Former NFL defensive end Greg Hardy's combat sports career came to a dramatic end on Friday night in Russia when the athlete suffered a severe asthma attack during a boxing exhibition, forcing his immediate retirement.
Career-Ending Medical Emergency
The 37-year-old former American football star was competing against MMA fighter Evgeny Goncharov in Vologda when the health crisis struck. Hardy collapsed into his corner at the conclusion of the third round while visibly struggling to breathe, prompting officials to wave off the contest.
Video footage from the event showed the former Dallas Cowboys player kneeling in clear distress, with spectators hearing him request an inhaler as his breathing difficulties intensified. Medical personnel quickly attended to Hardy, who eventually regained his composure while seated on a stool receiving treatment.
From NFL Stardom to Combat Sports Struggles
Hardy's transition from American football to fighting sports began shortly after his 2016 release from the Cowboys. His five-year NFL career included a Pro Bowl selection in 2013 when he recorded 13 sacks for the Carolina Panthers, who originally drafted him from Mississippi in the sixth round.
After leaving American football, Hardy initially pursued mixed martial arts, securing a UFC contract in 2018. His MMA record stands at 7-5 with one no contest across 13 bouts. The athlete switched to boxing following three consecutive stoppage losses in the Octagon.
Despite an initial run of three boxing victories, Hardy's fortunes declined sharply with multiple knockout defeats preceding his final exhibition in Russia.
Troubled History Beyond Sports
The medical emergency represents another difficult chapter for Hardy, whose post-NFL life has been marked by legal troubles. As recently as June 2025, the athlete faced arrest in Texas for allegedly assaulting a family member, though he later dismissed these reports as "lies and rumours".
Hardy's legal challenges date back to July 2014 when he was convicted of assaulting and threatening a woman who accused him of throwing her into a bathtub and onto a gun-covered sofa while threatening her life. Although domestic violence charges were eventually dismissed in February 2015 after a civil settlement, the case remains part of his controversial history.
The former NFL star also faced a cocaine possession charge in Dallas during 2016, further complicating his public image following his departure from professional American football.
Hardy's final NFL season saw him sign a substantial one-year, $11.3 million contract with the Dallas Cowboys in 2015, marking the conclusion of a career that began with significant promise but ultimately descended into controversy and now ends with a medical emergency in a Russian boxing ring.
