Holly Holm Returns After 12 Years and Defeats Yolanda Vega  

(Photo by Al Applerose)

By Phil Woolever

It was over 12 years since female boxing icon Holly Holm notched a victory in the ring, but her latest victory was significant and signaled that her career could still be quite lucrative and far from over after signing with Jake Paul’s MVP promotional group.

Holm’s (34-2-3) widespread decision win over previously undefeated Yolanda Vega, now (10-1), may have been a 100-90 shutout on every scorecard but it wasn’t a one-sided battle by any means. Looking at the ladies’ face immediately after the contest, you could have concluded the gutsy Vega had won.

“I had fun tonight, but I definitely want more from myself,” said Holm, 34-2 (9KO). “I should be better the next time you see me.”

Vega was the aggressor throughout most of the fight, and there were times it looked like Holm was in a danger zone. Not much landed in the opening frames. Holm used her left for a cross-armed defense as she tested her southpaw jab, but looked a bit gun shy as Vega adjusted the range underneath.

Scattered cries of “Holly, Holly” could be heard in the stands but by the third frame it was Vega who seemed to be gaining momentum. Holm stayed on her toes pretty well and evened things up with some decent shots in the fourth, but she showed more reddening damage than Vega and didn’t appear as strong.

There were some fair, glancing trades in the middle sessions, but Holm began to score better up the middle and her experience paid dividends as she responded with a flurry, missing or not, whenever Vega landed. The fight was still very competitive at round 8, but Holm fired multiple body shots to keep the judges’ eyes.

Vega maintained her effectively aggressive game plan even as she ate punches, and Holm’s profile grew puffier, with slight bleeding from her nose. The big difference overall was probably how Holm kept throwing multiple combinations while Vega often came in behind only a single shot.

Holm landed a resounding left with a minute to go and followed up with a stinging series at the end that erased any doubt about both the scoring and her comeback. Our final tally was 96-93 Holm, but whatever your preference it was a good night for Holly.

“I wanted Yolanda to come with everything she had, because that makes it more of a sweet victory,” reflected Holm, who is also a seasoned pro at interviews. “When people tell me that I’m old, I don’t feel it. I think that’s a mindset, basic health. The number one thing is that boxing is your passion. I have trainers that I really trust, and if they felt like I couldn’t do it anymore they would tell me.”

“I’m not going to do it forever, obviously the years ahead are getting less, but I know that I’m still healthy and ready to go.”

Later that night as the audience departed into gridlocked chaos, the large Mexican delegation humorously mocked and cursed Julio Cesar Chavez Jr’s effort against Jake Paul, but you could also hear plenty of positive comments about Holly Holm. She had entered Honda Center to the Led Zeppelin song “Rock and Roll,” and proved there remains at least a bit of classic rock in her punches.

It’s been a while, but once again Holm is where the ringside heart is.