Holly Holm has not ruled out a return to boxing, even as she remains resolutely committed to chasing another title in her current venture of MMA.

Holm, 40, may be the most successful two-way combats sports figure in recent memory, having conquered divisions in both boxing and in the UFC. Holm left the ring in 2013 after defeating Mary McGee by unanimous decision. Her boxing record stood at 33-2-3 with nine knockouts and titles across three weight classes. Holm will be inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York this summer, alongside James Toney, Miguel Cotto, Roy Jones Jr., and Regina Halmich. 

In a FightHype.com interview, journalist Lance Pugmire stated that his sources indicated that Holm had one fight left on his contract with the UFC, leading him to ask Holm if she would pursue another attempt at winning a world title in boxing, particularly against undisputed women’s lightweight champion Katie Taylor. Pugmire said there was interest from the Taylor camp in that fight.

“I’ll tell you what, there’s a lot that I think about and that is one those things that I do, going to 135,” Holm said, without commenting on her contractual status. “We actually were open to fighting Katie Taylor before I retired [from boxing]. I don’t know if they were ready to take that step.

“I got so focused on MMA and that’s where my passion was. You have to go where your passion is. You’ll fight best where your passion is. Not for money, not for attention or anything like that.”

“I miss boxing, it’s always going to be a part of my heart. You never know. Maybe I will go back.”

Holm’s greatest moment in the UFC came in 2015, when she upset then undefeated superstar Ronda Rousey in Melbourne to win the bantamweight title. Holm is 14-5 in the UFC, and has been itching to get back into title contention ever since she was knocked out by Amanda Nunes in 2019.

Holm is confident that she could go back to boxing and win a title in her current form.

“A lot of fighters are going back and forth [between MMA and boxing] and nobody’s doing it successfully,” Holm said. “I can. I can do it successfully. I know I can. I know I can go back to boxing and still be a champion.”

If nothing else, whatever her contractual situation might be, Holm does not appear to be interested in retiring from fighting anytime soon.

“It would take a lot for me to get away from this sport,” Holm said. “People have been telling me to retire since I was 32. My dad told me one time, you know Holly these people say, ‘Oh I don’t know how you do it.’ That’s because they wouldn’t. That’s why they’re not doing it, and that’s why they’re talking about you doing it. Anytime I hear someone say, ‘You should retire.’ Oh yeah, that’s because you wouldn’t. You would retire.”