Heather Hardy

Boxing career Hardy started boxing in 2010 and had her first amateur bout in April 2011, aged 29, going on to win the USA Boxing national female featherweight title two months later.

She made her professional debut on 2 August 2012, defeating Mikayla Nebel over four rounds by unanimous decision at Roseland Ballroom in New York.

In her seventh pro-fight, Hardy won the Universal Boxing Federation female super-bantamweight title, stopping Ana Laura Gomez in the second round of their contest at the Aviator Sports and Events Center in New York on 9 November 2013.

Unbeaten in her first 10 paid fights, she claimed the vacant WBC female super-bantamweight International title on 15 October 2014, thanks to a majority decision success over Crystal Hoy at BB Kings Blues Club & Grill in New York. Two of the ringside judges awarded the fight to Hardy by 100–90 and 99–91 respectively, while the third saw it as a 95–95 tie.

On 21 August 2016 at Ford Amphitheater in Coney Island, New York, she faced Shelly Vincent for the vacant WBC female featherweight International title in the first women's boxing bout televised on NBCSN. Hardy won via majority decision with two of the judges' scorecards reading 99–91 and 97–93 respectively in her favour, overruling the third who saw the contest as a 95–95 draw.

Hardy met Vincent in a rematch at Madison Square Garden Theater in New York on 27 October 2018, with the vacant WBO female featherweight title on the line. She again won the bout, this time by unanimous decision.

Returning to Madison Square Garden Theater, she lost her title, and undefeated record, in her first defense, Go my down a unanimous decision defeat against Amanda Serrano on 13 September 2019. The following month she was given a six month suspension and fined $10,000 for failing an anti-doping test after the banned substance furosemide was found in a urine sample she provided the day before her fight with Serrano. Hardy blamed the test result on a prescription medication she was taking for "period symptoms."

After almost two years away from the competitive boxing ring, Hardy returned on 14 May 2021, losing to Jessica Camara via unanimous decision at the Embassy Suites Nashville SE in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Another lengthy lay-off followed, before her next outing which saw her get back to winning ways with a unanimous decision success over Calista Silgado in a six-round bout at Sony Hall in New York on 13 October 2022.

Hardy then secured a majority decision win against Taynna Cardoso over eight rounds at the same venue on 23 February 2023.

On 5 August 2023, Hardy faced Amanda Serrano, who by now was undisputed female featherweight world champion, in the co-main event of Jake Paul vs. Nate Diaz at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Just had been the case four years earlier, she lost via unanimous decision.

In October 2025, she was named among the inductees for the 2026 International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame class.

Mixed martial arts career Invicta Fighting Championship Hardy was scheduled to make her professional MMA debut against Brieta Carpenter at Invicta FC 21. However, the bout was cancelled due to an injury by Carpenter.

Bellator MMA Hardy made her professional MMA debut at Bellator 180 in a flyweight bout against Alice Yauger on June 24, 2017, at the Madison Square Garden. She won the fight via TKO in the third round.

Hardy faced Kristina Williams in a flyweight contest at Bellator 185. She lost the bout via TKO due to a doctor stoppage in the second round after a head kick from Williams shattered her nose.

Hardy faced Ana Julaton on February 16, 2018, at Bellator 194. She won the fight via unanimous decision.

Hardy faced Taylor Turner at Bellator 222 on June 14, 2019. She lost the fight via first round TKO.

On July 10, 2021, it was announced that she was no longer under contract with Bellator.

Bare-knuckle boxing Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship Hardy was scheduled to make her debut against BKFC Women's Flyweight Champion Christine Ferea in a bantamweight bout at BKFC 61's main event on May 11, 2024. However, due to an injury, the bout was scrapped.

Via an Instagram post in May 2024, Hardy revealed that she pulled out of the scheduled bout because she had "too much brain damage" implying that her career was likely over.

Retirement and lawsuit Hardy announced her retirement from all combat sports in May 2024, stating she was doing so on the advice of doctors' due to issues relating to concussions and potential brain damage.

In September 2025, Hardy filed lawsuits against two of her former promotors, Boxing Insider and DiBella Entertainment, as well as Lou DiBella, sports equipment manufacturer Everlast Worldwide and its parent company Frasers Group, the New York State Athletic Commission and its medical director Dr Nitin Sethi along with unnamed "John Doe" defendants. The case centered on allegations of liability for Hardy's physical condition, which the lawsuit said included symptoms of Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, and alleged violations of federal and state equal pay laws.

In July 2026, Hardy started a GoFundMe page with a $100,000 target, stating that "damage" she had suffered during her career had affected her "ability to work consistently enough to cover basic living expenses and necessities."

In the media In 2013, she was the subject of the film "Hardy" focussing on the gender wage gap in boxing.

In 2016, Hardy partnered with Dove on their #MyBeautyMySay campaign.

Professional boxing record

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Taylor Turner TKO (punches) Bellator 222

New York City, New York, United States Win

Ana Julaton Decision (unanimous) Bellator 194

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Loss

Kristina Williams TKO (doctor stoppage) Bellator 185

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Win

Alice Yauger TKO (punches) Bellator 180

New York City, New York, United States