Eager vs. anxious: in either case, Holm says she's ready
Holly Holm, right, and Yolanda Vega engage in the traditional stare-down before their June 18 boxing match in Anaheim, Calif. Holm defeated Vega by unanimous decision.
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Among Holly Holm鈥檚 sparring partners for her return to the boxing ring on Saturday were her Jackson-Wink MMA teammates Steve Garcia, Diego Brand茫o and Nikolay Kiasse.
But Holm鈥檚 most reliable sparring partner over the course of her 25-year combat-sports career, both nemesis and friend, has been anxiety.
Her long-time sa国际传媒官网网页入口 promoter and agent, speaking by phone from Anaheim, California, site of Holm鈥檚 fight against Mexico鈥檚 Yolanda Vega, said Holm seemed more anxious than usual as her first boxing match since 2013 approached.
鈥淏ut if she wasn鈥檛 anxious,鈥� Lenny Fresquez added, 鈥淚鈥檇 be concerned.鈥�
Given the oddsmakers鈥� take on Holm-Vega, seeing the sa国际传媒官网网页入口 southpaw as of Friday as a minus-1000 favorite 鈥� meaning a bettor would have to put down $1000 on Holm to get a payout of $100 鈥� there would seem to be no cause for anxiety.
Holm鈥檚 approach to such things, though, always has been like Han Solo鈥檚: never tell her the odds.
From a Holm standpoint, is there really any cause for anxiety, other than that鈥檚 her M.O.? Probably not.
But maybe.
Vega, a 30-year-old from Ciudad Obreg贸n, Sonora, brings a 10-0 record into Saturday鈥檚 bout at the Honda Center. That record has been compiled against far lesser opposition than Holm (33-2-3) has faced, both as an MMA fighter and a boxer.
Still, in videos, Vega appears athletic and displays solid skills. Though that 10-0 record includes only one win by knockout, she punches with authority.
There鈥檚 this, too: Vega鈥檚 most recent boxing match was a victory by unanimous decision over Claudia Fern谩ndez L贸pez just three months ago. Holm鈥檚 most recent fight while wearing shoes, a victory by unanimous decision over Mary McGee, took place on May 11, 2013.
In a phone interview last week, Mike Winkeljohn, Holm鈥檚 longtime trainer, said any accumulated rust was knocked off long ago. And it鈥檚 not as if Holm hasn鈥檛 been throwing punches for the last 12 years while fighting MMA at the highest levels.
Holm鈥檚 public persona in Anaheim, meanwhile, has shown no trace of that trademark anxiety 鈥� only eagerness.
She appeared relaxed and accommodating in video of Wednesday鈥檚 public workouts. Then, speaking briefly during a Thursday news conference dominated by trash talk from main-event combatants Jake Paul and Julio C茅sar Ch谩vez Jr. and others on the card, Holm said she was eager to add to her Hall of Fame r茅sum茅 in the squared circle.
鈥淚 just like to follow my heart, follow my passion,鈥� she said, 鈥渁nd this is what my heart is telling me to do right now is to come back to boxing.鈥�
As Winkeljohn had said earlier, Holm said she believes she鈥檚 a better boxer now at age 43 than she was when she dominated her farewell fight against McGee at age 31.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not just gong back to what I did,鈥� she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 the fighter that I鈥檝e become now, and the skill set that I鈥檝e learned throughout the last 10 years that I鈥檝e been in the gym.鈥�
During her first 11 years as a professional boxer, Holm won world titles at 140, 147 and 154 pounds 鈥� but never at 135 pounds, the weight at which she competed almost exclusively in MMA.
Saturday鈥檚 fight is contracted at 137 pounds, just above the 135-pound lightweight limit. Holm intends to campaign beyond Saturday at lightweight.
鈥淚 feel like it鈥檚 unfinished business,鈥� she said, 鈥渢o come back to be able to fight in a fourth division and try to go for another title.鈥�
Go ahead, Vega said in response. Try.
鈥淚t鈥檚 an honor to compete against someone as strong as Holly,鈥� Vega said via a translator, 鈥渂ut I think she needs to retire, because it鈥檚 time for a new generation in boxing.鈥�
Holm, meanwhile, fully intends to be at the forefront of that new generation. That, after all, is why she signed with Paul鈥檚 Most Valuable Promotions in the first place.
THE WEIGH-IN: Holm, looking fit, weighed in on Friday at 136.6 pounds. Vega, displaying a far far less defined physique than Holm鈥檚, weighed 136.8.
FIGHT TIME IS... What?
Holm-Vega has been billed as the featured fight on the prelim portion of Saturday鈥檚 card. Fresquez told the Journal Friday evening that Holm鈥檚 fight is scheduled to begin at approximately 5:30 MT.
The streaming will be available on DAZN (pay-per-view, $59.99) and on YouTube, Fresquez said, but the DAZN app needs to be purchased in either case.
