Holly Holm Breaks Down Her Boxing Title Fight Challenge: “She’s a polished fighter, and she’s undefeated.”
Holly Holm is stepping into the boxing ring for a world title this Saturday in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a moment that carries weight far beyond the usual pre-fight noise. The legendary multi-sport champion faces undefeated WBA lightweight title holder Stephanie Han on January 3rd, 2026, at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente, aiming to add a fourth divisional championship to her Hall of Fame resume.
Holly Holm Breaks Down Her Boxing Title Fight Challenge Against Stephanie Han
Holm, now 44, hasn’t held a boxing world title in more than a decade. Her last championship fight in the sport came in 2013 when she defended her super lightweight titles against Mary McGee. Since then, she conquered the UFC, famously knocking out Ronda Rousey at UFC 193 to claim the bantamweight crown in 2015, a moment that cemented her status as one of combat sports’ greatest two-sport athletes.
But after nearly 13 years away from boxing, Holm signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and returned to the ring in June, dispatching previously unbeaten Yolanda Vega by unanimous decision in a sharp performance that suggested her boxing fundamentals hadn’t faded.
The challenge Saturday is entirely different. Han, 35, brings an undefeated 11-0 record with three knockouts, capturing the WBA lightweight title in February 2025 with a first-round knockout of Hannah Terlep. She’s never been tested at this level. Her only title defense came in August against Colombia’s Paulina Ángel, when Han survived a first-round knockdown to secure a unanimous decision victory. Now, she’ll face someone with 34 professional boxing wins spanning two decades.
Holm’s respect for Han is genuine, but her confidence remains unshaken. In an interview with MMA Fighting, Holm laid out her assessment:
“She’s a polished fighter, and she’s undefeated. She doesn’t have as many pro fights as I do, however she does have a lengthy background. She’s been fighting since she was young. She’s got kickboxing fights on her background, and I know that she’s got grit, she’s got discipline and ambition. She’s not one that’s going to come in and brawl; she’s going to be calculated. So I just need to be the smarter fighter and the better fighter, and I truly feel that I am. I have all the respect for her, I just feel that I’m better.”
Han’s background explains some of Holm‘s caution. Before turning pro in 2021, Han spent years in martial arts and kickboxing, developing the technical foundation that’s translated to her perfect boxing record. She fights out of El Paso, Texas, where she works as an eight-year veteran of the El Paso Police Department. Her sister Jennifer is also a professional boxer, and the family’s combat sports roots run deep.
Holm, meanwhile, hasn’t fought at lightweight (135 pounds) in boxing before, having previously held titles at welterweight, junior welterweight, and junior middleweight divisions. She’s chasing unfinished business at a weight class where she’s never worn a world title.
For Holm, it’s a chance to prove that age doesn’t determine ring IQ and that stepping out of the spotlight for over a decade doesn’t erode what made her great. Her trainer Mike Winkeljohn believes she’s boxing better now than during her previous title reigns. For Han, a win over Holm represents a legitimacy-defining moment, the kind of opponent whose presence on a resume elevates an entire career and creates pathways to bigger unification fights. One way or another, Saturday night will answer whether Holly Holm still has one more championship run left.
