A Challenging Setback in El Paso
For the first time in her illustrious Hall of Fame boxing career, 44-year-old Holly Holm has faced consecutive defeats. Following a January bout against Stephanie Han that ended prematurely due to an accidental head-butt, the rematch this past Saturday in Han's hometown of El Paso, Texas, resulted in a controversial majority decision loss for Holm.
Although Holm has yet to review the footage of the 10-round WBA lightweight championship fight, she maintains that she deserved the victory. Reflecting on the outcome, she expressed significant frustration, noting that both encounters with Han have been marred by controversy.
«Life always goes on. You always have to just keep fighting and pushing forward,» Holm stated. «Both fights having controversy at the end, it's frustrating. I do feel in my heart I won, but on paper, that's just not what it is.»
Frustrations with Officiating
The judges’ scorecards were split, with two awarding the win to Han 96-94 and the third scoring it a 95-95 draw. Holm feels she successfully dictated the pace of the fight as it progressed, despite competing in hostile territory.
She also highlighted concerns regarding the referee's conduct, noting that the official appeared to focus disproportionately on her actions rather than her opponent's. «The whole fight, I feel like the ref was just constantly telling me to watch my head,» Holm explained. «When you have a ref that's constantly telling one fighter more than the other… there's just frustrating things sometimes.»
The Road to Retirement
While the recent loss may have derailed a potential high-profile matchup with Katie Taylor, Holm is not yet ready to hang up her gloves. However, she admits that she is nearing the end of her storied journey in combat sports.
«I just want big fights,» Holm said. «I'm definitely within the year and I'm done. That's where I'm at. I want it to be fights that people want to see, whether it be MMA or boxing. I'm not ready quite yet, but I would say within the year, I'll be done.»
Potential Future Matchups
Despite the current setback, options remain open for the veteran athlete, including a potential MMA return. Recently, Gina Carano shared high praise for Holm on social media, labeling her the hardest-working female athlete she has encountered. Holm reciprocated that sentiment, acknowledging a deep mutual respect between the two.
Regarding a possible showdown with Carano, Holm remained diplomatic: «If I ever fought Gina Carano, it would be out of pure respect for two of us just loving this sport and wanting to put on a good fight. I have a lot of love for Gina Carano.»