(left to right: ‘Macho’ Miguel Hernandez, Angel ‘Torrito’ Hernandez, and Miguel’s son, Joshuah Hernandez at ringside)
26.03.09 – CHICAGO – By Juan C. Ayllon: Like many, Miguel Hernandez is a family man, working two jobs trying to make ends meet and, in this recession, it’s not been easy.
Hernandez works full-time as a car inspector/ car man-mechanic eight hours a day at Beltway Railway come rain or shine. He inspects the trains and tags the cars if anything’s wrong with them. This involves working outside three days a week and two or three days fixing the problems in the garage or outdoors. His works his second job as an auxiliary policeman two nights a week, usually Fridays and Saturdays.
Until recently, that is..
Recently, Beltway has had some layoffs. Hernandez has survived the cuts, but has new problems: They’ve altered his schedule, alternating one week working the graveyard, the next the swing shift, and so forth. “That’s going to make it hard for me to do my job as an auxiliary policeman,” he says.
And if that’s not enough, he also boxes professionally, having amassed a record of 20-8 with 10 knockouts in a career that has spanned just shy of six years.
“I just have to work around my schedule and get some rest because it’s hard when you get older,” Hernandez, 34, says. “I get out of work, I come home, I rest a little bit, you know, I change, and then I go straight to the gym.”
When he drops by Chicago Boxing Club after work, he works with Rick Ramos, who is partners in the gym with acclaimed Chicago boxing trainer, Sam Colonna. A commodities index broker at the Chicago Board Options Exchange by day, Ramos is a passionate former amateur boxer who takes boxing very seriously and, as Hernandez found out, he’s not fooling around.
Spotting Hernandez and Angel “Torrito” Hernandez laughing one night while sparring at half speed, Ramos he ordered them out of the boxing ring and gave them an earful. “I told them do you know how many kids here look up to you?” He suggested if they weren’t serious, they should train somewhere else.
Another time, Ramos pushed him extra-hard, driving him to do ten rounds hitting the focus mitts. Drenched in sweat, Hernandez wasn’t happy.
“I thought Miguel was going to kill me,” said Ramos. “I told him I think I want it more than he does.”
“Man, Rick is crazy,” Miguel said, laughing.
And with good reason: Facing him this Friday is Luciano Perez, a heavy-handed puncher with a record of 16-9 and 14 knockouts. Never the subtle boxer, he’s often wide-open. He doesn’t throw punches – he slings them instead like unwieldy clubs, battering away with impunity. In November 2007, he nearly beat former World Boxing Council Welterweight champ Carlos Baldomir little over a year after Baldomir upended Arturo Gatti in nine rounds while defending his title.
Sure, Perez has campaigned at welterweight most of his career, and in his recent foray into the middleweight division this last year, he’s had mixed results; he stopped Devin Lopez in two rounds in September, and wobbled undefeated prospect Mike Jones (15-0 with 14 knockouts at the time) before getting stopped in the third round. Afterwards, it was said that Jones told him that he’d never been hit so hard in his career.
A popular middleweight boxer in the Windy City, “Macho” Miguel Hernandez started his career late at age 28 after a handful of amateur bouts in the Chicago Golden Gloves. He won the Illinois State Middleweight Title in April 2005 and the WBC United States Middleweight Title in February 2006. He showed guts, but came up short in two step-up bouts with former junior middleweight champions Raul Marquez (L by TKO 9) and Yory Boy Campas (Retired in 5) later that year. In 2007, he participated in the boxing reality show “The Contender” in 2007 at a bodyweight of 165 – a weight where at 5’ 7”, the consensus was he looked fat fighting against taller and lither opponents.
The weight didn’t come off any easier for his last bout against Derrick “Superman” Findley (13-2, 8 KO’s). By his own admission, he didn’t train right. As a result, he came in weight drained, got battered and bloodied. Stubborn, if nothing else, Hernandez refused to fold and lost an eight round decision in which he appeared a shell of his former self.
Nonplussed, Hernandez insists he’s got more left in the tank and says he’s in much better shape for Luciano. He better be.
Their showdown will be held this Friday night at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago.
Speaking by cell phone, Hernandez spoke from his heart.
JUAN AYLLON: How are you doing?
MIGUEL HERNANDEZ: I’m good, just tired.
JA: That’s not surprising between working full-time with the railroad, working out and your part-time job as a cop, and family commitments.
MH: Yeah. It’s hard, but I mean I love doing it, I needed something to motivate me, and this fight, it’s something that’s going to motivate me. I believe the winner should continue and the loser should retire, you know?
For me, that’s what’s going to happen. I want to win this fight, and I know he does, too, and this is a fight that they’ve been wanting in Chicago for a long time.
JA: You’ve been training with Dr. Stoxen at Team Doctors for this fight now, right?
MH: Yeah, I’ve been going there. I go there two days a week, doing my ab workout and a couple other exercises. I want to thank Dr. Stoxen for his all his help. I feel strong!
Actually, I feel in way better shape than when I was going to fight “Superman” [Derrick Findley]. I mean, you know I feel good about it and I’ve just got to keep working out hard. It was hard – it’s hard now. I’m not getting any younger. Also, every workout, it takes a toll on you.
But, it’s now or never. I’m looking forward for this fight and, like I said, I know he is, too, and we’ve got to see what happens.
JA: You mentioned about a year or two ago that you’d sparred and that went pretty well for you. I recall that you said that you hurt him in sparring. Can you tell us more about that?
MH: Nah, I don’t want to get into that. You know what? He hits hard. I mean, it’s going to be a chess match. The guy has power. It’s nothing I’ve [not seen before]; I’ve fought a lot of fighters. I’ve fought ex-world champs – Campas, Marquez – it’s going to be a good fight! You know, he hits hard, so do I, and we both come forward, so, we’re not going to be hard to find!
JA: How would you compare his power to that of Yory Boy Campas?
MH: That’s different. There’s difference in power. Campas is – he’s got sneaky power. This guy hits you with a short punch [and] it’s the same thing as a big bomb! Luciano’s got decent power. I mean, anyone hits hard – anyone has the potential of knocking somebody else out.
It’s going to be a treat for the fans, not for us! (He laughs). We’ve got to work the next day or the day after because we do it for the love of the sport, not for the money.
JA: So, any predictions for this fight?
MH: To me, it’s going to be an exciting fight. I don’t recommend anyone get up and leave their seats because anything can happen. That goes for both of us. I mean, the fight could end early or it could be a war. It could last ten rounds. [The fans] are going to get their money’s worth.
To be honest, I just want to thank [promoter] Dominic [Pesoli] for putting this together. We’re going to be at a great venue, the UIC Pavilion. I know we’re going to have a nice turnout there. And I’m just grateful for this opportunity.
I also want to thank Rick Ramos – he’s going to be in my corner.
You know, I’m back with [boxing trainer] Sam Colonna. Our schedules don’t work together real good – me and Sam – he’s at the gym in the morning [and] I’m at work. And then when I get out, I’m at the gym. When I get to the gym, Rick Ramos is there, he gives me his pad work and he watches me when I spar. I mean, I’m grateful. He’s a great guy. He loves the sport. He wants to be involved in it in every way. He’s got a lot of kids from De La Salle [High School] that go to the gym and train and I get to spar with them and work with them. They’re a bunch of good kids and they train hard! They’re hungry. They’re good students plus they’re good athletes – females and males!
It’s a packed house, but everyone gets along and everyone tries to help each other. And it’s a good thing for Chicago. I mean, if you live on the north side, you have JABBs Gym. It’s a good gym, it’s big, it’s clean, and you get a great workout there. If you’re on the south side of Chicago, you’ve got Chicago Boxing and it’s good for everyone. We get fighters from every place coming to spar.
I’m grateful for having him there and, of course, NBC (another pal from the gym) will be in my corner. I just want to thank him.
I just want all the people in Chicago to know that this is a treat for them from the both of us, me and Luciano. Luciano and me are good friends; it’s nothing personal. He’s Mexican and I’m Puerto Rican, but we have the same friends. It’s going to be interesting when [former contender] Rocky [Martinez] walks out with me and Rocky’s brother will be in [Luciano’s] corner. Rocky’s brother is Luciano’s manager.
But, it’s nothing personal. It’s going to be a clean fight. It’s going to be a war and, after the fight, we’re going to continue to be friends. And whoever keeps going – if it’s me, I know he’ll cheer me on, and if it’s him, I’ll cheer him on.
JA: How’s the struggle with the weight coming? I ask that because I had heard you were coming in a little bit heavy.
MH: I mean, back then, like I said, when I fought Derrick Findley, I called Dominic for a fight and he offered me that fight, and I took it. This is without being in the gym or nothing. [Now], I’ve been in the gym because I was looking for a fight.
It’s always a struggle. When you get older, it’s harder on the body. But, I’ve got to be disciplined and it’s going to be good. I’m going to come in at my weight and I’m positive that he’s going to come in at weight and there’s going to be a fight. It’s going to be good.
There is a lot at stake here. From the beginning of my career, I’ve always said I want to win three titles – [one for] each of my boys. And I’ve got two and this is my third shot. Like I said, I’m not getting any younger and all my dreams have come true for me, so this is one more that I could add on. It’s not going to be easy – by all means, it’s not going to be easy – but you know what? Hard work pays off! So, we’ll see what we can do.
JA: Tell us more about your boys.
MH: Joshuah (13) is my oldest, Jeovani (inaudible) and Jeff is seven. They’re all doing good in school. Joshuah’s in the seventh grade, every Tuesday, he goes to UIC for advanced algebra, and, look at: I’m fighting at the UIC Pavilion. So, he’s excited about that. When he graduates, he’ll have a credit in high school. He wants to go to Walter Payton High School or Whitney Young [Magnet High School]. And my two little ones are following his footsteps! They’re A and B students, and I’m just blessed.
And Josh was looking good in the ring, too! If he continues to do what he’s doing, he’ll be something else, man. He’s growing into his body. [As an amateur boxer], he’s like nine and four. I give them exercises – even the little ones. When they get up, they do their pushups; when they go to bed, they do their pushups and sit-ups. It’s part of life. I take my hat off to them. I just tell them what to do and they do it.
JA: And I heard that you’re getting back with your longtime girlfriend. Can you comment on that?
MH: I don’t want to touch that because I might ruin things (laughs). No man, so far everything’s good.
I’m grateful for everyone – [ex-middleweight boxer and current trainer] Freddy Cuevas, too. I want to thank him because he worked my corner two fights. He’s a good guy and I learned a lot from him and hopefully he’ll be cheering me on, but you know what? He’s a hell of a fighter and he still can throw!
I just want to thank him and [junior middleweight boxer] “El Torrito” Angel Hernandez, too, and [rising middleweight contender] Michael Walker.
JA: Tell us about these guys who serve as your sparring partners.
MH: I always want to say [thank you to] Michael Walker because he’s a good friend of mine. And Angel “Torrito” – we’ve always been good friends. We’ve been through a lot together and we know what the pros are in the sport, so we continue to do it. It’s not that we’re making millions off these fights.
You know, like once again, I’ve got two jobs and I’m a father to my kids, so I mean, it’s hard. But like I said, I’m blessed because in Chicago I worked out at JABBs (JABB Boxing Gym), and now I’m at Chicago Boxing [Club] with Rick Ramos and Sam Colonna, so I mean, I was blessed.
Rick Ramos was a good guy and, like I said, he’s there for the fighters. I’m telling you, I needed something to spark me and he gave that spark back. He would push me when I’d get to the gym. When I’m tired, he’d say, “Come on, you can do it. Throw more punches, throw more punches.”
And once again, Dominic gave me this opportunity to fight in my hometown. You know, I mean, that’s a blessing.
And my grandma – this is my first fight that my grandma will go to. So, yeah, I’m looking forward to it!
JA: Any last thoughts?
MH: If this is my last fight, I want to go out like I started, [with] Sam Colonna, [who] is not only a good trainer, but he’s a good friend. I’ve got no regrets. Everyone says they want to fight for a million dollars. I mean, don’t get me wrong: I would love to have fought for a million dollars. But, I got to do something that I’ve always wanted to do and even though I started as late as I did, I’ve accomplished a lot in such a short time.
And, Juan, thank you for everything. You’ve been there for me my whole career, you’ve done some great interviews, and…you try to give the Chicago fighters some media [exposure], and we don’t get that here.
Oh, and Rita Figueroa is fighting on the same card, too, so I’m excited. She’s a good friend of mine and I’m hoping we can steal the show, man! We’ve just got to go in there and get the victory, and at the end of the night, I want my hand raised, and I can hand over my belt to my youngest boy!