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05/06/2008 Archived Entry: "Miguel Hernandez on Friday’s Fight with Derrick Findley: I’m Going to Have Fun!"
Miguel Hernandez on Friday’s Fight with Derrick Findley: I’m Going to Have Fun!
Story and photos by Juan C. Ayllon
News Editor & Staff Writer
Miguel Hernandez (right) and his son, Joshuah, work on the focus mitts at Manor Park
CHICAGO—Popular Windy City middleweight boxer “Macho” Miguel Hernandez faces a stern test this Friday night at Cicero Stadium in Cicero and he’s really looking forward to it.
His opponent is a powerfully-built, hard swinging, and durable opponent who looks every bit his nickname, “Superman.” Make that “Superman” Derrick Findley, an African-American slugger who hails from Gary, Indiana with a record of 10-2 and 6 knockouts. His two losses are against undefeated 2004 Olympian Gold medalist Andre Ward (a loss by unanimous decision in November 2006) and Jorge Gonzalez (a very close majority decision loss in February 2006).
As shown in those two losses, the wide-swinging Findley can be out-boxed. However, Hernandez wants to take him straight-up, toe-to-toe and let the best man win. This spells for fireworks!
Derrick Findley (right) batters William Johnson en route to winning a lopsided decision over him last February in Merrillville, Indiana
Hernandez was almost 29 years old when he stopped one Juarez Williams in the first round of his first professional fight on April 25, 2003 at the Ramada Inn in Rosemont, Illinois. He’d only had nine amateur bouts. Now, at 33 years age, he’s won the Illinois State Middleweight title and the World Boxing Council’s USA Middleweight title, fought valiantly against two former IBF Light Middleweight champions in Raul Marquez and Luis Ramon "Yory Boy" Campas (IBF Light Middleweight title), and competed in Season Three of The Contender boxing reality TV show in amassing a record of 20-7 and 10 knockouts.
Hernandez has been stopped twice—in nine rounds by Raul Marquez in April 2006 and in five (due to a closed eye) to “Yory Boy” Campas in July of that same year.
At his best, Hernandez brings an exciting blend of pressure, brawling and a deceptive looping overhand right that lights up opponents and the crowd and, when he’s less than his best—as with his brief stint on the Contender—he’s still exciting, but just doesn’t let his hands go enough.
This time Hernandez says he’s ready, and I believe him.
A devout father of three boys—Joshuah, 12, Giovanni, 8, and Justin, 7—Hernandez was shadow boxing with them when my phone call went into voicemail. His girlfriend and mother of his boys, Yolanda, called me right back, told me he was shadow boxing and would call back in ten minutes.
Apologizing later, Hernandez said, “I promised them that I’d workout with them. I was a little tired, but it motivates me.”
It’s no wonder he’s tired. After putting in a hard days work in the elements at the train yard, Hernandez has to muster up extra energy for training at the gym. And did I mention that he also works part-time for the Cicero Auxiliary Police? A homeowner, he works hard to provide for his loved ones and still manages to run a voluntary boxing program for youth at Manor Park in Cicero.
“I’m not going to lie,” says Hernandez. “I’m a little tired but I feel good. I work hard and then I go to the gym. I love the sport, so I look forward to fighting on Friday.”
On training for this bout against Findley:
Well basically, it’s been a lot of cardio. I’ve been focusing on cardio.
It was hard starting my training camp because I had to study for the terminal air test that we’ve got to give the trains before we leave. We had to get certified as part of my job at the railroad.
I only had three weeks to train. I focused on conditioning and sparring. I’m ready for this fight. I’m ready.
On sparring:
I had good sparring and I want to thank Michael Walker, one of the top middleweight prospects in Chicago. We went to war--it was good sparring. He’s a good friend to me. If he motives himself, he could be something to reckon with in the middleweight division.
I [also] sparred Freddie Cuevas, my trainer. He’s still got a lot—he’s a slick veteran. He brings it; he gives you a lot of angles. We work in there!
I sparred with Willie, an amateur fighter. I sparred with “El Torrito” Angel Hernandez, Ninos Abraham, and Gerald—he’s like four and oh. I got good work there. It was good, you know! I wish I would have had more time, but it is what it is, and I’m going to be ready Friday.
On his opponent, Derrick Findley:
Well, he’s a strong guy. He feels he’s got a lot to prove. I’ve got a lot of respect for him. It’s nothing personal. I get along with everybody and when we get in that ring, it’s all business. We both want to win and that makes for an exciting fight.
I have the most experience out of [the two of us], but styles make fights, and I’ll get in there and we’ll go from there. He’s been in some good fights. He fought Andre Ward and Jorge Gonzalez, who’s been in some good fights. When he comes in shape, he can fight with anyone—he’s a slick fighter.
These two losses Derrick Findley had were against quality fighters. Andre Ward won the gold medal.
His prediction:
It’s going to be a tough fight, and styles make fights, and one of us is going to fall. [We] have a similar style. He doesn’t run; he comes to fight. We’ll see what happens. We wont’ know till fight night!
On his fights against former world champions Marquez and Campas:
With Marquez and Campas, I was honored to be in the ring with them. Remember I was 27 when I started.
When I got in the ring, me and Marquez went to war. No one expected it to go nine rounds. They thought it was going to end in the first or second round. Even Marquez at the press conference said he was going to take me out in two or three rounds. And then in the ninth round, he caught me, I fell, I got up at the referee’s count of seven, I stood up and they waved the fight off.
I wish I could get another chance to fight Marquez. I was ranked in the WBC when he fought me. I thought I should have got paid more. But, I have nothing but love for the sport and it keeps me going, ‘cause it sure ain’t the money!
And on Campas, too, I came out fighting hard. We fought in Michigan and the commission there is kind of crazy. The girl before me went in with no hand wraps. She just went in with gloves—that’s it.
I went in there, we had a game plan that I was going to box, but I went after him. He’s a veteran. He caught me with an uppercut, my right eye closed and they stopped the fight in the sixth round.
It was caused by punch—he caught me with a left uppercut. We were wearing Reyes gloves and it felt like a thumb when he hit me in the eye. It was the worst pain I ever felt! But I went through the round, they came to my corner and they stopped the fight.
I went to my stool, and the doctor came and he stopped the fight [because my eye] was completely shut.
On the possibility that this is may be his last fight in Chicago:
I love fighting in Chicago. I’ve got a big fan base here in Chicago. If it wasn’t for my fans and their support, I wouldn’t fight that many times in Chicago. They come out and see me.
If an opportunity comes, if I do fight here, I don’t want to fight someone from Chicago unless it’s a decent payday or a shot at some title. We’ll see.
On whether the strains of balancing his work and his boxing career is wearing on him this time around:
Not really, I’m just trying to juggle work—I work for Beltway Railway, it’s a great job, I make good job—I make great money there, I’ve got good insurance and a pension, so it’s not something I can let go. And it’s near the house, which is important with the price of gasoline going up!
On his oldest son, Joshuah’s recent successful amateur fight:
He fought last Wednesday in the Saber Room. He hadn’t fought in a year. I didn’t want him to box. But he wants to fight. And I told him what he has to do to train and he’s in great shape. The kid he fought [had] fought a month ago. And Josh used the jab, was moving his head and had the kid hurt in the second round. I thought they were going to stop it. And as hard as it is seeing my son in there getting hit, if he keeps doing good like that, I’ve got to support him.
He’s playing baseball, he’s getting straight A’s—my other kids are too—but whatever he wants to do as long as it’s positive, I’ll support him.
Parting thanks go to:
I would like to thank Michael Donald and I would like to thank Hugh Simon and all my co-workers that are going to be at my fight—everyone from the car department and some of the switchmen.
And also I want to thank the Cicero Auxiliary Police and the Cicero Police Department, Larry Dominic, and Moses Zayes. And Patrick O’Brien—he’s the president of the railroad.
And I want to thank, too, Rick Ramos and Sam Colonna from Chicago Boxing Club, which is a beautiful gym, and Dominic Pesoli and the Eight Count family. I’m glad to be a part of the Eight Count family! And The Contender—I had to ask permission [for this fight and] they let me fight.
I want to congratulate my god daughter—she’s my niece—she’s like my daughter, my sister’s daughter, but I raised her like my own daughter—she’s graduating from high school and I want to let her know how proud I am, and I love her with all my heart. Her name is Melissa Swift.
I also want to give congratulations to my cousin, Amanda Rathen, for graduating high school.
And of course, [I thank] you and the Cyber Boxing Zone for all the hype and putting me on the Internet. You’re like family to me.
Summing things up:
This fight’s for me. I’ve got nothing to prove to anyone. I believe I proved myself in this game for the short period of time I’ve been boxing. I’m going to have fun in this one!
