Former No. 1-rated boxer Holm to make UFC debut
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — The world’s former No. 1-rated female boxer is set to make her Ultimate Fighting Championship debut.
The UFC announced Thursday that Holly Holm will fight Colorado native Raquel Pennington on Dec. 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The 32-year-old Albuquerque boxer turned mixed martial arts fighter signed with the world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion in July after months of negotiations. Fans hope Holm’s signing means an eventual fight with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
Last year, Holm announced her retirement from boxing to focus on an MMA career. She has a 33-2-3 record as a boxer and is 7-0 as an MMA fighter.
The unbeaten women’s bantamweight fighter says although she wants to eventually fight Rousey, she knows she has more MMA training to do.
“When I first started doing MMA, people asked me what my goal was in this, and my goal is to be the first female that has titles in both MMA and boxing because nobody’s done that,” Holm said shortly after signing with UFC. “And it’s totally doable, and that’s my plan.”
Pennington has a 4-4 MMA record. She lost a close split decision to Jessica Andrade in March.
Holm currently is ranked No. 15 among women’s bantamweight fighters, UFC.com says.
