Holy Holm Reignites Boxing Ambitions – Eyes Katie Taylor Showdown

Holly Holm’s return to boxing isn’t about nostalgia — it’s about unfinished business. And part of that business includes a name she mentioned long before crossing over to the UFC: Katie Taylor.

The former UFC bantamweight champion steps back into the squared circle for the first time in over a decade on June 28, facing unbeaten prospect Yolanda Vega the Netflix broadcast MVP card.

‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ is already eyeing the biggest fights the sport has to offer — and once again, Taylor is on her radar.

Holm’s interest in a Taylor fight isn’t new. Before becoming a household name in MMA, she was one of boxing’s top pound-for-pound fighters — and even then, she floated Taylor as a future opponent. That was back when the Irish icon was still an amateur sensation and Holm was at the peak of her boxing powers. Now, with Holm back in the sport and Taylor still reigning as one of boxing’s biggest stars, the fight feels once again possible.

“I don’t ever look past who I’m fighting right now,” Holm told The Ariel Helwani Show of her upcoming bout. “She’s undefeated… she’s tough, and I want to do well there as far as my immediate goal. But yeah, I’d like to fight for a title and then be able to fight Serrano or Taylor after that.”

Taylor, of course, is locked in for a historic trilogy with Amanda Serrano on July 11 in New York — a bout that will crown the undisputed super lightweight champion. But should she come through that, Holm believes she belongs in that conversation.

The 42-year-old, who famously dethroned Ronda Rousey with a head kick in 2015, never closed the boxing chapter of her career in full. After leaving the UFC earlier this year and seeing a planned return to combat sports via the now-stalled GFL promotion fall through, Holm shifted her focus back to the sweet science — and made it clear she’s not just back to tick a box.

“I was hopeful, and I put my work in thinking we have a fight coming up [with GFL], but I also don’t throw all my eggs in one basket,” Holm said. “One thing about training my whole life and just being dedicated is that I’ve been able to have options… I’m thankful that I have the option to go back and pursue boxing and be on a big card out in California. I’m excited for it.”

Holm’s legacy in combat sports is already secure, but a win over Taylor — or Serrano — would cap it off with a storyline that’s been years in the making. She may have swapped gloves back in the day, but she never let go of the idea that boxing had more to offer.

And now, she’s back where she started — with Katie Taylor once again in her sights.