Holly Holm, the former UFC bantamweight champ, came back to boxing with a bang on June 28, 2025, beating undefeated Yolanda Vega by unanimous decision. The fight, on the Jake Paul vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. undercard at Honda Center in Anaheim, California, saw Holm control all 10 rounds, winning 100-90 on every judge’s scorecard. At 43, she used her jab and slick movement to shut down Vega. After the fight, Holm told DAZN, “I wanted to finish early but also I didn’t mind feeling 10 rounds because I do wanna fight for a title.”
This victory, Holm’s first boxing match since 2013, proved she’s still got it. She added:
“My mind isn’t racing but I definitely think about it [fighting Taylor or Serrano]. Right now Yolanda is in front of me and that’s what I’m focused on, with a victory then I can do this or that.” Fans are already talking about her next move.
Fight Night Breakdown
Holm, now 34-2-3 in boxing, faced a tough test in Vega, who was 10-0 with a reputation for pressure. From the opening bell, Holm’s jab was sharp, keeping Vega at a distance while landing clean left hands and quick combinations. Vega pushed forward but couldn’t land anything big. In round five, Vega slipped to the canvas, ruled a slip, not a knockdown, but it showed Holm’s control. She stayed calm, picking her shots and moving smoothly, winning every round 10-9.
DO NOT mess with @HollyHolm 👀🥊! pic.twitter.com/yl336sD4LE
— Most Valuable Promotions (@MostVpromotions) June 29, 2025
A dominating win on the scorecards for @HollyHolm in her return to the boxing ring 🥊 #PaulChavezJr
— Uncrowned (@uncrownedcombat) June 28, 2025
Shoutout to the legend @HollyHolm. Honor to speak to her after her first boxing win since 2013. She looked fantastic out there.
(Sorry for almost getting in the way of the flip!)@DAZNBoxing pic.twitter.com/7lGKqKphIB
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) June 29, 2025
The crowd at Honda Center roared as Holm’s hands were raised. She said post fight, “I can,” when asked about chasing a title in a fourth weight class. Holm signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions in May 2025, after leaving the UFC in January 2025. Her last UFC fight was a loss to Kayla Harrison in April 2024, with her final MMA win against Yana Santos in March 2023.
Holm started boxing in 2002, building a 33-2-3 record with nine knockouts by 2013. She won 16 world titles across welterweight, light welterweight, and lightweight, holding WBA, WBC, and WBF belts. Her last boxing win before Vega was against Mary McGee in 2013, securing IBA and WBF light welterweight titles. She earned Ring Magazine’s female fighter of the year award twice and joined the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2022.
In 2014, Holm switched to MMA, joining the UFC and shocking everyone by knocking out Ronda Rousey in 2015 to win the bantamweight title. Her MMA record is 15-7, with wins over Irene Aldana and Bethe Correia. Injuries like hydronephrosis and a knee issue slowed her down in 2021-2022, but she left the UFC to chase boxing glory again.
Claressa Shields, who trained with Holm at Jackson-Wink MMA, posted on Instagram, “Holly Holm wins a shutout in her return to boxing. 100-90 scorecards across the board.” Cris Cyborg, at the event, gave her props too. Holm shut down retirement talk, telling DAZN, “They’ve been telling me to retire since 2012. You guys will know when I retire, because it will come from my mouth.”
The Paul-Chavez Jr. card, streamed on DAZN, also featured a knockout by heavyweight Joshua Edwards and a co-main event between Gilberto Ramirez and Yunieski Dorticos. Holm’s performance was the night’s highlight, showing her skill at 43.
Holm’s win over Vega proves she’s still a top fighter. She wants a boxing world title in a fourth weight class, with names like Katie Taylor or Amanda Serrano in her sights. Her speed, smarts, and heart make her a threat. The fight world can’t wait to see what she does next.
