Jake Paul, MVP sued by boxer Heather Hardy for $10 million lawsuit over alleged ‘career-ending’ struggle

Former WBO featherweight champion Heather Hardy has filed a lawsuit looking for more than $10 million from Most Valuable Promotions, its co-founder Jake Paul, its COO Bryce Holden, and Holden Boxing.

The grievance, obtained by Uncrowned, stems from a struggle between Hardy and seven-division champion Amanda Serrano, an undercard bout for Paul’s boxing match against former UFC star Nate Diaz on Aug. 5, 2023. Holden, who grew to become MVP’s COO in February 2024, was the licensed promoter for the Paul vs. Diaz occasion through Holden Boxing.

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Hardy alleges that the defendants exploited Hardy’s repute and financial vulnerability to arrange a “dangerous and unnecessary rematch” with Serrano.

Part of the preliminary assertion learn:

“Defendants knew, or should have known, that the bout presented an extraordinary and foreseeable risk of serious neurological harm to Hardy.”

The 54-page grievance, filed Sept. 23 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, alleges that the struggle with Serrano was “career-ending” for Hardy and resulted in “permanent brain injury” to the 44-year-old.

Serrano and Hardy fought for the first time in 2019. On that event, Serrano defeated Hardy decisively to defend her unified featherweight titles. Hardy underwent three fights afterward, struggling another defeat to Jessica Camara before successful two low-key bouts in October 2022 and February 2023.

The grievance portrays Hardy as approaching the finish of her profession after struggling years of accrued punishment when the Serrano rematch was made for August 2023. It alleges that Hardy’s longtime promoter, Lou DiBella, refused to help organize the rematch because he thought-about it unsafe.

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Serrano vs. Hardy 2 was also allegedly opposed by promoter Larry Goldberg, Hardy’s trainers, and her associates, including Gleason’s Gym founder Bruce Silverglade.

MVP, however, is alleged in the grievance to have bypassed DiBella and “exploited” Hardy’s determined financial place to secure the struggle anyway.

The grievance acknowledges that Holden Boxing was the licensed promoter for the struggle, not MVP, but argues that Holden served as a “liability shield” so MVP could “enjoy the financial benefits of promotion without formally assuming the regulatory responsibilities of the licensed promoter.”

Serrano landed 242 energy punches on Hardy during their 20-minute bout in August 2023, according to boxing stat-tracker CompuBox.

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The grievance alleges that the struggle ended Hardy’s profession and brought on her everlasting neurological harm.

The harm grew to become more obvious, Hardy claims, in early 2024 when she was making ready for a bare-knuckle struggle and lost imaginative and prescient during mild sparring. Hardy says she was advised by an ophthalmologist that the downside originated in her mind, main her to retire.

The lawsuit learn:

“Dr. Curreri concluded that Ms. Hardy now suffers from a permanent disability marked by traumatic brain injury, memory loss, double vision, anxiety disorder, spatial confusion, and perception and depth inaccuracies, among other impairments.

“According to Dr. Curreri, these symptoms left Ms. Hardy unable to focus and, in all chance, incapable of sustaining common employment. Dr. Curreri’s evaluation related Hardy’s harm to the rematch itself.”

Hardy said she now relies on Medicaid and prescription medication to cope on a day-to-day basis. She claimed she can only coach for a few hours before the symptoms force her to stop.

Hardy brings five causes of action against the defendants: gross negligence, negligent undertaking, negligence per se, ordinary negligence and violation of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act.

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She alleges that the defendants violated Texas boxing regulations and federal law by concealing who controlled the promotion, improperly using Holden Boxing as the licensed promoter and depriving her of independent, conflict-free representation.

In addition to more than $10 million in damages, Hardy is seeking legal costs and an injunction requiring the defendants to take measures to prevent similar harm to other fighters in the future.

A statement provided to Uncrowned by MVP read:

“MVP has great respect for Heather Hardy. We acknowledge the issue of her circumstances and lengthen our honest sympathy and hope that she receives the care and support she deserves.

“Heather’s participation on our August 5, 2023, card was arranged through her promoter, Lou DiBella, who contracted for the fight, and Heather publicly expressed her gratitude for the opportunity both before and after the fight. MVP followed applicable protocols for the fight, Heather was medically cleared to compete by the athletic commission overseeing the event, and the bout proceeded under the commission’s authority and supervision in accordance with their standard medical and safety requirements.

“MVP stays dedicated to fighter security and supporting the athletes who compete in our occasions in full compliance with commission requirements.”

The claim argues that Hardy’s case was not a one-off incident but rather part of a consistent pattern that represented the “Defendants’ lack of care and concern for fighter security” and how they placed “business pursuits forward of fighter security.” Two other examples detailed in the suit are those of Isis Sio and Shadasia Green.

Sio fought the MVP-promoted Jocelyn Camarillo on a ProBoxTV card in March 2026. Camarillo knocked Sio unconscious in the first round of their obvious mismatch. Sio left the ring on a stretcher and entered a medically induced coma.

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In April 2026, Shadasia Green was left hospitalized after suffering a brain bleed in her fight with Lani Daniels. Per the complaint:

“Green complained of head ache in the fourth spherical and cried out for help, yet the struggle continued until the ninth spherical before officers stopped it.”

Hardy’s complaint also accuses MVP of “discussion board buying and rule bending.”.

The former champion claims that MVP identified a commercially valuable matchup and that, if it presented regulatory or safety concerns, would place it in a jurisdiction with less stringent oversight where an otherwise unsafe fight may be allowed to proceed. Hardy listed two Paul fights as examples in her suit: Paul vs. Mike Tyson in November 2024 and the canceled Paul vs. Gervonta “Tank” Davis exhibition in November 2025.

Although Serrano vs. Hardy 2 took place more than three years before the lawsuit was filed, Hardy argues that her claims stay well timed because she did not uncover the defendants’ allegedly hid position in arranging the struggle until her attorneys investigated the matter in March 2026.