Brooklyn-born boxing sensation Heather “The Heat” Hardy didn’t want to retire from the ring — she had no other choice.
The one-time World Boxing Organization featherweight champion suffers from daily headaches, seizures, convulsions, and muscle spasms — symptoms consistent with the neurogenerative disease commonly seen in pro football players, Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, or CTE, she said in a lawsuit.
The 43-year-old’s Manhattan Supreme Court case — the first of its kind by a female boxer — accused her doctors, promoters and even the equipment manufacturer who signed her to an endorsement deal of medically approving her for bouts she wasn’t well enough to take part in, and denying her required health insurance.
Today, Heather Hardy trains boxers when she can at Gleason’s Gym in Dumbo. Aristide Economopoulos
“The boxing industry … has catastrophically failed Heather Hardy,” she said in court papers.
The “lionhearted” Hardy, of Gerritsen Beach, began boxing professionally in 2012 to support her infant daughter.
She fought in 27 bouts, compiling a record of 24 wins, 3 losses. She earned a combined $236,450 in her boxing career.
“They lined their pockets with her pain — but when she was broken, they tossed her on the scrap heap,” one of Hardy’s lawyers, Priya Chaudhry, told The Post.
A battered Hardy pictured in April of 2018. Getty Images
Dr. Nitin Sethi, chief medical officer for the New York State Athletic Commission, allegedly “fabricated or misinterpreted the results” of her MRI tests, “resulting in clearances for multiple fights for which she should have been sidelined,” according to court documents.
Hardy was also denied access to millions in “commission-mandated” medical insurance policies boxing promoters were required to purchase “for bout-related injuries,” according to the suit. Earlier intervention could have delayed the progression of some of her symptoms, she contended.
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Standard insurance policies for fights in New York typically expire one year after a match if no claims are filed, sources told The Post.
The state Athletics Commission knew about her declining physical condition, she claimed in court paper which do not name the commission as a defendant.
Hardy took 278 punches from Amanda Serrano during their 2023 bout. Getty Images
“The Commission … continued to issue licenses to Ms. Hardy to continue to fight.”
Her final match came Aug. 5, 2023, when she took 278 brutal punches from Amanda Serrano at the American Airlines Center in Dallas. She lost the bout by unanimous decision.
Months later, Hardy lost her vision for three days while training. A doctor recommended by the commission urged her to see a neurologist — but she she couldn’t afford it, according to the legal filing.
She’s also suing Everlast Worldwide and its parent company, U.K.-based Frasers Group; Larry Goldberg’s New Jersey promotions company Boxing Insider; and boxing promoter Lou DiBella.
Goldberg’s lawyer, Keith Sullivan, called the allegations “absolute horses–t.”
Serrano (right) called Hardy “a hell of a fighter” after the 2023 match. Getty Images
“I proved, with documents, the allegations are false, and provided that proof to the plaintiff’s attorneys, which is why this lawsuit should not proceed forward against Boxing Insider,” the attorney insisted.
The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages as well as the recovery of out-of-pocket medical costs.
DiBella’s lawyer, Alex Dombroff, called the lawsuit “sensationalist fiction” in court papers filed this week and wants the case tossed.
Hardy struggles with symptoms associated with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy. Aristide Economopoulos
Multiple boxing sources slammed the lawsuit as “a shakedown,” with several telling The Post they found it odd the suit failed to name the promoters of Heather’s final boxing match, Most Valuable Promotions, which is co-owned by YouTubing boxer Jake Paul and his manager, Nakisa Bidarian.
“Heather should never have been in the ring with Serrano,” one source said.
Sources wondered why the lawsuit failed to name influencing boxer Jake Paul and his Most Valuable Promotions. Aristide Economopoulos
Another source claimed there could be other factors contributing to her illness, including domestic abuse at the hands of boyfriends, heavy drinking and drug use, and an e-bike accident earlier this year.
She “admitted to drinking a bottle of wine every night for 10 years” in an online video, a source said. The Post was unable to locate the alleged footage.
Hardy has spoken openly being the victim of domestic violence. Doctors at New York University Langone attributed the alocohol use to the neurological issues caused by her boxing career, she said in court papers.
Representatives for Everlast, Sethi and Most Valuable Productions did not respond to The Post’s requests for comment.