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05/06/2007 Archived Entry: "Photos of the Day: Jose Hernandez Cheering Section"
Photos of the Day: Jose Hernandez Cheering Section
By Juan C. Ayllon
(Left to right) Chicago boxers Mike Nevitt, Oscar Bravo, Rachel, and Rita Figueroa watch their compadre, Jose Hernandez, face highly-favored Rocky Juarez in the co-main event on the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather, Jr. mega-fight
CHICAGO, May 5, 2007 - Let it never be said that Chicago boxers don't support their own. While their gym buddy, Jose Andres Hernandez, took on the formidable former Olympian star and top rated contender Rocky Juarez in Las Vegas, Mike Nevitt, Rita Figueroa, Oscar Bravo, and others watched via Pay Per View TV and cheered him on from Rita and Mike Figueroa's home in downtown Chicago.
Figueroa talks about the fight with a friend on her cell phone
Figueroa wore a sling from surgery on her torn rotator cuff recently, but like the rest, was very vocal in shouting instructions and cheering her fellow boxer on.
Nevitt watches intently
Nevitt tries to telepathically exhort Hernandez over the television
Figueroa should be back in the gym in four to six weeks. Bravo, who's had a long hiatus from boxing, plans on returning to training again soon. In fact, Nevitt and he talked about sparring in the next month or so.
Hernandez's posse anxiously watches as the fight winds down, while one of the Figueroas' dogs snoozes obliviously under the coffee table
And, as for Jose Hernandez, he did himself and boxers in Chicago proud. Although he was knocked down early in the bout, he threw and landed more punches than Juarez, only to lose by a unanimous decision which all at the Figueroa's thought was too biased toward Juarez.
And, as for the main event? De La Hoya lost by split decision. Good fight, good call, but in the hearts of all in the Figueroa livingroom, Jose's bout was the main event, and Jose did all right.
