Why did Holly Holm stop boxing? Find out what prompted ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ to bring her pugilistic career to a grinding halt

After a period of almost a year without competing, Holly Holm will make her comeback to the octagon at the end of this month, as she takes on new UFC fighter Kayla Harrison at UFC 300. Holm, also known as ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’, initially pursued a career in boxing and kickboxing before venturing into the world of mixed martial arts.

Despite being the only combat sports athlete to hold both a boxing and a UFC title, Holly Holm chose to retire from boxing in 2013. Her successful career in the sport did not deter her from pursuing other avenues, as she continued to establish herself as the No.5-ranked women’s bantamweight in the UFC. The reasons for her retirement can be explored further below.

What led to Holly Holm’s decision to retire from boxing?

Before her May 2013 fight against Mary McGee, which she ultimately won by unanimous decision, Holly Holm declared her retirement from boxing. She made this announcement in a press conference a month prior to the fight, stating:

“A hard decision, but I need to keep that spark and passion, and MMA is where it’s at for me now.”[h/t Sherdog]

She appended:

“When we were deciding which way to go with my future, my trainer Mike [Winkeljohn] said it best: ‘You want to climb a new mountain,’. This thing has created a new spark in me, and I’m following my heart.”[h/t MMA Junkie]

Holly Holm retired from boxing with an impressive record of 33-2-3, which included 16 successful title defenses across three different weight classes. She was recognized as The Ring Fighter of the Year in both 2005 and 2006, and received numerous other accolades throughout her career. Additionally, she holds the title of being the highest-ranked pound-for-pound women’s boxer of all time on BoxRec.

‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ continues to hold the top position as the promotion’s greatest female welterweight of all time. Additionally, she has been inducted into prestigious halls of fame such as the International Boxing Hall of Fame, International Women’s Boxing Hall of Fame, and New Mexico Sports Hall of Fame.

Despite making her mixed martial arts debut before retiring from boxing and achieving a 3-0 record, Holm’s career truly flourished once she fully dedicated herself to the sport. She went on to win her next four fights before making her promotional debut at UFC 184 in February 2015.

Following her victories in her first two fights in the promotion, she was granted a title shot at UFC 193 in November 2015. Holm’s decision to transition to MMA proved to be a wise one as she claimed the women’s bantamweight title with a second-round knockout over Ronda Rousey.

She received both Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night bonuses, followed by being named 2015’s Newcomer of the Year, Upset of the Year, and Knockout of the Year.

Despite its status as one of the greatest upsets in promotional history, the victory still stands as a significant achievement. Additionally, ‘The Preacher’s Daughter’ has one of the fastest ascents from debut to a title. Holm continues to hold the distinction of being the only fighter to hold both a boxing and UFC title.