Holly Holm is convinced that the judges misinterpreted the outcome of her fight against Stephanie Han.
During their highly anticipated rematch on Saturday night at the El Paso County Coliseum in Texas, Holm faced the reigning WBA lightweight champion Han. However, the result declared was one that Holm vehemently disagreed with.
The initial encounter between Holm and Han in January was cut short in the seventh round due to an accidental head clash, leading to a controversial technical decision that favored Han. “The Preacher’s Daughter” lost that bout.
Their second fight unfolded quite differently. While Han showed early promise, Holm gradually found her stride and appeared to gain the upper hand as the fight progressed. By the conclusion of the 10-round bout, the former UFC bantamweight champion had a significant lead in landed punches, outboxing “The Enforcer” 107-70.
Given Holm’s strong performance in the latter stages, many expected her to be declared the winner. Instead, the judges awarded Han a majority decision victory with scores of 96-94, 96-94, and 95-95, a verdict that visibly shocked both fans and Holm herself.
Immediately after the announcement, Holly Holm voiced her dissent in an in-ring interview, asserting her belief that she had done enough to win the fight.
Holly Holm Expresses Frustration Following Majority Decision Loss to Stephanie Han
At the post-fight press conference, Holly Holm continued to speak out against the decision concerning her fight with Stephanie Han. While acknowledging Han as a formidable opponent, Holm firmly stated that Han did not win the majority of the rounds.
“I do think that she had a few rounds, but not six,” Holm stated. “You have to win six rounds in order to win a ten-round fight. I don’t give her six rounds. I feel it in my heart, I won.”
The 44-year-old fighter from New Mexico also criticized the judging system, suggesting that decisions made by officials without prior fighting experience can lead to contentious scorecards, ultimately impacting fighters who bear the consequences of disputed outcomes.
“Here’s what’s frustrating about it: a lot of these judges haven’t fought before,” Holm added. “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. And that’s what’s frustrating, because every fight, how you perform in this fight dictates what doors open for you… You pour your heart and soul into it. And then what’s next? What are my options? When you have a win, more options. When you have a loss, not as many.”
“And that’s what’s frustrating. It’s easy for them to go home and sleep at night. But every fight, you put so much into it. And when it comes out like that? If I didn’t feel like I did enough, I wouldn’t be saying that. I felt like I won the fight.”
With two consecutive defeats to Han, Holm’s professional boxing record now stands at 34 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. Prior to her transition to mixed martial arts, “The Preacher’s Daughter” enjoyed a highly successful boxing career, holding multiple world titles, including the IBF and WBF super lightweight championships until 2013.
Holm later moved to MMA, famously knocking out Ronda Rousey to claim the UFC bantamweight title in 2015. She retired from MMA with a professional record of 15-7, including an 8-7 record with one no-contest in the UFC.
English Translation and Paraphrasing:
Holly Holm Declares Victory Over Stephanie Han, Criticizes Judges’ Decision
Holly Holm firmly believes the judges made an incorrect call in her bout against Stephanie Han.
On Saturday night at the El Paso County Coliseum in Texas, Holm faced reigning WBA lightweight champion Han in a much-anticipated rematch. However, she was handed a result she strongly disagreed with.
Holm and Han’s first meeting in January was stopped prematurely in the seventh round following an accidental headbutt. The fight went to the scorecards, and “The Preacher’s Daughter” controversially lost via a technical decision.
Their second encounter played out quite differently. Although Han had some success early on, Holm gradually found her rhythm and appeared to take control as the fight progressed. By the end of the 10-round contest, the former UFC bantamweight champion had landed significantly more total punches, outstriking “The Enforcer” 107-70.
Considering Holm’s strong finish, many observers expected her to be declared the winner. Instead, the judges awarded Han a majority decision, with scores of 96-94, 96-94, and 95-95 – a result that left fans and Holm herself visibly stunned.
Holly Holm immediately challenged the judges’ ruling, stating in her post-fight interview that she believed she had done enough to secure the win.
Holly Holm Expresses Disappointment After Majority Decision Loss to Stephanie Han
During the post-fight press conference, Holly Holm remained vocal about the outcome against Stephanie Han. While she credited Han for a tough challenge, Holm strongly disagreed with the assessment that her opponent had won most of the rounds.
“I do believe she won a few rounds, but not six,” Holm stated. “You need to win six rounds to win a ten-round fight. I don’t think she won six rounds. I feel in my heart, I won.”
The 44-year-old fighter from New Mexico further criticized the judging system, suggesting that officials without prior fighting experience can render controversial scorecards, leaving fighters to suffer the consequences of debatable decisions.
“What’s frustrating about this is that many of these judges have never competed themselves,” Holm added. “And you put so much into it every single time. Then, it’s up to them to take it away from you if they choose. That’s what’s frustrating because your performance in each fight dictates the opportunities that arise… You pour your heart and soul into it. And then what’s next? What are my possibilities? A win opens more doors. A loss closes them.”
“And that’s the frustrating part. It’s easy for them to go home and sleep soundly. But with every fight, you invest so much. And when it turns out like this? If I didn’t feel like I did enough, I wouldn’t be saying this. I felt like I won the fight.”
With two consecutive losses to Han, Holm’s professional boxing record now stands at 34 wins, 4 losses, and 3 draws. Before transitioning to MMA, “The Preacher’s Daughter” had a highly successful boxing career, capturing multiple world titles, including the IBF and WBF super lightweight championships, which she held until 2013.
Holm later moved to MMA, famously knocking out Ronda Rousey to win the UFC bantamweight title in 2015. She retired from the sport with a professional MMA record of 15-7, including an 8-7 record with one no-contest within the UFC.
