“Fighting Holly Holm is like a dream come true,” Stephanie Han said. “To have the opportunity to share the ring with her, someone I’ve always looked up to … Thank you, Holly Holm.” This respect for her opponent, Hall of Famer Holly Holm, is expected to shift on Saturday night, January 3, at the Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico, when the first punch lands.

Yet, the undefeated Han is confident she can pull off an upset when the bright lights switch on. The pair will collide on the undercard of Most Valuable Promotions’ Amanda Serrano vs. Reina Tellez. But before the fight kicks off, Han is a mystery to most fans, ready to catch the action live on DAZN. So, here’s everything you need to know about the 35-year-old. 

Where is Stephanie Han from? Ethnicity and nationality

The 11-0 lightweight is a Korean-American fighter who represents America on the global stage. She hails from El Paso, Texas, the city where her journey as a fighter—and as a person—was shaped. While she kept specific details about her ethnicity largely private, it’s believed that she has Korean ancestry. 

Born and raised in the border city, she believes in a family culture built around discipline, martial arts, and resilience. Growing up, the gym was practically her second home thanks to her father’s background in martial arts. “My dad is one crazy man, but I love him,” Han once said. “He was a martial arts teacher, and all five kids grew up in a gym. It’s a lifestyle in my family—fighting, martial arts, and boxing.”

Although she admits she didn’t always enjoy the demanding routine as a child, her perspective has changed with time. “I didn’t appreciate it as a kid, but now as a police officer and professional world champion, I definitely appreciate my dad,” she added. As for her religion, Han hasn’t publicly spoken on the subject, but given her Korean descent and life in Texas, it can be assumed that she is a Christian or Buddhist.

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Still, there’s more to Stephanie Han than meets the eye.

Han is more than just a boxer—a mother and a police officer

Besides being a boxer, the 35-year-old has multiple demanding roles in life. Outside the ring, Han serves as an officer with the El Paso Police Department, a journey she began in 2016. That responsibility grew in 2021 when she became an inspector at the El Paso Police Department Training Academy. 

“I have many positions at the academy, but one of the things that I do is I assist with defensive tactics,” Han said, highlighting the hands-on nature of her role. Part of her training also includes exposing the recruits to boxing, not as a competitive sport, but as a conditioning tool that sharpens discipline, endurance, and mental toughness.

“We do a boxing conditioning program. It’s not part of our defensive tactics program, but they do get exposed to boxing,” Han explained. “That’s something that I grew up doing. It is something that is very natural for me.” Beyond her job as an actual cop, Han is also a wife and a mother to two. 

 “I had my family; I had my career. I was happy,” she said, reflecting on a period when boxing felt firmly in the past.

That said, Stephanie Han isn’t just stepping into the ring against a legend of the sport—she’s fighting to represent El Paso, her colleagues, and her children, as well as countless mothers who dare to chase their dreams. Can she rise to the moment and pull off the win?