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As nicknames go, 鈥淭he Anomaly鈥� is neither as punchy, evocative or descriptive as 鈥淭he Preacher鈥檚 Daughter.鈥� 

It might be every bit as accurate. 

Is sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Holly Holm, at 44, a better boxer now than she was at 31? She believes the answer is yes, as does Mike Winkeljohn, her longtime trainer. 

鈥淧eople can talk about her age, but she鈥檚 better than ever,鈥� Winkeljohn said in a phone interview. 鈥淪he by far is the most physically fit woman out there. Nobody can keep up with her that way. Mentally, she鈥檚 got the skills. She hasn鈥檛 lost her speed; she鈥檚 got more power.

鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely an anomaly. She鈥檚 gonna set the world on fire (in the coming year.)鈥�

That evaluation will be tested on Jan. 3, when sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Holm takes on El Paso鈥檚 Stephanie Han in a scheduled 10-round bout in San Juan, Puerto Rico, with Han鈥檚 WBA lightweight title at stake. 

The Han fight will be Holm鈥檚 second since signing with Jake Paul鈥檚 Most Valuable Promotions in May. Ending a 12-year hiatus from boxing, during which she pursued a successful and eventful MMA career, Holm defeated Mexico鈥檚 Yolanda Vega by lopsided unanimous decision in Anaheim, California on June 28. 

She was 43 at the time. She turned 44 in October. 

Holm鈥檚 virtuoso performance against Vega, winning all 10 rounds on all three scorecards against a previously unbeaten opponent, presents as Exhibit A in her belief (and Winkeljohn鈥檚) that she鈥檚 a better boxer now than she was when she defeated Mary McGee by identical scores on May 11, 2013. 

All systems were go in the victory over Vega, giving Holm confidence 鈥� never overconfidence, since pre-fight anxiety has been a constant companion throughout the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 southpaw鈥檚 long fighting career 鈥� that there鈥檚 more where that came from.

鈥淭his next fight, my boxing skills, the timing and the combos are coming back,鈥� Holm said in a phone interview. 鈥淚 feel like I鈥檝e improved a lot (since the Vega fight).鈥�

Improvement likely will be needed, since Han (11-0, three knockouts), who鈥檚 trained by Las Cruces鈥� Louis Burke, appears to present a stiffer challenge than Vega did. It seems worth noting that Vega lost her next bout to Miranda Reyes by unanimous decision in October. 

鈥淪he鈥檚 been fighting for quite some time,鈥� Holm said of Han. 鈥淚 know her actual boxing record doesn鈥檛 show everything she鈥檚 done. She鈥檚 done a lot of kickboxing and martial arts, leading up to being a pro boxer.

鈥淪he鈥檚 definitely a smart fighter.鈥�

Of Han, Winkeljohn said, 鈥淪he fights very relaxed. She understands the game. 鈥� She has a good understanding of distancing. 鈥� She comes from a good camp and a good understanding of what she needs to do for Holly.

鈥淚鈥檓 sure they have a great plan, but hopefully we鈥檒l figure that plan out fast and defeat it.鈥�

Holm, who is in fact a preacher鈥檚 daughter 鈥� her father, Roger, is a minister 鈥� left boxing after the McGee fight to focus on MMA. Her career in the cage produced one of most spectacular upsets in combat-sports history, a victory by second-round TKO over Ronda Rousey on Nov. 14, 2015 in Melbourne, Australia for the UFC bantamweight title, and made her one of the most popular fighters on the UFC roster. 

In January, Holm asked for and received a release from her UFC contract, planning at the time to pursue other opportunities in MMA. But when a start-up MMA promotion called the Global Fight League collapsed under its own weight, boxing came back into the picture.

From January 2002 through May 2013, Holm compiled a 33-2-3 record in the ring. She won too many titles to accurately count them all. She was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2022. She remains the only combat sports athlete to hold major titles in both boxing and MMA. 

sa国际传媒官网网页入口鈥檚 Lenny Fresquez, Holm鈥檚 boxing promoter-turned agent, never stopped getting calls during Holm鈥檚 MMA career about her availability as a boxer.

When MVP called, Fresquez, Winkeljohn and Holm finally said yes.

The Han fight is Holm鈥檚 second of three bouts contracted with MVP. While not underestimating Han 鈥� again, complacency has never been her M.O. 鈥� she鈥檚 looking beyond Jan. 3.

鈥淚 hope (MVP fight No. 3) can be a big fight,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hen, obviously, dreams of an even bigger fight after that.鈥�

Holm, fighting at age 45? How anomalous would that be?