last year in a spectacle streamed on Netflix against the YouTuber-turned-boxer.

The fight, initially postponed due to health problems Tyson experienced in May, ultimately resulted in a victory for 31-year-old Paul at AT&T Stadium in Texas in November. Tyson made around £16m from the event but was adamant that money was not his motivation.

He said Fox Sports Radio after the fight: “No, no, no, this paycheck won’t change my lifestyle at all.” Before the fight, he rejected claims that the reason for his return as a “bull****” was for financial gain.

At the MMA event, Tyson explained: “I’m a man, I want to go out there and take risks. Sometimes I want to see who I really am. I want to see what I’m really made of. I want to perform in front of the world.”

Nevertheless, just a few months after the fight, Tyson treated himself to a luxurious mansion in Delray Beach, Florida. According to Palm Beach Post Officethe property deal closed for $13 million (just under £11 million), and earlier this week a special guarantee agreement was filed confirming that Tyson now owns the 2.7-acre estate in the exclusive Tierra del Rey Estates.

Joseph Jonathan Schneider, representing Tyson, said: “This was a successful transaction and all parties demonstrated professionalism and cooperation. The Tyson family has been a valued client and friend for many years and it has been a pleasure working with them.”

Real estate agent Matthew Maschler previously revealed how Tyson was tempted to buy in Tierra del Rey Estates, which translates to “Land of Kings,” after his daughter started playing tennis in the area. He said, “Basically, he likes that his daughter is playing tennis and playing tennis in Delray.”

While most boxing followers can’t wait for Tyson to hang up his gloves, speculation is rife about a potential third fight with 62-year-old Evander Holyfield, who won the first fight between the pair in 1996. In the rematch, Tyson was disqualified after biting off a piece of his opponent’s ear.

Actor and martial arts expert Paulo Tocha, who is close to Tyson, recently said: “Finally [of the Paul fight]he kind of let us know there was another one coming. Most likely, however, it will be Evander. Him and Evander – after what happened to his ear and all that. So it will most likely be something like this.”

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UK Boxing

Start time of the Darren Till vs. Anthony Taylor fight at Misfits Boxing 20

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Tonight in Manchester, Darren Till will finally step into the ring against Anthony Taylor.

The former UFC title challenger was originally scheduled to face Tommy Fury, but Fury pulled out after Till threatened to kick him in the face. Now Till is ready to make his Misfits debut against Taylor. “Pretty Boy” has decent in-ring experience, having already defeated Salt Papi and King Kenny.

Taylor, who was previously defeated by Fury, will pose a tough challenge for Till, who returns to competition two years after leaving the UFC, where he was a welterweight title challenger. There’s plenty of action on the undercard tonight too, and here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s fights…

What time is Darren Till – Anthony Taylor tonight?

The star-studded gala will take place at the Co-Op Live Arena in Manchester. The main card is expected to start around 6pm UK time, 12pm ET and 9am PT. The main event ring walks will likely take place around 10 p.m. The two stars will touch gloves just after 10:15 p.m., before the first bell rings. The fight is not expected to start later, but may be pushed forward if the card shortage fights end earlier than expected.

How to watch Darren Till vs Anthony Taylor on TV and live in the UK

The eagerly anticipated clash between the two fighters will be broadcast live on DAZN, available in over 200 countries around the world. This event is included in the standard DAZN subscription package, giving boxing enthusiasts the chance to sign up to the site and follow all the action.

Full Misfits 20 fight card and UK start times

Darren Till vs. Anthony Taylor – 10 p.m
Wade Plemons vs. Masai Warrior – 9:00 p.m
Carla Jade vs. Melanie Shah – 8:30 p.m
Sami Hamed vs. Ziggy Johnson – 8:00 p.m
Ty Mitchell vs. Tommy Hench – 7:30 p.m
Adam Brooks vs. Gavinio – 7:00 p.m
BBCC Gareth vs. Kak Hatt – 18:30
Little T vs. Afghan Dan – 6:00 p.m

Quotes corner

Darren Till stated: “You are just shit. Sorry to be disrespectful, but you really are shit. You fall off your feet and flap your wings. Actually, I don’t think so. you realize what you’re getting into with me. So I won’t even talk, I’ll just beat you. I respect you and then I’ll just move on because you really are shit, I promise you, you’re shit.”

Anthony Taylor calculated: “He may have more experience in the cage, but I have more experience in the boxing ring. You can’t expect an MMA or UFC fighter to come in and beat someone who has that kind of boxing experience. Look what happened when Mike Perry came to box with Jake Paul. He felt ashamed.

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UK Boxing

Logan Paul begs his boss to let him fight UFC star Conor McGregor

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Logan Paul directly approached Ari Emanuel, the head of Endeavor, owner of the UFC and WWE, for a chance to face Conor McGregor in the ring.

Last month, it was reported that McGregor was negotiating to fight Jake Paul’s older sibling. On X – the platform formerly known as Twitter – the Irish fighter denied rumors of a fight with UFC featherweight champion Ilia Topuria, stating: “The rumors about the fight with Topuria are false. I have preliminary arrangements with the Ambani family to face Logan Paul at a boxing exhibition in India. I then agreed to return to the octagon.

This potential megafight could net both fighters a staggering $250 million. Even though “The Maverick” recently confirmed his commitment to WWE, the tempting offer of a fight with the former two-time UFC champion might just lure him back to the boxing ring.

In a novel clip on his YouTube channel, Paul was seen attending the premiere of WWE Raw on Netflix. He did not compete but appeared in a pre-recorded interview before taking his ringside seat. The 29-year-old influencer was spotted hanging out with wrestling stars like Kevin Owens and LA Knight, but his most captivating moment was his clash with Emanuel – the huge boss of Endeavor and TKO Group, the entities behind WWE and UFC.

Paul was captured in a candid moment as Emanuel gave a candid hug and handshake before saying, “Ari, I need one favor from you,” to which the Endeavor boss replied, “Yes.” Give me the green featherlight to fight Conor.” There was a shared laugh and they both said “seriously” almost in unison.

The same footage also showed Paul’s openness to facing McGregor, despite his WWE commitments. Referencing the previous interaction, the clip then cut to a sequence suggesting a phone conversation about a potential fight, allegedly with McGregor on speakerphone and announcing: “This could really happen,” Paul holding up his cellphone. “It can and will happen,” the Irishman confidently assured.

In the following scenes, Paul brainstorms promotional ideas with WWE writer Rob Fee, considering announcing the end of his boxing career for shock value. “Saying no more boxing will attract attention,” he noted, quickly correcting himself. “Because it’s not true. If Conor McGregor wants to fight, we do it. I mean, bro, that’s an epic match… That would be something I’d like to do, step away from WWE for a while [that fight]. $250 million, bro. I have to take it. If Nick Khan can achieve this, I will stay in WWE.”

Paul noted that the Irishman appeared to be nudging UFC chief Dana White to approve the fight, saying, “I think he’s trying to put pressure on Dana to make it happen because he’s owned by the UFC,” and noted, “He can’t f**k *******, let alone fighting without them knowing.

However, White recently issued a challenge on the Pardon My Take podcast, pointing to a different path for “The Notorious”: “Ultimately,” he said in regards to a potential fight with McGregor in 2025, adding emphatically: “No, no (he won’t fight KSI or Logan Paul]I hope Conor McGregor returns in the fall.

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