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Holm's goals: Strong punches and a KO
Tonight
Boxing: Holly Holm (19-1-2) vs. Mariem Brakache (5-6), 10 rounds for WBC and IFBA welterweight belts.
Where: Isleta Casino and Resort
When: First bell at 7 p.m.
Also: Joe Gomez (13-1-1) vs. Rudy Hernandez (14-5-1); Willie Villanueva (7-0) vs. Elvis Martinez (11-23-2); Joe Cruz (2-1) vs. Lucas Galle (2-1); Jodi Esquibel (5-2) vs. Ava Knight (2-0).
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If you had to slap a new motto on Albuquerque's Holly Holm, it might be "power with intelligence."
Hit hard, but don't get hit back.
That's the strategy Holm has in mind tonight for Mariem Brakache of Atlanta, who is in town trying to swipe a couple of Holm's championship belts.
"I love the way the belts look," said a cocky Brakache, eyeing the gaudy WBC and IFBA welterweight girdles. "I plan to take them home."
Of course, Holm has plans, too. She plans to knock Brakache to the canvas for the 10 count - as soon as possible.
"Always. I always try for the knockout," Holm said. "Then you don't leave it up to the judges, and you get to go home early.
"I'm putting more power in all my punches than I did two years ago. That's probably the biggest thing I've changed is trying to be really effective with all my punches the whole ten rounds."
Not that Holm plans to go ten rounds tonight. And Brakache, about six inches shorter than Holm and about a foot wider, should be a easy target for the agile and quick-fisted Holm.
But Brakache supposedly is a tough cookie in the ring.
"From what I've seen, she is pretty aggressive," Holm said of her opponent. "I think she'll bring a lot of heat."
Holm's new plan is to bring heat, too. Her trainer, Mike Winkeljohn, said boxing fans are "going to freak" over the new-look Holm.
What Winkeljohn is hoping for is the complete package of boxing: quick feet, quick fists, great movement, smart counter punching and deadly power.
The power thing would be the new addition. If there is a rap against Holm, it's the lack of a KO punch.
"We've been working on getting my punches more powerful but not throwing them without setting them up," Holm said. "I don't think I'll be throwing (power punches) with too much desperation.
"But if what we have trained for is not working, (Winkeljohn) will tell me between rounds, and we'll change things. I can go out and be the aggressor, or I can be the counter puncher."
Winkeljohn says Holm's power will come from better balance and better angles.
Another plus for Holm is her superb conditioning and well-toned body. Holm puts in the work in the foothills as well as in the ring.
"You can have all the skill in the world but not train hard and you're not ready to go," she said.
"Every fight, I feel if I don't do at least what I did for the last fight, if not more, then I won't be ready. I'm always trying to punch a little harder, run a little harder."
Holm's problem at this point in her career is simply finding someone who can stand across from her and put up a decent fight.
"There's not a female out there in her league," said Lenny Fresquez, her promoter. "She has pretty much cleaned out the women's division and is the most feared woman boxer in all of the world."

