How old was Holly Holm when she started boxing? Exploring ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’s’ boxing career

Holly Holm is highly respected as a highly accomplished combat athlete, with numerous accomplishments under her belt.

Holm is getting ready to take on Kayla Harrison, a two-time Olympic gold medalist in judo, in the preliminary fights of the highly-anticipated UFC 300 pay-per-view event set to take place on April 13 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.

‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ had an unblemished record of 7-0 in her MMA career and captured the Legacy FC bantamweight title before stepping into the co-main event of UFC 184 in February 2015. In her debut in the octagon, Holm emerged triumphant with a split decision win against future champion Raquel Pennington.

Shortly after her first fight, Holm cemented her place in the history of mixed martial arts as the first fighter to defeat Ronda Rousey. Despite being seen as a significant underdog, she proved her doubters wrong and emerged victorious at the UFC 193 event.

Despite facing tough competition, ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ managed to deliver a stunning second-round head kick, securing the 135-pound championship. Her exceptional performance not only earned her Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, but also led to her being recognized with the prestigious 2015 Upset of the Year and Knockout of the Year awards.

Witness the moment when Holly Holm defeats Ronda Rousey with a knockout at UFC 193 in the video below:

At what age did Holly Holm begin her boxing career?

In addition to her successful MMA career, Holly Holm achieved great success in the world of boxing. She had an impressive professional record of 33-2-3 and held titles in various weight classes, maintaining her reign as an 18-time champion.

Holm’s involvement in the sports of boxing, kickboxing, and MMA began in 1998 at the young age of 16. It was during this time that her potential was first recognized by a cardio-kickboxing instructor, who then took on the task of developing her skills.

In January 2002, ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ made her debut in the professional boxing arena and secured a third-round TKO victory. This marked the start of a remarkable career for the 42-year-old New Mexico native. In the following two-and-a-half years, she participated in eight more matches, winning six and drawing in the remaining two.

Despite experiencing heartbreak in June 2004 with her first professional loss to Rita Turrisi, Holm refused to be discouraged and instead used it as motivation to push herself even harder. This determination led to an incredible unbeaten streak of 24 fights over the course of seven years, during which she dominated in three different divisions and earned multiple titles such as the IBA, WBF, WIBA, and WBAN female welterweight championships.

In May 2013, following her victory over Mary McGee by unanimous decision, ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ made the decision to retire from boxing and instead focus on training in MMA. Her remarkable accomplishments were rightfully acknowledged with her titles as The Ring Fighter of the Year in both 2005 and 2006. Furthermore, she was honored with inductions into the International Boxing Hall of Fame, the International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame, and the New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.