In January 2025, former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Holly Holm requested to be released from the fight promotion to return to boxing. The UFC granted her request and she defeated Yolanda Vega in her return to the ring five moths later.
Following the win over Vega “The Preacher’s Daughter” was lined up to face WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han. The bout was stopped in the seventh round due to a cut from an accidental clash of heads.
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The two ran it back last Saturday in El Paso, Texas in the featured fight of the Most Valuable Promotion’s MVPW-03: Han vs. Holm II fight card at El Paso County Coliseum. Han retained her belt via majority decision but Holm insisted the judges got it wrong.
Had her hand been raised, a fight between Holm and boxing legend Katie Taylor could have been set into motion. Despite her majority decision loss to Han in their rematch, Holm is still eyeing a fight with Taylor.
“Here’s what’s frustrating about it is that you, a lot of these judges haven’t fought before. And you leave a piece of yourself in there every time. And then it’s just up to them to take it away from you if they want. That’s what’s frustrating because every fight, however you perform in this fight dictates what doors open for you. So, that’s the frustrating part about it. You put your heart and soul into it, and then what’s next? What are my options,” Holm said during the event’s post-fight press conference. “When you have a win, more options. When you have a loss, not as many. And that’s what’s frustrating.”
“I still want to call out the best because I feel I won the fight. So, I want to fight the Katie Taylor. I still want the big fight. Hopefully I can still make that happen.”
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Holm pushed for a fight with Taylor on her social media accounts on Tuesday. “Is this the fight everyone wants to see? Katie Taylor is pure class and a true, dominant champion. I’d love to have this fight and be honored to share the ring with her,” Holm wrote on Instagram with a poster featuring Taylor and herself.
“I feel like there’s just always been this like maybe I’ll fight with Katie Taylor. Even when I was boxing before, she was like starting pro, and I was like almost going to start to go to MMA. And I would love to fight her, and with a win (over Han) that could have been something we could set up,” said Holm.
“And I feel I won the fight, so I want to try and put it together. As much as other people might not agree with that, but if I performed better, then I should be the fighter to be able to get that fight, if she would want it. But, I feel like Katie Taylor would like that too.”
