Teak-tough Carlos Hernandez grew up on the imply streets in South Central, Los Angeles. He got here from nothing to turn out to be a junior light-weight titleholder within the early 2000s.
Hernandez, who was the oldest of three brothers, was born in Pico Union, Los Angeles on January 23, 1971. His mother and father have been Salvadorian immigrants. His father was a janitor, whereas his mom was an accountant.
“[I was] at all times in bother, combating on the road in opposition to different youngsters – being a menace,” Hernandez instructed The Ring. “It was a harmful place, there was loads of gangs round there and bizarre individuals. It was loopy.”
Hernandez’s father knew he wanted to do one thing to maintain his son away from bother, when he was round 15-years-old, he took him to the neighborhood gymnasium.
“[My father] learn it was $10 a month, he mentioned, ‘I’m going to place you right here, I would like you to drop extra pounds and keep off the road,’” he recalled. “He took me and a few guys from the neighborhood, who have been gang members.
“After I get to the gymnasium, the man goes, ‘You guys wish to do boxing? Let’s see what you have got.’ He put the gloves on me and my buddy however my good friend was thought of a tough man. I used to be sort of nervous and I beat him up within the ring. They have been like, ‘Carlos is fairly good.’ I had just a little little bit of respect. I appreciated that and I stayed with it.”
Though Hernandez wasn’t a famous newbie going 17-7, he was tenacious and decided.
“The expertise I acquired was primarily sparring world champions as a young person,” he mentioned. “I used to be sparring Roger Mayweather when he fought Julio Cesar Chavez. I used to be 17, 18-years-old. I sparred many world champions, Tony Lopez, ‘Maromero’ Paez, ‘Bazooka’ Limon, Juan ‘Child’ Meza, Hector Camacho. I didn’t have a lot expertise within the amateurs however the sparring is what actually helped me. These guys didn’t take it simple on me.”
The teen made his skilled bow, making a handbag of round $260, in opposition to fellow debutant Victor Martinez on the Marriott Resort, Irvine, California in January 1992. Nonetheless, the battle didn’t go as deliberate and Hernandez, who was on the observe staff at school, needed to accept a draw.
“I skilled for a couple of weeks and fought,” he mentioned. “I assumed I used to be going to win as a result of I used to be in actually fine condition however I acquired nervous and I threw all the things I had the primary two rounds and the final two rounds I used to be useless drained. From that day ahead I devoted myself one hundred pc to boxing.”
Carlos Hernandez (proper) and his household
Hernandez went on to reel off 20 victories earlier than overconfidence turned his downfall in opposition to robust Mexican fighter Aaron Zarate in Lake Tahoe in September 1995.
“I assumed I used to be going to stroll via the man,” he admitted. “He was lanky and tall and I actually liked these guys as a result of I used to be going to have the ability to go to the physique.
“He threw me off as a result of he was sturdy however I nonetheless had my alternatives. I assumed I used to be about to knock him out within the final spherical and thought I had pulled off a draw however on the finish I had my first loss. It was devastating to me as a result of I felt I let myself down, I let my nation down. That was one thing I needed to study and needed to alter and comeback stronger in my subsequent battle.”
‘Famoso’ received his subsequent 4, together with a win over former featherweight titlist Goyo Vargas (MD 10), earlier than he acquired a WBC world title shot in opposition to his good friend Genaro Hernandez on the Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles in November 1997.
“Genaro was my mentor for a few years,” he mentioned. “Earlier than he handed he despatched me a textual content to thank me for not simply being a sparring companion however a good friend. We have been like household, we’d go to capabilities, him and his spouse and me and my spouse at the moment. We’d have enjoyable collectively. We’d go play soccer, jet ski and barbeque collectively, we have been like household.
“After I connected with the individuals I used to be with, I agreed, Genaro agreed, we spoke and he mentioned, ‘If I’ve acquired to lose my title to anybody, I’d reasonably lose it to you.’ He was a gentleman, very stylish. On the finish of the day, deep down, I want we by no means fought. I simply felt it wasn’t my evening. It harm dropping to Genaro however he was among the best 130-pound champions, ever. I discovered lots from him. We made it right into a struggle, it was an important battle for the followers.”
The defeat heralded a brand new daybreak in Hernandez profession. Extremely, he acquired a handbag of simply $20,000 for the world title lack of which he took house $9,000.
“That’s when my spouse, who’s a psychologist and an informed girl, turned my supervisor,” he defined. “From there on my profession took off. She mentioned, ‘This ends right here.’ Went to arbitration and we weren’t with them.
5 months later, Hernandez returned in his ancestral house of El Salvador in opposition to journeyman Roberto Avila.
“Now that was like a championship battle,” he proclaimed. “I’m going again to my nation and the battle with Genaro was televised, they acquired me with open arms like I received the battle. They noticed that I used to be at all times attacking, going ahead. El Salvador doesn’t know a lot about boxing however they learn about a man searching for a battle, desirous to win. So, I used to be handled as a hero, coming again to El Salvador and combating there was my highest payday ever.
“My spouse brokered the cope with the tv and the man who was the music promoter, he’s the one who takes the most important stars to El Salvador to sing and he promoted my battle there. It was spectacular, I had like 16,000 individuals in a 12,000 capability area. I used to be overwhelmed with the noise. I used to be like, ‘That is superb.’ A lot love, it was nice.”
Carlos Hernandez (left) and Genaro “Chicanito” Hernandez (proper)
Over the following three years, Hernandez notched eight wins and was rewarded with a second world title shot in opposition to burgeoning famous person Floyd Mayweather Jr. within the precociously proficient American’s hometown of Grand Fast, Michigan.
“The individuals there earlier than the battle have been nice, they booed in the course of the battle. I made loads of buddies there,” mentioned Hernandez, who scored the primary knockdown of Mayweather’s profession, although would lose a large 12-round unanimous determination. “When you watch the interview with Larry Service provider, he says to Floyd, ‘You’ve got hand issues?’ And says he had his palms injected earlier than the battle. When that got here out we needed to protest as a result of it’s unlawful in Nevada however it’s not unlawful in Michigan.
“It was good for me to battle a fighter like Floyd, he was a expertise again then, he’s at all times been a expertise and he’s nonetheless a expertise to today!”
Once more, Hernandez resurfaced in El Salvador. The nation had endured an earthquake and landslide which noticed almost 1000 individuals lose their lives, many extra harm and homes demolished. Then simply days earlier than the occasion 9/11 occurred.
“Everybody was pondering we’re going to cancel this, we don’t understand how the world is however then we thought, ‘Individuals have already purchased their tickets, there’s a buzz across the nation. El Salvador has suffered. Let’s do it for El Salvador,”‘ he mentioned. “Lots of the proceeds have been going to the households of those that have been killed.
“We went with the battle. It was an important feeling from the individuals. The President and their cupboard was there. That’s loads of strain. I attempted to make use of that strain and put it on my opponent to win the battle and that’s what I did.”
After three extra wins, Hernandez was matched with David Santos for the vacant IBF 130-pound title as a result of former titlist Steve Forbes had missed weight. The 2 met to fill the emptiness on the undercard of Juan Manuel Marquez-Manuel Medina in February 2001.
“I had the president of my nation, Alexis Arguello, Roberto Duran, fellow Central Individuals with me,” he mentioned. “I had busloads of individuals, who rode to Las Vegas to witness my coronation as a champion – I wasn’t going to be denied.
“He got here in along with his head, he acquired minimize, it was a minimize the place I felt he may have stored going. They determined to go to the scorecards. I felt I used to be successful the battle however you by no means know in boxing. I felt like I used to be connecting with extra of the heavier photographs, I used to be busier. Fortunately I received [an eighth round technical decision.]
“I didn’t sleep that evening. Bob Arum provides me the excessive curler suite on the Mandalay Bay as a present. It’s like an condominium. The president of my nation goes to my suite. I’m simply hob-knobbing with politicians, with the key service, Univision, Telemundo. I made historical past for my nation. It was a celebration with my household, my liked one’s. Now my spouse owed me a son. She instructed me, ‘When you win the title, I’ll offer you a son.’ And that’s precisely what occurred.”
Hernandez received a non-title battle after which beat former titlist Forbes (TD 10) in his first protection. He was introduced with the chance to face three-division titleholder Erik Morales in a unification match up in July 2004.
“I felt like I dwindled a couple of years earlier than that and misplaced loads of years with the arbitration and needed to make the most of what years I had left,” mentioned Hernandez, who misplaced a 12-round unanimous determination. “Go for the nice battle. I used to be instructed, ‘Why are you doing that? It’s best to earn more money defending your title.’ I mentioned, ‘I wish to battle one of the best man which was Erik Morales.’ I used to be simply an inside fighter, I needed that Barrera-Morales kind battle and he didn’t give it to me.”
That wasn’t the tip of Hernandez, who fought on for a couple of extra years, dropping a few questionable choices in opposition to former titleholder Jesus Chavez (SD 12) and Manny Pacquaio’s brother, Bobby (SD 10). He fought and misplaced to Vicente Escobedo (UD 10) in April 2009.
“I knew this was my farewell battle, I used to be dropped within the first two rounds which by no means occurred earlier than,” he mentioned. “I sparred the man a couple of years earlier than and I spanked him within the gymnasium however when it got here to skilled combating with smaller gloves, it was a distinct story. Father time caught as much as me. I used to be feeling aches in my physique and that’s once I knew it was time, I don’t wish to be get harm, I wish to be round for my youngsters.
“I did face one of the best, perhaps I didn’t come out on high in opposition to the massive names however they didn’t cease me, I used to be there and I believe I converse pretty good for having 52 fights.”
Hernandez, now 53, has two kids and lives in the San Antonio, Texas. He’s additionally companions in a Actual Property enterprise known as “Famoso Realty.”
He graciously took time to talk to The Ring about one of the best he fought in 10 key classes.
BEST JAB
Erik Morales: “He stored the vary and that’s how mainly he received the battle utilizing his jab and technical abilities. I used to be simply an inside fighter, I needed that Barrera-Morales kind battle and he didn’t give it to me. He was sensible sufficient to make use of that distance, use that jab and win the battle.”
BEST DEFENSE
Floyd Mayweather Jr.: “Floyd Mayweather was untouchable, though I used to be ranked No. 4 finest fighter to ever land most photographs on him. That’s fairly cool however it’s nonetheless laborious to catch him with a pleasant shot as a result of he’s so slick.”
BEST HANDSPEED
Mayweather: “It was on level, you wouldn’t see it coming. I actually labored on my head motion for that battle however nonetheless he was sharp, he was quick.”
BEST FOOTWORK
Genaro Hernandez: “Genaro Hernandez was very clean, very sharp along with his ft, he was in a position to be out and in. Additionally Mayweather, his footwork was nice with different fighters however with me due to the knockdown and harm hand, he turned went extra into survival mode, it was much more utilizing the ring, he had actually good footwork to maintain me away however Genaro naturally had actually good footwork, him being tall, lanky fighter his footwork was unmatchable. I’d say Genaro as a result of he wasn’t in survival mode and Mayweather was, so I believe Genaro had higher footwork.”
SMARTEST
Mayweather: “The man was only a genius within the ring, he knew how you can be sensible. He needed to alter from being dominant within the first few rounds to now being survival mode the place he needed to not be within the line of fireside and get away, use his footwork but in addition use that one hand that works as a jab to maintain me at bay. That was sensible, not all fighters adapt as a result of their coronary heart tells them to however not as a result of they’re sensible, they fall into that however he was sensible sufficient to regulate and adapt.”
STRONGEST
Aaron Zarate: “That will be my first loss in opposition to Aaron Zarate, he was skilled by the nice Nacho Beristain and that man was bodily sturdy. He was on me, he was manhandling me, the place I assumed I used to be the stronger one. I couldn’t match his power, his man power, throwing me round. That threw me off.”
BEST PUNCHER
Douglas Villarreal: “I knew the man was a stable fighter and he hits me on the highest of the top, all I keep in mind seeing was a white flash. We labored lots on if I have been to get harm how you can alter and how you can disguise and battle via that and I used to be ready to do this. He didn’t know I used to be harm. I wasn’t staggering or something however I couldn’t see. I needed to get shut and really feel his physique and once I was in a position to get better a couple of seconds later I used to be in a position to compose myself after which I used to be in a position to take a step again, land a proper uppercut, he went down and that was it. I didn’t really feel Morales punching energy, I didn’t respect that energy. He didn’t have that energy I assumed he may have had. Perhaps as a result of I had him at all times going again and he didn’t have that leverage to attach that energy shot. He was simply busy along with his jab and that’s how he was in a position to beat me.”
BEST CHIN
Juan Angel Macias: “The man was a robust man, who may take my punches and I couldn’t consider it. I’d throw some stable proper palms and the man was taking them and stored coming. I needed to alter and go to the physique and that’s how I used to be in a position to take him out. Goyo Vargas had a chin however [Macias] I felt like I used to be throwing my hardest. Goyo Vargas was a world class fighter so it was sort of laborious to get an important stable shot. With Macias he was a mean man and he was taking all my photographs. I may land at will and he may take my photographs. That’s why I’d say Macias had the hardest chin that I can keep in mind.”
BEST BOXING SKILLS
Mayweather: “The fellows only a nice boxer, the abilities are unmatched. He was superb. He was on one other degree. He was very clean. It was an artwork kind from Floyd and I used to be simply lucky that I used to be in a position to battle a man like that and provides him my finest.”
BEST OVERALL
Mayweather: “Simply his demeanor within the ring, his information within the ring. All the things about him is superb, it’s important to take your hat off to the man. The man is a pure, it’s not like he struggles in there, he makes it look simple and though I made it kinda laborious for him, he needed to work for his win in opposition to me. I fought different nice fighters like Erik Morales, Genaro, Goyo Vargas, Stevie Forbes however these man weren’t nonetheless what Floyd was. He was quick, he was in a position to transfer fast, the shoulder roll, he had it down. Individuals attempt to emulate that and it simply doesn’t come out the best way they need it might.”
Questions and/or feedback may be despatched to Anson at [email protected].
