Former WBO featherweight champion Heather Hardy is suing Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), Jake Paul, Bryce Holden, and Holden Boxing for more than $10 million, alleging that a fight arranged by the defendants caused permanent brain injury and ended her boxing career.
Hardy’s lawsuit, filed on September 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, claims the Aug. 5, 2023 rematch against seven-division champion Amanda Serrano was "dangerous and unnecessary." The fight took place as part of the undercard for Jake Paul’s bout against former UFC fighter Nate Diaz. Bryce Holden, who became MVP’s COO in February 2024, was the licensed promoter for the event through Holden Boxing.
The complaint argues the defendants exploited Hardy’s reputation and financial struggles to push the rematch despite widespread opposition. Hardy’s longtime promoter, Lou DiBella, reportedly refused to arrange the fight, deeming it unsafe. Others who opposed the bout included promoter Larry Goldberg, Hardy’s trainers, and friends such as Gleason’s Gym founder Bruce Silverglade.
Hardy alleges that MVP circumvented these objections by using Holden Boxing as the licensed promoter, effectively shielding itself from regulatory accountability while benefiting financially. The suit accuses MVP of violating Texas boxing regulations and the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act by concealing control of the promotion and depriving Hardy of independent, conflict-free representation.
The lawsuit details the fight’s toll on Hardy, who was 44 at the time and approaching the end of her career after years of accumulated punishment. Serrano landed 242 power punches over the 20-minute bout according to CompuBox statistics. Hardy claims the fight caused permanent neurological damage, forcing her to retire.
In early 2024, while preparing for a bare-knuckle fight, Hardy experienced vision loss during light sparring. An ophthalmologist told her the problem originated in her brain. According to the complaint, Dr. Curreri diagnosed Hardy with a traumatic brain injury marked by memory loss, double vision, anxiety, spatial confusion, and depth perception problems. The doctor assessed these symptoms as permanent, leaving Hardy unable to concentrate and unlikely to maintain regular employment.
Hardy says she now relies on Medicaid and prescription medication to manage daily life and can only coach for a limited time before symptoms force her to stop. The lawsuit states Hardy’s career-ending injury is linked directly to the Serrano rematch.
The complaint includes five causes of action: gross negligence, negligent undertaking, negligence per se, ordinary negligence, and violation of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. Hardy seeks damages exceeding $10 million, legal costs, and an injunction to prevent similar harm to other fighters.
Hardy’s legal team argues this case is part of a wider pattern of neglect by MVP. The suit cites two other incidents involving MVP-promoted fighters. In March 2026, Isis Sio was knocked unconscious in the first round by Jocelyn Camarillo on a ProBoxTV card, entering a medically induced coma. The complaint also recalls an April 2026 fight where Shadasia Green suffered a brain bleed after battling Lani Daniels. Green reportedly cried out for help in the fourth round, but the fight was only stopped in the ninth.
Hardy’s suit accuses MVP of "forum shopping" to place fights in jurisdictions with looser regulations when safety concerns arise. It references two Jake Paul fights as examples: Paul’s November 2024 match against Mike Tyson and the canceled Paul vs. Gervonta "Tank" Davis exhibition scheduled for November 2025.
Although the Serrano rematch occurred over three years before the lawsuit was filed, Hardy contends her claims are timely because she only discovered the full extent of the defendants’ involvement after legal investigations in March 2026.
The case remains pending, with Hardy seeking accountability for what she calls a reckless disregard for fighter safety by MVP and its associates.
According to Yahoo Sports.
