Holm Gets Revenge Against Mathis In New Mexico

Two new WBF Champions were crowned on Friday night June 15, as Holly Holm dethroned Women’s World Welterweight Champion Anne Sophie Mathis in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Nadjib Mohammedi took the World Light Heavyweight crown from Doudou Ngumbu in Pennes Mirabeau, France.

In a highly anticipated rematch, Holly Holm evened the score with Anne Sophie Mathis at the Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque when she won a unanimous decision to capture the WBF title.

In their original meeting last December, Mathis won by brutal knockout, and “The Preachers Daughter” showed amazing mental strength to get right back in with the French power-puncher and pull off the victory.

Unlike their first fight, Holm seemed to be sticking to the gameplan and boxed instead of brawling with the stronger Mathis, who in the first three rounds struggled to cut off the ring while Holm piled up points from the distance. However, in the middle rounds Mathis had more success imposing her will and made it a close fight.

In the final third of the bout it looked as if Mathis might repeat the dramatic ending of the first encounter as she slowly but surely began to close the gap. But this time Holm stood her ground and managed to counter effectively and avoid getting caught by the champion’s hard punches.

Judges Lisa Giampa, David Moretti and Duane Ford scored the bout 96-94, 97-93 and 99-91, the last score being unrealistically wide, in favor of Holm who, besides the WBF championship, can now also lay claim to the female Pound-For-Pound title.

The new champion improved her record to 31-2-3 (9), while Mathis lost for the first time in almost seventeen years, falling to 26-2 (22). The fight was promoted by Fresquez Productions, with WBF President Howard Goldberg supervising from ringside.

Thousands of miles away, in Pennes Mirabeau, France, reigning WBF Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Champion Nadjib Mohamedi impressively stopped reigning WBF World Champion Doudou Ngumbu at 2:19 of the fifth round. Up until that point, the two had traded on even terms.

The bout was fast-paced and difficult to score, but Ngumbu seemed slightly more accurate. The finish came as a complete surprise, as Mohammedi connected with a perfect left hook that, it would later be revealed, broke the nose of Ngumbu and had the champion bleeding heavily.

After this left hook, Ngumbu completely fell apart and drunkenly stumbled back while Mohammedi sensed his moment and rushed in to finish his foe with a thunderous right hand. Ngumbu fell on all fours, clearly dazed and with blood from his nose running down his face, as referee Noel Monnet counted him out.

With that, the crowd at the Salle Jean Roure went wild as Mohammedi fulfilled his dream of becoming a world champion. He improved his professional record to 28-3 (15), and Ngumbu dropped to 29-4 (11). Promoter was Robert Safrani of Boxing Center.