Melissa Hernandez: “I’m happy that the ABC has taken me off suspension. They took the time to really fish out what is, and what could be going on in an already fishy case I got involved with. I thank the ABC for lifting my suspension and letting me go back to what me and boxing fans all over world love to watch me do. I’m overjoyed to get my job back. Now that the Isleta Commission has been reprimanded, it wouldn’t a surprise me that the paper work has been found. If it is ever found, then I should be only suspended from fighting on Isleta grounds..
Also, Lenny Fresquez should have his promoters license suspended for his lack of respect for the rules. I don’t have to fight Lenny word for word on the Internet for the fact I did nothing wrong. The Isleta Commission was wrong in many ways. I hope now everything gets looked at as a whole: the weight issue- Holly’s three times at the scale; there were not two outside judges like Lenny agreed with me verbally and the referee; Team Holm’s refusal to cut the hand wraps and the Isleta Commission not giving me the option to watch the wraps or tell Team Holm to rewrap. I’m also asking the question why if you’re calling a commission, why does a promoters line ring?. You don’t call NYSAC (New York State Athletic Commission) and Lou Dibella’s office answers. I got to question THAT. I believe womyn’s boxing needs me. I’m not just a warrior while fighting inside the ring, but a warrior outside too. I’m making sure I’m going into a fair fight in an already deadly sport. I’m womyns boxing for standing up to bullies.
I can’t stop thanking my lucky stars for the great team I have that pulled together for me, my manager Brian Cohen and adviser Belinda Laracuente. They really pulled it together the night of the fight and stood by me. I don’t know of any team that would do that for a female fighter in the greed infested sport. Together we put the team in ” Team Huracan”. As for Holly Holm, I think she should womyn up and come out to fight me since in her Hollyhood they don’t play fair.”
Brian Cohen: “What this whole soap opera boils down to is a lack of respect. A lack of respect for the athletes that put their life on the line every time they step in a boxing ring. A flagrant lack of respect for the rules that were set in place by the ABC. And a person who thinks money can buys justice. Well “Team Huracan” proved everyone wrong.
I have been involved with boxing all my life. I have been in evolved in every facet of the business. I am an active professional boxer, I have had an extensive amateur career, I have trained fighters, assisted in matchmaking, worked on cuts and promoted my own shows. The things that I saw go on in New Mexico on December 4 were beyond my belief. The damaging comments and lies that were printed by the media befuddled me. The media made Melissa Hernandez out to be someone who was trying to extort extra money out of the “promoter” . They portrayed her to be someone who was scared to fight, someone who was unreliable, someone who disappointed a lot of people. They were basically trying to destroy her character. If anyone out there has one iota of common sense they can go back and read all the quoted comments by Lenny Fresquez and he tells three different stories on how people tried to extort him. First he says he called her. Then he says he talked to me and I said “its nothing a little money can’t fix”. Then he said he talked to “Team Hernandez”.
Melissa Hernandez is a three time champion. She is a two time Golden Glove champion. She runs from no one. Common sense would have to tell you that it must have been really out of place for our team to go to such extreme measures.
What boggles my mind is- where oh where is Holly Holm? When she didn’t make weight Melissa gave her three chances to make it. As a courtesy to a fellow fighter couldn’t she have just have easily cut her wraps? Has anyone even thought of that? Or is she such a puppet she only speaks when told to?
On a closing note, it amazes me what money can buy. A sub average (and that’s me being nice) fighter being named fighter of the year. Does anyone realize she went 10 rounds with a girl who admitted to working out for two hours earlier in the day and was sitting in the stands? Fighter of the year? Fraud of the year! Unfortunately Melissa does not have the luxury of hiding by a promoter wallet. There is one thing that money can’t buy Lenny or Holly and that’s a clear conscience.”
Melissa Hernandez is looking forward to returning to the ring by the end of January, and making up for lost time. Her training never ceased during the suspension and she’s ready, willing and able to fight the best of the best, anytime, anywhere, including Holly Holm, anywhere but in the “Hollyhood”.