This June 17, the UFC will return to beautiful Singapore with a very exciting looking night of fights. Atop this latest Singapore card will be a women’s bantamweight bout pitting former champion Holly Holm against former title challenger Bethe Correia.
Both Holm and Correia are strikers by trade. In terms of striking accolades, however, the former boxer Holm is the far more decorated of the two women. That, however, is not interfering with Correia’s confidence.
Speaking to FloCombat.com, Correia explained that she is more than confident in a prolonged striking battle with the former champion Holm. In fact, she believes she could defeat Holm in a straight-up boxing match.
“I have a preference for boxing,” Correia said. “I always felt during my training sessions that I am capable of facing any boxer. Participating in a boxing match someday is one of my goals. I think I can win against any boxer. I think I can beat even Holly in a boxing match.”
Correia then commented on Holm’s recent losing streak, which has seen her give up consecutive fights to Miesha Tate, Valentina Shevchenko and Germaine de Randamie. In her opinion, Holm is far too experienced in the world of combat sports to be thrown off by a patch of adversity.
“She had losses in boxing and maybe she is just used to defeats,” Correia said. “She always tries to get herself together after a loss. There are people, like Ronda, that get so shaken up they even think of retiring. I do not like to lose. That is why I don’t think about my defeats. I just think about winning. And Holly, for sure, is not mentally unstable anymore.
“Everyone has their gaps. If you analyze my game, you will find gaps. If you analyze Holly’s game, you will also find gaps. She has her qualities on the stand-up game, but she makes some mistakes too. I am always studying and looking for the gaps on my opponents’ games.”
Do you think Bethe Correia can hang with Holly Holm on the feet? How do you think she’d do in the boxing ring?
This article first appeared on BJPenn.com on 4/17/2017.