Twelve years after exiting the sport and embarking on a decorated UFC career, Holly Holm is looking to win another boxing world title.
Holm, 44, will challenge Stephanie Han for the WBA lightweight championship over 10, three-minute rounds on the Amanda Serrano vs. Erika Cruz 2 undercard on Jan. 3 in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Most Valuable Promotions confirmed Wednesday.
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Holm (34-2-3, 9 KOs) rose to notoriety for her UFC bantamweight title upset win over Ronda Rousey in 2015, but prior to that she carved out a Hall of Fame legacy in the sweet science. Holm won world titles in three divisions and made 18 successful defenses of her belts before leaving boxing in May 2013 after a win over Mary McGee.
After parting ways with the UFC in 2024 following a 16-fight run with the company, Holm signed with MVP and made a successful return to boxing with a decision win over Yolanda Vega this past June. Now, 21 years after capturing her first boxing world title, Holm looks to claim another boxing belt and potentially set up mega-fights with Katie Taylor and Serrano.
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Han (11-0, 3 KOs) won the WBA title with an opening-round knockout of Hannah Terlep this past February. She recovered from an early knockdown to retain her title with a unanimous points win over Paulina Ángel in August.
Holm vs. Han is the latest MVP women’s bout to feature the same setup of three-minute rounds seen in men’s professional boxing, rather than the usual two-minute rounds used for women’s fights.
MVP also confirmed that Puerto Rican duo Yankiel Rivera and Henry Lebron will feature on the Serrano vs. Cruz 2 undercard. Rivera (7-0-1, 3 KOs) faces former champion Jonathan Gonzalez (28-4-1, 14 KOs) in an all-Puerto Rican affair, while Lebron (20-0, 10 KOs) returns against Juan Tapia (14-4, 5 KOs).