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Han, likely future Holm opponent, has her next bout
Holly Holm, right, and Yolanda Vega engage in the traditional stare-down before their June 18 boxing match in Anaheim, Calif. Holm defeated Vega by unanimous decision.
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El Paso boxer Stephanie Han, rumored as the next opponent for Albuquerque’s Holly Holm, is scheduled to defend her WBA lightweight title against Colombia’s Paulina Angel on Aug. 23 in Orlando, Florida.
Han (10-0, three knockouts), like Holm, signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions. Speculation is, if Han defeats Angel (7-1-2, three KOs), Holm and Han could meet before the year is out.
Albuquerque is a possible site.
Holm (34-2-3, nine KOs), a boxing Hall of Famer and a former UFC bantamweight champion in MMA, resumed her boxing career after a 12-year hiatus on June 28 with a victory by unanimous decision over Mexico’s Yolanda Vega in Anaheim, Calif.
Han is trained by Las Cruces’ Louie Burke.
PICO’S NEW FOE: Jackson-Wink MMA featherweight Aaron Pico has a new opponent and a new date for his long-awaited UFC debut.
As reported Saturday by mmafighting.com, Pico (13-4) is matched against Englishman Lerone Murphy (16-0-1, 8-0-1 UFC) on UFC 319 on Aug. 16 in Chicago.
Pico originally was to have fought on Saturday against Russia’s Movsar Evloev (19-0) on a UFC Fight Night card in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Evloev withdrew, apparently due to injury.
Evloev is the UFC’s No. 1 challenger to the featherweight title held by Alexander Volkanovski. It doesn’t get much easier for Pico. Murphy is ranked No. 6.
Pico is unranked, having contested his first 17 pro fights with Bellator.
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NEW OPPONENT FOR MOREU: Albuquerque boxer Yoruba Moreu Jr. has a new opponent, as well as a new duration, for his scheduled pro debut on Saturday in Nashville, Tennessee.
What hasn’t changed is the opponent’s penchant for losing.
Ndira Spearman (1-16) of Lavergne, Tennessee has replaced Weusi Johnson (3-38-1), who’s under suspension after losing a fight by first-round knockout on July 19 in Columbia, South Carolina.
Spearman, whose only victory came nine years ago in his pro debut, is scheduled to come off suspension on Friday after having lost by second-round KO on July 1 in Nashville.
Moreu’s debut fight also has been shortened to four rounds from the original six, as mandated by the Tennessee Athletic Commission.
Jacob Maes, Moreu’s manager, and Yoruba Moreu Sr., his son’s trainer, had wanted the younger Moreu to be the first New Mexico fighter (according to their research) to make his pro debut with a six-round bout.
