Former world champion Heather Hardy filed a federal lawsuit alleging the promotion put her into a dangerous rematch with Amanda Serrano that caused permanent neurological injury and ended her career. The complaint seeks over $10 million and names Jake Paul, Most Valuable Promotions, and related entities.
Hardy filed a 54-page complaint on Sept. 23, 2026 in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas seeking over $10 million in damages.
The lawsuit alleges the August 5, 2023 rematch with Amanda Serrano was an unnecessary, risky matchup that led to permanent neurological problems and Hardy’s retirement.
Hardy says promoters exploited her financial difficulties to make the fight and that licensed promoter Holden Boxing was controlled by MVP in a way that violated the sport’s regulations.
# Overview
Heather Hardy, a former boxing world champion, filed a federal lawsuit on September 23, 2026 seeking more than $10 million in damages. The 54-page complaint was lodged in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas. Hardy alleges that Jake Paul, Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), and related parties were responsible for placing her in a rematch with Amanda Serrano on August 5, 2023 that caused permanent neurological injury and ended her career.
# What the lawsuit alleges
The lawsuit says Hardy had previously lost to Serrano in 2019 and had accumulated substantial professional experience and losses since. It asserts that Hardy's longtime promoter, Lou DiBella, members of her training team, and Gleason's Gym founder Bruce Silverglade opposed the rematch on safety grounds. According to the complaint, MVP exploited Hardy's reported financial difficulties to secure the fight.
# Injury and consequences claimed
Hardy has previously described financial and health struggles publicly and launched a GoFundMe detailing the effects of a traumatic brain injury on her ability to work consistently.
# Legal theories and defendants
The complaint asserts five causes of action: gross negligence, negligent undertaking, negligence per se, ordinary negligence, and an alleged violation of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. The suit names multiple defendants: Jake Paul, Valuable Promotions LLC (Most Valuable Promotions), Holden Boxing LLC, and Bryce Holden.
A notable claim focuses on the promotional structure for the Paul–Nate Diaz event. While Holden Boxing was the licensed promoter for that event, Hardy alleges MVP exercised effective control while using Holden Boxing as the licensed front, raising questions about compliance with the Boxing Reform Act and promoter responsibilities.
# Immediate context and status
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