Fresquez: Holm needs 2 wins, then a title shot
Albuquerque fighter will start her quest against Pennington in Australia
Two wins for Holly Holm, her longtime Albuquerque promoter believes, will put her back where she belongs: fighting for a UFC title.
Lenny Fresquez on Wednesday confirmed an espn.com report that Holm has accepted a rematch against Raquel Pennington on Oct. 5 at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, Australia.
That’s the same venue (though it was called Etihad Stadium at the time) at which Holm upset Ronda Rousey to win the UFC women’s bantamweight title in November 2015.
“Back to the scene of the crime, that’s what (UFC matchmaker Mick Maynard) told me,” Fresquez said in a phone interview. “I like that crime scene. Let’s go back.”
In terms of crime scenes, some observers thought Pennington was robbed of a victory when she fought Holm in the Albuquerquean’s UFC debut at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Holm eked out a victory by split decision in February 2015.
Asked if there was any hesitation on his or Holm’s part to take another fight against Pennington, Fresquez said, “Not at all, at all, at all. They’ve both become better fighters since that fight. Holly needs to be able to take care of a fighter like that.
“She will take care of a fighter like that.”
Pennington (10-7), from Colorado Springs, is coming off a victory by split decision over Irene Aldana on July 20. On July 6, in a challenge for the bantamweight title she once held, Holm (12-5) lost to champion Amanda Nunes by first-round TKO (head kick and punches on the ground).
“She’s fine,” Fresquez said. “She got knocked out. They’ve had her checked out and will check her out again before the (October) fight, but she’s fine.”
A victory over Pennington and one more, Fresquez said, should put Holm back in line for a title shot.
“She’s gonna look really dominant, and then back to the title,” he said. “We’re still after that title.”
PARKED: Clovis MMA lightweight Harvey Park ran into a virtual sierra circular — a buzz saw — Tuesday in Las Vegas, Nev.
Park, fighting for a possible UFC contract on Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series, was knocked out in the second round by Venezuela’s Omar Morales.
Morales (8-0) got the UFC contract. Park (12-3) remains the LFA lightweight champion.
Park simply had no answer for Morales’ power of foot and fist. A series of Morales leg kicks in the second round left the Clovis sheriff’s deputy virtually unable to move, leaving him wide open for a Morales punch that ended the fight.
PEREZ HONORED: Albuquerque amateur boxer Abraham Perez, who won a national Golden Gloves title earlier this year, was honored with a proclamation Monday from the Albuquerque City Council.
Perez, 20, defeated Samuel Cosio of the Kansas City region on May 11 to become New Mexico’s eighth GG national champion.
A member of USA Boxing’s High Performance Squad, he’s pursuing every amateur boxer’s ultimate dream: a berth in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.