Friday night he floated a wave of bad news for the U.S. Route 66 Casino in Albuquerque, for the clash between Holly Holm and Anne-Sophie Mathis, nothing to do with the weather, but rather because of the feisty French. Notices before the fight had already forged: "Holly? It Boxer his opponent at a distance as it always has, as sure as the winter storm hit on Friday, New Mexico."
The storm hit as expected, except that it is not the icy wind that blew in Albuquerque, but Anne-Sophie Mathis. By registering the biggest win of his career and the biggest surprise of his last years in women's boxing, Mathis has not only acquired the scepter of Holm as the number one pound-for-pound, but sent the former -champion to the mat and was bleeding before a crowd stunned, saddened and strangely silent.


The main event of the evening, promoted by Fresco Productions, was billed as the fight of the decade, the future will tell, but the result of last night's shows indeed the end of the reign of Holm. In the first round, things were not going to be obvious to the throne, was a typical battle Holm: The boxer requires a very fast pace, jumping from one side to the other the ring to stun and frustrate his opponent. 21 of 25 KO victories, it is not used when you can not catch or touch an opponent like Holm, who has precise shots and stifling. The strikes followed by clashes market for the first two rounds, Mathis had trouble replicating other than tightening trade after the melee. But come the third round, took the ascendancy ASM unexpectedly, and Holm, before a howling mob, suffered, winning the first three occasions, the U.S. has not only replicated, but sent a huge blow to the liver by wince the French.
In the fourth round, the boxers have both approached the fight differently, instead of hitting and staying in constant motion, Holm preferred share, and Mathis hit three big lines crossed the custody of the U.S. and have done nosebleed, the French did not come to lose.

The fifth round was a very balanced series of exchanges, until his opponent severely Mathis sounds, warned for shots behind the head, Lorraine nods and continues to harm the champion, winning another round. Holm was a bit boxed in the sixth round, but was mainly fought with the fight, an error that was clear when Mathis sent a high-powered right that sent his opponent to the mat, even more shocked that the crowd, the referee Burke has not even begun the countdown, Holm was barely able to stand up but managed to recover.
Mass was said yet, Holm has weathered the storm Mathis, hearing the sound of the bell ended the round ending. The native of Albuquerque was on its last legs, staggering to his corner with a coach trying desperately to revive her, before returning to coal. Holm tried to leap to his feet without success, so she resigned herself to face the juggernaut that affected French victory at your fingertips, would soon end, Mathis his opponent strolling the middle rope to the corner . At that time, Holm was entangled in the ropes, while the French strikes him a right which opens an old scar, ironically, the same scar that had stopped his fight for his first defeat, the referee took a while to put end to the suffering of "the daughter of the preacher," saving the fists that could end his career, the former champion barely able to stand, the battle was over, at least that's what all the world thought, instead of the referee ordered it to resume the fight, claiming a slip.

Mathis according to the letter the orders of the referee, she sent a line that almost made him stagger his opponent out of the ring almost landing on the judge Dave Moretti, that's when his coach intervened to rescue his pupil bloodied and glassy eyes. The French, realizing that she had won, parade in the ring as it has proven to be champion, champion at 1 minute 38 of the seventh round. While the native Nancy savored his victory, the former champion stumbled to the locker room to recover and get back forty minutes later for the conference.

"What affected me most is my ego and my pride" announced the former champion, in tears, crying his second loss in seven years, "It was a better fighter, it was loyal to itself. I did not fight intelligently, I have no excuse, I had a great training camp and my corner gave me good advice ... but I have not followed, s' lead to the MMA has nothing to do with my defeat, I have not fought the best I could. "


The coach of Holly, Mike Winkeljohn admitted defeat, saying simply: "What can I say? It imposed its will on Holly." Neither boxer nor coach have thought that the fight should have been stopped before, "That's the big fights," says Holm, "I'm glad the referee gave me a chance to come back." Winkel told John it was a very hard fight to watch, and thought about throwing in the towel before the referee stopped the fight, "But she did what she should do," he says, " you must give him a chance. "

Mathis (26-1, 22K) for its thought that the fight should have been stopped before, but she was surprised Holmes has kindly accepted the fight against it. "I did not think she would have agreed to exchange blows," says Anne-Sophie, "is a great fighter and it hurt me too, but I knew it would take over the fight, the more it is expected to slow I knew I was losing at first, but deep down I knew the game was far from over, it was just a matter of time. "

"Seat belts do not mean anything," added French. "Holly Holm was the best boxer in the world and I was proud to fight against it and win the belt is the icing on the cake."
Anne-Sophie Mathis now has a contractual obligation to grant a rematch within 90 days, and can measure up to anyone else until its new face to face with Holm, also, the leg will still to his opponent. It poses no problem to the two protagonists, "I want revenge," says Holm, "next time, I would know who I'm dealing."

The Moselle is a vacation, spending time with his daughter, and wait for the provisions for a new meeting with Holly Holm. Until then, however, she does not want to fight anyone else, "we will fight again and the contract will be fulfilled" concluded the champion, "after I would see to Braekhus."

"I know from the outside, this kind of KO may seem shocking. But this is boxing, 'says Anne-Sophie Mathis.


These days, Anne-Sophie Mathis has spent time
walk between the slots and gaming tables of Casino
Route 66. The gift shop, the restaurants (including French Gilles
Desnous is the director) and of course the "Theatre of Legends".
This venue: the Dombasloise ended up feeling almost
as at home in this huge complex lulled by the sounds of
parts and dazzling lights. There is one place where it
will ultimately never set foot: the club of Casino.
After the fight on Friday night, she was nevertheless warmly
invited. But the tequila's "nightclub," she preferred the small
glass of wine with friends, with his French host. A simple pleasure, without
rhinestones or sequins. One way to enjoy that also internalized
the ring, when Holly Holm was knocked to his feet ...

Anne-Sophie
after the KO, you do not really let you shine
joy in the ring. What were you thinking at that moment?

(It
thinks) ... I just said, mission accomplished! It was
two months that we was working on this fight and the work paid off. This is
True, I n'extériorise not much in the ring. It's my nature. And
then I am aware of my ability. During my first win
for a European belt, I jumped for joy. It was the first
time! Today, I am not surprised to win more.

Reassure us, you still had fun?

Oh
yes! But it is inside my house. But I must admit that in the
seventh round, when I saw her (Holm) collapsed into the ropes,
reaction ... I fall without hearts!

It was violent, anyway ...

I
know from the outside, this kind of KO may seem shocking. But
is boxing. Me, it is these moments that I love, when I feel that
my opponent is about to fall ...

"His blows me angry"

Do you think that the referee let the fight go on too long?

I
think it should have been stopped in the sixth round, is lorsqu'Holm
fell for the first time. It's true that yesterday (Friday), they
have not really protected. But they have not had the opportunity. If
I was dropped in the sixth round, the fight was stopped!

Holm is a "party of war" at the beginning of combat. That surprised you?

A
little. I was moved several times, but it was not bad. The
that it gives a lot of shots from the start I was not disturbed.
I was rather excited, actually. It made me even more motivated. And as
and as the fight progressed, I felt that it would eventually
folding. This fight was a bit like I delivered the second face
Myriam Lamare, in Marseille.

You came to beat the world number one home, the United States. Do you realize the magnitude of your achievement?

I
a little wrong. I just feel like the best
boxer in the world! I hope that Cecilia Braekhus (Editor's note: the Norwegian
which holds the only two belts which are beyond the Dombasloise) has
saw combat. I also hope that my victory here will allow me to be
longer recognized by the French media ... Most importantly, I want to thank
René (Cordier) and family who help me every day. Do what
I'm being a single mother, it is not easy ...