by James Slater — One of the most entertaining lower-weight fighters of recent years, Carlos “El Famoso” Hernandez, the former IBF super-featherweight champion, is, according to BoxRec.com, set to make a comeback this coming August 15th. The 37-year-old announced his retirement from the sport after losing a close one on points to fellow veteran Kevin Kelley back in September of 2006. Now it appears Hernandez has changed his mind..
After losing, in yet another one of his crowd-pleasing fights, on points to Jesus Chavez in May of 2005, Hernandez moved up in weight to 135 pounds. His last three fights – starting with the robbery he was subjected to in his bout with Bobby Pacquiao – all took place at lightweight and now the 37-year-old’s comeback will see him return to the lightweight ranks. Is his idea of coming back a good one? Who knows.
Hernandez has been in with just about every big name fighter imaginable from the super-featherweight ranks. A pro since 1992, “El Famoso” has met great after great – including Genaro Hernandez ( L 12), Floyd Mayweather Junior (L 12), Erik Morales (L 12), Juan Carlos Ramirez (W 10) and Chavez and Kelley. How much these give-and-take battles have taken out of him is more than likely a question fights fans will be asking themselves as soon as they hear that Hernandez is coming back to fight some more.
A tough and extremely proud warrior (Carlos has never been stopped in any of his 7 losses), Hernandez is not a fighter anyone would enjoy seeing embarrassed in a hopeless ring return. So far no opponent has been named for the August bout – only that the lightweight will box in a ten-rounder. With almost two years having passed since his last fight, a losing one at that, the odds will be against the veteran getting too far in his return. One thing we do know is Hernandez will give his all, whoever and whenever he fights. But as with the undeniably growing number of other ex-champs who cannot quit the sport for good, Hernandez runs the risk of injury whilst fighting on when close to forty-years-of-age.
It is more than possible Hernandez will win his fight in August, and maybe another bout after that. But after a sixteen year long career and after having fought wars with the fighters listed above, there is no way “El Famoso” will be anything like the great fighter he once was. That said, we wish him well in his comeback. A comeback he has his own motives for making, after all.