Knocked Out In Bare Knuckle Fight

Former NFL player, Greg Hardy started his new career in the boxing ring Friday night...but he wound up getting his ass whooped.

Hardy was duking it out with Josh Watson in the "Bare Fighting Championship: Knucklemania 3" and, by the second round, he was eating the canvas.

Hardy's nightmare started at the end of the first round when he got punched so hard by Watson he went flying into the ropes, nearly crumbling to the ground.

Then, in the second round, Watson landed a crushing left hook that put Watson flat on his back. Watson tried to get to his feet, but he couldn't as the ref counted him out.

Last year, Hardy signed with BKFC, which promotes boxing without gloves. He previously had a deal…