MVP Signs Former Boxing and UFC Champion Holly Holm

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) today reinforced its dominance in global women’s boxing by announcing the signings of Boxrec’s #2 greatest pound-for-pound women’s boxer of all time and former UFC champion Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm (33-2, 9 KOs) and 29-year-old undefeated Mexican superstar Yolanda “Pitayita” Vega (10-0, 1 KO).

Holm and Vega join MVP’s elite roster ahead of Wednesday’s faceoff on the Jake Paul vs. Julio César Chávez Jr. card, first announced at the event’s preview press conference, where Holm and Vega made a surprise appearance.

Holm vs. Vega will be a 10-round lightweight bout contested over two-minute rounds. Paul vs. Chavez Jr. will air live globally on DAZN pay-per-view on Saturday, June 28, from Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and is presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy with Golden Boy Promotions serving as an official licensed promoter. Tickets for Paul vs. Chavez Jr. are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com.

Holly Holm: Combat Sports Royalty

Holly Holm during weigh ins for UFC 246 at T-Mobile Arena on Jan 17, 2020. Photo: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports/Sipa USA Photo by Icon Sport

Holm is widely regarded as the most dominant two-sport athlete in combat sports history. A pioneer in women’s boxing and a trailblazer in MMA, Holm is the only fighter to hold world titles in both disciplines, cementing her legacy as a generational talent and global icon.

Born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Holm grew up with a background in soccer, gymnastics, and swimming before discovering her passion and talent for boxing and kickboxing. In the fall of 2001, Holm won the IKF national amateur championship title before making her pro boxing debut in January 2002, winning by TKO over Martha Deitchman. Quickly establishing her dominance in the pro ranks, Holm earned her first title shot at the IBA super lightweight title in December 2004, earning a 10-round unanimous decision win over Terri Blair.

After three title defense victories, she moved up to the division class and secured the WBA welterweight title in a unanimous decision over Angelica Martinez in June 2006. In June 2008, Holm stepped up to the super welterweight division and cruised to a 10-round unanimous decision over previously undefeated Mary Jo Sanders, winning the then-vacant IBA and WBAN super welterweight titles.

In December 2011, Holm was defeated by Anne Sophie Mathis as the pair contested for the vacant IBA female and WBAN welterweight titles. Holm quickly reclaimed her winning streak as she faced Mathis in a rematch in June 2012, avenging the loss with a unanimous decision victory and adding the WBF, IBA, and WBAN titles to her collection.

Holm then moved back down to the super lightweight division to compete for the vacant WBF and IBA titles, winning by decision over Diana Prazak. In May 2013, Holm cemented her legacy as an 18-time world champion across three weight classes as she successfully defended the WBF and IBA super lightweight titles against Mary McGee that month.

Holly Holm shocked mixed martial arts with her victory over Ronda Rousey.

Holm then pivoted her electrifying career into MMA, signing a multi-fight deal with the UFC in 2014. Her MMA career culminated in her headlining megafight against then-undefeated bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey in November 2015, the most highly attended UFC event in history at the time. Rousey was the overwhelming favorite going into the bout, but Holm came into the bout strong, leveraging her southpaw stance and boxing skill to control the opening round before landing a sensational knockout in the second round and handing Rousey her first loss.

As she earned the title, Holm became the first person to win championships in both boxing and MMA. She is currently ranked Boxrec’s #2 greatest pound-for-pound fighter of all time and remains the most dominant two-sport athlete of all time, She will return to the ring to face Yolanda Vega in a 10-round lightweight bout contested over two-minute rounds.

See video of Holly Holm at Wednesday’s news conference.

“I’m excited to partner with Most Valuable Promotions and return to the boxing ring,” said Holly Holm. “This new chapter is going to be an exciting journey, and I’m looking forward to the challenge. Coming full circle back to boxing, I’ve spent most of my MMA career at 135 pounds, and now I have the opportunity to make my boxing debut at that weight. With boxing titles in three higher weight classes under my belt, I’m eager to pursue a fourth title in a new division.”

Mexican Standout Yolanda Vega Joins MVP Roster

Holly Holm returns to boxing, taking on Yolanda Vega. Photo: Esther Lin, Most Valuable Promotions

Born and raised in Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico, undefeated Mexican superstar Yolanda “Pitayita” Vega has quickly emerged as one of the brightest talents in Mexico’s women’s boxing scene. Since making her pro boxing debut against Julissa Alejandra Guzman in July 2015, Vega has built a name for herself with her technical precision with relentless determination.

Ranked as Boxrec’s #13 super lightweight women’s boxer in the world, Vega has established herself as a standout in Mexican boxing, with big career moments such as her TKO win over Cintia Cardona Ortega in November 2023.

After retaining an undefeated record for nearly ten years, Vega secured a hard-fought unanimous decision victory over Claudia Fernanda Herrera Lopez in her most recent bout in March 2025 to earn the WBA Fedelatin super lightweight title. Riding the momentum of that win, she now sets her sights on extending her undefeated streak as she prepares to take on Holm in her first fight outside of Mexico on Saturday, June 28.

“I feel very happy and grateful to God that a company of this magnitude has taken me into account to join their roster. I am very committed because I know what it means to fight among the highest elite ranks, and I trust a lot in my work reflecting at MVP,” said  Vega.

“Fighting against a champion of this stature on Saturday, June 28 brings me closer to my aim of becoming a world champion. I respect and admire her work a lot, but today she has become my next goal, and goals are meant to be achieved.”

MVP Commitment to Women’s Boxing

“Holly Holm is the most dominant two-sport athlete in history, period. Her accomplishments in both boxing and MMA are unmatched, and we’re honored to welcome her to Most Valuable Promotions,” said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions.

“I remember when Holly shocked the world by knocking out Ronda Rousey, and I have no doubt she has the ability to shock the world again in her quest to become a boxing world champion once more. But Yolanda is a proud Mexican fighter and has her own plans, which is why she has signed a multi-fight contract with MVP.

“Signing both Holly Holm and Yolanda Vega reflects our commitment to building the biggest platform in the world for women’s boxing. With Jake Paul vs. Julio César Chávez Jr. headlining and Holm vs. Vega on the card, Saturday, June 28 is going to be one of the most entertaining events of the year,” concluded Bidarian.

Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) continues to expand its commitment to women’s boxing in 2025 with the signings of Vega and Holm. These signings follow its recent additions of champions Savannah Marshall and Chantelle Cameron in May 2025 and the company’s historic lifetime agreement with seven-division world champion Amanda Serrano, who will complete her career under the MVP banner before becoming Chairwoman of MVP’s women’s boxing initiatives.

In this new role, Serrano will lead efforts to identify, sign, develop, and market MVP’s growing roster of female athletes. MVP also announced the Katie Taylor vs. Amanda Serrano trilogy fight, set for Friday, July 11 at Madison Square Garden and airing globally on Netflix, which will headline MSG’s first-ever all-women’s card and feature record-breaking purses for both fighters.

Paul vs. Chávez Jr. is produced and marketed by Most Valuable Promotions, with Golden Boy Promotions serving as the official licensed promoter, and is distributed by DAZN pay-per-view. The event is presented by CELSIUS Live Fit Essential Energy, also sponsored by Fansly and Event Ticket Center. Additional information, including additional bouts, will be announced in the coming weeks.

Holm and Vega join MVP’s elite roster of athletes and up-and-coming talents including international superstar Jake “El Gallo” Paul, Serrano, undisputed super featherweight world champion Alycia “The Bomb” Baumgardner, WBO super middleweight champion Shadasia “The Sweet Terminator” Green, reigning unified bantamweight world champion and Boxrec’s #1 pound-for-pound female boxer Dina Thorslund, IBF and Ring Magazine super middleweight world champion Savannah “The Silent Assassin” Marshall, WBC super lightweight interim world champion Chantelle “Il Capo” Cameron. English boxing phenom and unified super bantamweight world champion Ellie Scotney, IBF bantamweight world champion Shurretta Metcalf, Spain’s WBA Interim featherweight world champion Jennifer Miranda, multi-talented megastar Javon “Wanna” Walton, Neeraj Goyat of India, top-ranked lightweight “Prince” Lucas Bahdi, Puerto Rican sensation Krystal Rosado, three-time US national boxing champion Alexis “Chop Chop” Chaparro, Puerto Rican National Team star Jan Paul Rivera, two-time Canadian Olympian and amateur world champion Tamm Thibeault, two-time US national amateur champion and rising bantamweight star Alexander “The Alley Cat” Gueche, Nigerian featherweight Elizabeth Oshoba, Somali-British boxer, activist, and high fashion model Ramla Ali, undefeated WBC Youth light flyweight world champion Naomy Valle of Costa Rica, 15-time US national amateur champion Nat “No Love”’ Dove, and two-time Brazilian Olympian Keno Marley.