Holly Holm is voicing her strong disagreement with the judges’ verdict following her boxing match against Stephanie Han. In a highly anticipated rematch at the MVPW-03 event in El Paso, Texas, Holm felt she had done enough to secure a victory, only to be handed a majority decision loss to reigning WBA lightweight champion Han.
The first encounter between Holm and Han in January ended controversially due to an accidental headbutt in the seventh round, leading to a technical decision that favored Han. This second bout, a 10-round contest, saw Holm believe she had gained the upper hand as the fight progressed. Despite landing significantly more total punches (107-70), the judges ultimately scored the fight 96-94, 96-94, and 95-95 in favor of Han, a result that left many, including Holm, stunned.
In her post-fight interview and subsequent press conference, Holm was vocal about her frustration. She acknowledged Han’s performance but firmly stated her belief that Han did not win the majority of the rounds. “You have to win six rounds in order to win a ten round fight. I donโt give her six rounds. I feel it in my heart, I won,” Holm declared.
The former UFC bantamweight champion also criticized the judging system, suggesting that judges without direct fighting experience can make decisions that unfairly impact fighters’ careers. “Hereโs whatโs frustrating about it: a lot of these judges havenโt fought before,” Holm stated. “And you leave a piece of yourself in there every time. And then itโs just up to them to take it away from you if they want. And thatโs whatโs frustrating, because every fight, how you perform in this fight dictates what doors open for youโฆ You pour your heart and soul into it. And then whatโs next? What are my options? When you have a win, more options. When you have a loss, not as many.”
Holm concluded by emphasizing her conviction in her performance. “If I didnโt feel like I did enough, I wouldnโt be saying that. I felt like I won the fight.โ
With this second defeat to Han, Holly Holmโs professional boxing record now stands at 34 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. Holm had a decorated boxing career before transitioning to mixed martial arts, where she famously defeated Ronda Rousey for the UFC bantamweight title.
