TalkingBoxing.com Interview

August 9, 2003
Interview with Genaro Hernandez
"only thing I ever wanted out of boxing was to become the best"

by Julius Stecker
     After enjoying a sucessful career going 38-2-1 with 17 KO's over a 15 year span, Genaro Hernandez is enjoying both good health and the good life with his family. Hernandez is currently working for CompuBox doing the punch stats on ESPN2 boxing cards as well as a personal trainer. This former 2-time world champion spoke with TalkingBoxing about his career, the landscape of boxing and a prediction on the up coming Oscar De la Hoya - Shane Mosely fight.

      Genaro Hernandez

Julius Stecker: Genaro how is everything going right now and what have you been up to recently?

Genaro Hernandez: My family and I are in good health and doing fine. Currently at this time, I'm working as a personal trainer and also doing PunchStats for CompuBox for Tuesday and Friday Night Fights for ESPN.

Julius Stecker: Do you plan on staying in boxing and if so in what capacity?

Genaro Hernandez: I do plan on staying in Boxing for as long as CompuBox would have me as one of their Staticians. As for working for TV, I honestly thought that I would be working for HBO doing their International, but it just doesn't seem to be going my way for being a Spanish Boxing Broadcaster.

Julius Stecker: Do you ever plan on getting into promoting?

Genaro Hernandez: You know something, everyone that knows me asks me that question. I would have loved to be a promoter, but I didn't make enough money to go out and promote fights.

Julius Stecker: With all the money fighters in your weight class are making now, have you ever contemplated a comeback?

Genaro Hernandez: The money is great at this point in time, but health is more important. I have a slight problem with my left eye. If I lean my head to the right, my vision turns double on me and that is the reason I never made my comeback several years ago. I didn't think much about the money, it was more that I didn't accomplish what I wanted to in the first place and that was to become at least a 3-time World Champion in 3 different weight classes.

Julius Stecker: What was your best moment as a fighter and who was your toughest opponent?

Genaro Hernandez: My best moment in boxing had to be when I went to France and became a World Champion for the 1st time. Now in regards to who was my toughest opponent, that is very hard for me to answer because I fought alot of tough fighters.

Julius Stecker: You are a former 2 time world champion, you have beaten great fighters like Azumah Nelson and Raul Perez, you have been in the ring with sure fire future hall of famer Oscar De La Hoya, and you have a total of 11 title defense in both your reigns. Do you think that will constitute into a Hall of Fame induction?

Genaro Hernandez: You know something, It never crosses my mind whether or not I'll be a Hall of Famer. The only thing I ever wanted out of boxing was to become the best and for the people to be able to appreciate the matter in which I carried myself. If I am inducted then that would be a great honor for me to have represented the sport of boxing with dignity!

Julius Stecker: Looking at the landscape of boxing, what do you feel boxing needs to work on to improve itself in the mainstream?

Genaro Hernandez: I honestly believe that the sport of boxing needs to be very careful with some of their judging.

Julius Stecker: What is your view on the Muhammad Ali act and do you think it is working to help fighters?

Genaro Hernandez: I'm all for any law or regulations that will help all fighters. I do hope that someday a Union for Fighters will be part of the sport like the NFL, Baseball and Hockey have. Myself as an ex-fighter has a hard time trying to get a 9-5 job because lack of experience in their type of work. Fighters also need medical and dental insurances, but they being overcharged because of their fields of work.

Julius Stecker: Do you think that sometimes the boxing media is too negative of fighters sometimes, which can create negativity for the sport?

Genaro Hernandez: I believe the media does over do it at times, but do people ever complain about Hockey? I love to watch hockey, and when they get into fights, you don't see the referee get in and break them up do you? I always see the ref let them either get tired and fall to the ground then break them up or someone just got KO'd by a punch.

Julius Stecker: In closing, we have De La Hoya-Mosley II and you are familar with both guys, you have sparred numerous rounds with Mosley and you have fought De La Hoya, who do you seeing winning this fight and why?

Genaro Hernandez: I've sparred with Shane and Oscar and it will be a great rematch, but I honestly believe that Oscar is stronger and Shane hasn't been looking so great in his last 3 fights. I think that those 2 fights that Shane had with Vernon have taken a toll on Shane. With all due respect to Shane, I see Oscar maybe stopping Shane in the late rounds.

TalkingBoxing.com would like to thank Genaro Hernandez for taking time out of his busy schedule to talk with us! Thanks a bunch, you are what the sport of Boxing is all about.