- Greg Hardy played four seasons with the Panthers and one with the Cowboys
- Hardy fought ten times in the UFC before beginning his professional boxing career
Former NFL star Greg Hardy suffered a brutal knockout during a boxing match in Texas on Thursday.
The former defensive end played in the NFL for five years before embarking on a career in combat sports after leaving the league.
After a stint in the UFC, Hardy turned to boxing and amassed a 3-0 record with two knockouts following his debut in October 2022.
On Thursday, Hardy defeated Patrick Mailata 6-2 in a Texas Combat League bout, becoming his opponent’s fourth knockout victim.
Mailata had Hardy on the ropes before they began the exchange that ended the fight. Mailata threw a left hand that went over Hardy’s guard but left him vulnerable to a right hook, followed by a quick left hand.
Ex-NFL star Greg Hardy was brutally knocked out during a boxing match in Texas on Thursday
The left hook caught the ex-footballer in the chin before his knees buckled as he folded onto the canvas and almost fell through the bottom rope of the ring.
Before becoming a professional boxer, Hardy amassed a 7-5-1 (WL-NC) record in MMA, including ten fights in the UFC. During his time with the promotion, Hardy fought high-profile heavyweights such as Alexander Volkov and Tai Tuivasa.
Two fights into his boxing career, Hardy also fought in the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship and was knocked out by Josh Watson.
Hardy’s time in the NFL was split between four years with the Carolina Panthers and one season with the Dallas Cowboys. However, despite making the Pro Bowl and All-Pro second team in 2013, his football career was tainted with controversy.
Hardy played four seasons with the Carolina Panthers and one with the Dallas Cowboys
After leaving the NFL, Hardy dabbled in combat sports, including ten fights in the UFC
On May 13, 2014, he was arrested after an ex-girlfriend claimed Hardy threw her into furniture, choked her and threatened to kill her.
On July 15, a judge found him guilty of assault and uttering threats and sentenced him to 18 months’ probation, suspending a 60-day prison sentence.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell suspended Hardy for ten games on April 22, 2015, after the two-month investigation found sufficient evidence to prove the allegations.