We obtain an upper bound for the number of holomorphic mappings of a genus 3 Riemann surface onto a genus 2 Riemann surface in a series of cases. In particular, we establish that the number of holomorphic mappings of an arbitrary genus 3 Riemann surface onto an arbitrary genus 2 Riemann surface is at most 48. We show that this estimate is sharp and find pairs of Riemann surfaces for which it is attained.