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07/11/2006 Archived Entry: "‘Macho’ Miguel Hernandez: Looking forward to Fighting Campas!"
‘Macho’ Miguel Hernandez: Looking forward to Fighting Campas!
By Juan C. Ayllon
Photo courtesy of Miguel Hernandez
"Macho" Miguel Hernandez hits the heavy bag in the gym
CHICAGO, July 11, 2006 – In his last bout, he fought and lost to former IBF Light Middleweight Title holder Raul Marquez, getting stopped in the ninth round. On Saturday, “Macho” Miguel Hernandez will face the man who took Marquez’ title away, Yory Boy Campas.
Granted, Campas victory over Marquez was in 1997 and, at age 34 and 95 fights (87-8 with 71 KO’s), he has a lot of wear and tear.
No spring chicken himself at 31 and with a record of 19-4 with 9 knockouts, Hernandez faces a daunting challenge when he takes on the grizzled knockout artist at the Fifth Third Ballpark in Comstock Park, Michigan.
However, that’s fine with Hernandez, who lives for challenges. In fact, in his own words, "it’s a dream come true."
Just days away from his fight against the former two-time world champion, Hernandez spoke over the phone with the Cyber Boxing Zone about his upcoming fight.
JUAN AYLLON: How are you feeling today?
MIGUEL HERNANDEZ: I feel good. I feel really good!
JA: Can you break down your average training day from when you rise to when you go to bed?
MH: Yeah, well, my whole day goes like, in the morning, I’ll run. I’ll go three miles, four miles. I come home, take a shower, rest a little bit, then go to the gym and spar. On those days that I spar, I jump rope for half an hour, hit the bags everyday and sometimes pad work. I work on a lot of movement, a lot of shadow boxing, speed bag, double end bag, and that’s basically it. Then afterwards, I come home, eat something and maybe go to the Doctor’s office and do my strength and conditioning.
JA: Is that Dr. Stoxen where you do abdominal work?
MH: Yes, we do abdominal work. Basically, it’s more Ab workouts, cause like he has you do some shoulders, forearms. So, it’s a blessing man, to know this guy. He’s a good guy.
JA: How about your diet? What are you doing with your diet these days?
MH: Basically, I eat a little bowl of cereal after the run. And then lunch, you have fruit. You know, orange, banana. Then at dinnertime, you have a nice chicken, [or] fish, and broccoli. And that’s it!
JA: The bushes, as your sons call the broccoli!
MH: Yeah (laughs).
JA: What can you tell us about your strategy for Campas?
MH: Well, basically, just fight. It’s going to be a good fight. I’ve got to come in and fight, ‘cause he’s a veteran fighter and he’s been in there with the best in the world. So, it’s a dream come true. These are the fights you look forward to when you turn pro.
I’m living the dream. I remember when I seen him fight Trinidad. And I watched him. He’s a hell of a fighter. I’m just grateful for the opportunity. You know me: I come to fight, so, I’m coming in to win! That’s it.
JA: What do you think are his strengths and weaknesses?
MH: I mean, I don’t see him being such a veteran; I just have to put pressure on him and hopefully move, give him angles and stuff. It’s going to be a tough fight.
With Marquez, I’m glad I had that fight, ‘cause it sharpened me for this fight. I fought a southpaw that he offered to fight everybody and they all turned him down.
It’s going to be good for me. I get my rematch with Raul, too, ‘cause he lost to Yori Boy Campas. So, if I beat Yori Boy Campas, I have that on my side now.
I’m looking to beat this guy; I have to. I’m not getting any younger. Training is hard when you have a family. I have three boys and they take a lot of your time. I don’t want to miss anything that they have going, and hang out with them in the summer and stuff like that. You know, it’s not easy man. You talk to a lot of fighters and there’s a lot of sacrifices you have to make. And, hopefully, it’ll pay off. I’m ready to fight. I’m excited!
JA: Any predictions?
MH: No, you know, it’s going to be a great fight. I’ll be coming in there and I’m not going in scared or nothing like that. I’m going in to win.
Anytime you leave Chicago and he’s [your opponent’s] a name guy, I’m the underdog. So, I have to do more than just box; I have to really put it on this guy. I’m the underdog, so I have to do what I can.
JA: I understand you want to fight John Duddy if all goes well. Can you tell us about that?
MH: Well, no; Yori Boy Campas is planning on fighting John Duddy. They’re trying to set that fight for September 29th. If I win the fight, I should be able to fight John Duddy. They should give me the fight. It would be a decent payday. I think I deserve a good payday. I’ve been fighting and the money ain’t great, but I would like the opportunity to fight John Duddy. They’re hyping him up to be the next champ and he can be. He’s got great skills, a big amateur background, he’s a good fighter, you know and I just want the opportunity. Supposedly, they’re saying New York, Madison Square Garden. I mean, it’s exciting.
But, I don’t look past this fight. This is a very hard fight and like I said, Yori Boy Campas—their camp—and John Duddy’s camp were talking about making that fight already. Who knows? [Laughing] Maybe that’s a good thing for me. Maybe they’re overlooking me to face John Duddy.
I know he’s coming in in great shape. He’s going to be ready to fight. So am I. I had a good training camp, a lot of sparring, and I’m ready for this, man.
JA: Now you’ve sparred with David Estrada and who else?
MH: Well, I sparred with David Estrada; Rudy Cisneros; Ninos Abraham; Cedrick Agnew; and that guy who’s fighting on Dominic’s card—Eshoo—I sparred him. But the most I sparred with was Rudy—he’s a great fighter; Jorge Gonzalez; the Polish kid super middleweight who won the title—he beat Shay Mobley [Roman Shkarupa]. I had good sparring for this fight. I sparred with guys a lot bigger.
I’m excited, man! I look at this as an opportunity, so I have to take advantage for it. I’m grateful to be able to do what I do.
JA: And how are things on the home front with the three boys?
MH: Good man. Josh, he’s excited, and so are the other two—Giovanni and Justin. They get excited and it’s like a little trip for them, a little vacation. They go swimming; they have a little fun. I mean, it’s good, they’re with me and that’s all that counts, man. I get the opportunity to spend time with them, as much time as I can. Time flies so fast that, one-day they’re little and the next day, they’re in college, moving on with their life. So, you’ve got to enjoy them while you can. And I try to do that everyday.
JA: Any last thoughts?
MH: I just want to thank my trainer, Sam Colonna for all the hard work; Vicente Mendoza for all the hard work; and Dominic [Pesoli] for giving me this opportunity and being the good man that he is, you know? I want to also thank Dr. Stoxen for all his help.
