Stephanie Han vs. Holly Holm: Big Fight Preview & Prediction

Stephanie Han vs. Holly Holm: Big Fight Preview & Prediction

At least to some, it was a fight that lacked a definitive conclusion. A clash of heads in January apparently didn’t give us that. But I see it a little differently.

It’s almost certainly a rematch that we didn’t really need to see. At least not straight away. The somewhat premature conclusion to their first back in January does mask the fact that we had already seen who the better fighter was. But this Saturday night in El Paso, Texas, Stephanie Han will once again defend her WBA world lightweight title against Holly Holm.

“I know that Holly took this loss personally,” Han said this week in the final press conference. “I know that she’s a competitor. I know that she’s going to bring it. I know that she’s ready. She looks absolutely amazing.” Han is expecting a tougher night this time.

Most Valuable Promotions has decided that we do indeed need to see it again. An accidental head clash left Han unable to continue, and she was awarded a technical decision after seven rounds. Scorecards of 69-65, 68-65, and a much wider 69-64 allowed Han to retain her WBA title. On Saturday night, the unbeaten American will hope that this time, she gets a definitive ending.

Holm (34-3-3) returned to the sport last year after being away for twelve years, after competing in Mixed Martial Arts. A career that included a truly stunning win over Ronda Rousey in Australia. A victory that earned her the UFC bantamweight title. The 44-year-old returned to her first love with a points victory over Yolanda Vega in June, before losing to Han earlier this year.

Han (12-0) was the betting underdog last time. Odds which were surprising, at least to me. Holm has had a legendary trailblazing career, but that was in another era. Surely her side of the sport has moved on since her peak period. You would also assume that the peak years of Holly Holm are very much behind her. Holm is from another time, and while she is still a highly competent fighter, at this level, I believe her time has passed.

But Holm thinks she will be better than she was in January. “I’ve made changes and improved also on things I didn’t perform well in the first. I didn’t like not having the rest of the fight, but it shouldn’t have mattered. I should have been doing better from round one, so you’ll see a different me.”

I thought pre-fight Han was being overlooked last time. And so it proved. The 35-year-old was well on her way to winning in January before the cut on her forehead forced the fight to be halted. Han was sharper, and Holm struggled to find any real rhythm. Without the cut, I seriously doubt if there would be any need for a rematch.

The odds are much more reflective for the rematch. Han is now a strong odds-on favourite. I’m not sure what Holm can do different second time around. Even at the back end of her MMA career, Holm lost far more fights than she won. The Rousey win was in 2015, and that was followed by three straight defeats. Holm stayed relevant with the odd win here and there, but lost every big fight she had after shocking the world against Rousey. I don’t see that pattern changing this weekend.

I believe Han will get her closure and will likely win wide on the cards against a fighter who has undoubtedly left it too late to return to the sport where she found so much success in the early part of this century. Holm might think she can do better. But can she? I have my doubts.

Stevie Morgan is likely to be next for the winner. The American stood aside to allow the rematch to happen. Morgan believes Han will win again and that she has the style and power to beat Han herself. The current WBA champion will see it differently, of course.

A repeat victory should see Han enter a lucrative part of her career. If Morgan is next, and if Han wins, a unification showdown with any of her rival champions could be in the offering for next year. The WBC champion Caroline Dubois is part of the MVP family. Han and Dubois seems a more than likely option for 2027.