Melissa Hernandez
Encyclopedia
Melissa "Huracán" Hernández (born February 4, 1980 in Mayagüez) is a Puerto Rican
boxer
who won the WIBA
Super Bantamweight
World Title in 2006.
champion. Melissa trained at the gym for a while, but dropped out. However, two months later she walked into a Webster PAL gym, where she decided to take another shot at boxing training.
By the time the 2003 New York Golden Gloves
came around, Melissa had reduced her weight to 145 pounds (66 kg, 10 stone 5 lbs), and she signed up to fight at 138 pounds (63 kg, 9 stone 12 lbs). In her first amateur fight, she faced Golden Glove champion Jill Emery
and lost.
She then met former world champion Ada Vélez
, who invited Belinda Laracuente
to watch Melissa fight at the 2003 Women's U.S. Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
. Not long after that, Velez and Laracuente moved Melissa from New York
to Florida
to train with them. She says of that time:
At the 2004 National PAL Boxing Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia
, Melissa won the 132-lb division. She also won the 2005 Golden Gloves
. She then went on to win the 2005 Florida PAL Championship over Lena Taylor
.
on October 26, 2005, notching a four-round majority decision over previously unbeaten Mao Mao Zhang of China
, also a former amateur champion. Hernández dictated the pace of the fight with her jab. She executed her game plan well by using excellent footwork, head and body movement, as well as feinting, but she did manage to walk into the line of fire a few times and was hit with a couple of solid left hooks as she tried to get inside. Overall, her boxing skills were too much for Zhang, whose pro record fell to 1-1 with the loss.
On January 21, 2006 at the White Rock Boxing Gym in Columbia, South Carolina
, Melissa stopped Jennifer Johnson of Camden, South Carolina
at 0:17 in the first round, dropping Johnson to 0-2.
On April 29, 2006 at the Silver Reef Casino in Ferndale, Washington
, Melissa scored a four round unanimous (40-36 x 3) decision over 19-year-old pro debuter Merced Nunez of Philomoth, Oregon. The difference in this bout was experience. Hernández, though she only has two professional fights, had sixteen amateur bouts. Nunez had only two amateur bouts. Nonetheless, the fight was action packed. Though Nunez stood taller, she had some trouble making contact with the elusive Hernández.
On June 15, 2006 at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino in Canyonville, Oregon
, Melissa faced veteran Kelsey Jeffries over 10 rounds for the IFBA Featherweight title, fighting her to a split draw (95-93 Jeffries, 96-94 Hernández, 95-95). Jeffries was now 33-9-1 (2 KO's) while Hernández was just 3-0-1 (1 KO) as a pro. This was an impressive step-up in competition for Hernández.
On June 30, 2006 at Club Europe in Atlanta, Georgia
, Melissa won a six-round unanimous (60-54 x 3) decision over Leora Jackson of Springdale, Arkansas
who fell to 2-8. On August 31, 2006 at Harvey's Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada
, Melissa TKO
'd pro debuter Stacey Rogers of New London, Ohio
at 0:42 in the third round of a scheduled four rounder.
(121 lbs) of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada to win the WIBA
Super Bantamweight World Title. Lisa fell to 12-3-3 (4 KOs) with the loss, while Hernández improved to 6-0-1 (2 KO's).
According to a report by Shawn Roth of FightNews Canada,
"I didn't know I was winning, I was just surviving with Lisa Brown," Hernández said following her win. "I just feel crazy right now."
Melissa told WBAN writer Bernie McCoy
After being asked to describe her style as either "boxer," "puncher," or "brawler," Hernández replied, "All three, probably, depending on what's needed in a particular fight."
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who won the WIBA
Women's International Boxing Association
The Women's International Boxing Association a sanctioning body for women's professional boxing came into existence in July 2000, and quickly grew into a major force in the sport....
Super Bantamweight
Super Bantamweight
Super bantamweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 122 pounds, or roughly 55.34 kilograms....
World Title in 2006.
Amateur career
She took up boxing to lose weight when she tipped the scales at 160 pounds (73 kg, 11 stone 6 lbs). She was invited to a gym by her best friend's brother, a two-time Golden GlovesGolden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
champion. Melissa trained at the gym for a while, but dropped out. However, two months later she walked into a Webster PAL gym, where she decided to take another shot at boxing training.
By the time the 2003 New York Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
came around, Melissa had reduced her weight to 145 pounds (66 kg, 10 stone 5 lbs), and she signed up to fight at 138 pounds (63 kg, 9 stone 12 lbs). In her first amateur fight, she faced Golden Glove champion Jill Emery
Jill Emery
Jill Emery is an American artist and former musician based in Los Angeles, California. Best known as the bassist for the alternative rock band Hole from 1990 until 1992, Emery left the band after the subsequent tour for the band's debut album, Pretty on the Inside and was replaced by Kristen Pfaff...
and lost.
She then met former world champion Ada Vélez
Ada Velez
Ada "Ace" Vélez is a Puerto Rican female professional boxer who lives in Hollywood, Florida. Vélez was brought into boxing by former women's boxing world champion Bonnie Canino....
, who invited Belinda Laracuente
Belinda Laracuente
Belinda Laracuente is a women's boxing competitor who hails from Puerto Rico. Her nickname is Brown Sugar.Laracuente's debut as a professional boxer came against Karen Nye, whom Laracuente beat...
to watch Melissa fight at the 2003 Women's U.S. Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Fort Lauderdale is a city in the U.S. state of Florida, on the Atlantic coast. It is the county seat of Broward County. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 165,521. It is a principal city of the South Florida metropolitan area, which was home to 5,564,635 people at the 2010...
. Not long after that, Velez and Laracuente moved Melissa from New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
to Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
to train with them. She says of that time:
"I lived with them for a while and learned how to box and not just fight. It seemed that a little of the 'Brown Sugar' rubbed off on me and I began to have a little of her style in me. I stayed with Belinda as my head trainer for almost a year, fighting any fights I could get. By the time the 2004 Golden Gloves rolled around I had changed my style to a mix between boxer-brawler. My trainer Pablo knew I had a better shot and I had dropped my weight down to 130 lbs. With hard training and dedication I went on to win the 2004 Golden Gloves."
At the 2004 National PAL Boxing Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...
, Melissa won the 132-lb division. She also won the 2005 Golden Gloves
Golden Gloves
The Golden Gloves is the name given to annual competitions for amateur boxing in the United States. The Golden Gloves is often the term used to refer to the National Golden Gloves competition, but it also can represent several other amateur tournaments, including regional golden gloves...
. She then went on to win the 2005 Florida PAL Championship over Lena Taylor
Lena Taylor
Lena C. Taylor is a Democratic member of the Wisconsin Senate, representing the 4th District since 2005. She previously served in the Wisconsin Assembly, representing the 18th District from 2003 through 2005....
.
Professional career
Melissa made her pro boxing debut at the Hilton in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on October 26, 2005, notching a four-round majority decision over previously unbeaten Mao Mao Zhang of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, also a former amateur champion. Hernández dictated the pace of the fight with her jab. She executed her game plan well by using excellent footwork, head and body movement, as well as feinting, but she did manage to walk into the line of fire a few times and was hit with a couple of solid left hooks as she tried to get inside. Overall, her boxing skills were too much for Zhang, whose pro record fell to 1-1 with the loss.
On January 21, 2006 at the White Rock Boxing Gym in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
, Melissa stopped Jennifer Johnson of Camden, South Carolina
Camden, South Carolina
Camden is the fourth oldest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina and is also the county seat of Kershaw County, South Carolina, United States. The population was an estimated 7,103 in 2009...
at 0:17 in the first round, dropping Johnson to 0-2.
On April 29, 2006 at the Silver Reef Casino in Ferndale, Washington
Ferndale, Washington
-Demographics:As of the census of 2009, there were 11,681 people, 3,901 households, and 2,303 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,409.1 people per square mile . There were 3,292 housing units at an average density of 529.7 per square mile...
, Melissa scored a four round unanimous (40-36 x 3) decision over 19-year-old pro debuter Merced Nunez of Philomoth, Oregon. The difference in this bout was experience. Hernández, though she only has two professional fights, had sixteen amateur bouts. Nunez had only two amateur bouts. Nonetheless, the fight was action packed. Though Nunez stood taller, she had some trouble making contact with the elusive Hernández.
On June 15, 2006 at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino in Canyonville, Oregon
Canyonville, Oregon
Canyonville is a city in Douglas County, Oregon, United States. The population was 1,293 at the 2000 census, while the 2007 estimate is 1,640 residents...
, Melissa faced veteran Kelsey Jeffries over 10 rounds for the IFBA Featherweight title, fighting her to a split draw (95-93 Jeffries, 96-94 Hernández, 95-95). Jeffries was now 33-9-1 (2 KO's) while Hernández was just 3-0-1 (1 KO) as a pro. This was an impressive step-up in competition for Hernández.
On June 30, 2006 at Club Europe in Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta, Georgia
Atlanta is the capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Georgia. According to the 2010 census, Atlanta's population is 420,003. Atlanta is the cultural and economic center of the Atlanta metropolitan area, which is home to 5,268,860 people and is the ninth largest metropolitan area in...
, Melissa won a six-round unanimous (60-54 x 3) decision over Leora Jackson of Springdale, Arkansas
Springdale, Arkansas
As of the census of 2010, there were 69,797 people, 22,805 households, and 16,640 families residing in the city. The racial makeup of the city was 64.7% White, 0.82% Black or African American, 1.8% Native American, 1.4% Asian, 5.7% Pacific Islander, 22% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more...
who fell to 2-8. On August 31, 2006 at Harvey's Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada
Stateline, Nevada
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,215 people, 510 households, and 245 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,803.3 people per square mile . There were 562 housing units at an average density of 834.1 per square mile...
, Melissa TKO
Knockout
A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...
'd pro debuter Stacey Rogers of New London, Ohio
New London, Ohio
New London is a village in Huron County, Ohio, United States. The population was 2,696 at the 2000 census.The village motto, "The Right Place at the Right Time" was chosen in the late twentieth century by former Mayor Dorothy Sholes....
at 0:42 in the third round of a scheduled four rounder.
World title
On November 4, 2006 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Melissa (119 lbs) won a ten-round unanimous (96-94, 96-94, 98-92) decision over Lisa BrownLisa Brown
Harley Brown is an American actress, born in Kansas City, Missouri.She is best known as half of the supercouple Quint and Nola, playing alongside actor Michael Tylo, on Guiding Light. She played the role of Nola Reardon Chamberlain from 1980 to 1985 and again from 1995 to 1998...
(121 lbs) of Scarborough, Ontario, Canada to win the WIBA
Women's International Boxing Association
The Women's International Boxing Association a sanctioning body for women's professional boxing came into existence in July 2000, and quickly grew into a major force in the sport....
Super Bantamweight World Title. Lisa fell to 12-3-3 (4 KOs) with the loss, while Hernández improved to 6-0-1 (2 KO's).
According to a report by Shawn Roth of FightNews Canada,
"Both fighters looked fresh and willing to brawl as the fight opened but the youth of Hernández quickly took over. Brown seemed unable to catch the much more agile Hernández with any real significant punches in the early going. Hernández used her elusiveness to duck out of Brown's punches and counter with a nice right hand that she used effectively through the match. Brown caught Hernández with a good left jab and right hook combo in the third, but Hernández seemed able to absorb the shots well and keep on moving. Hernandez continued to frustrate Brown in the middle rounds, pinning the older fighter on the ropes and teeing off on her. When Brown was able to muster an attack, Hernández was able to quickly move from trouble, but Brown did manage to catch the American with a left jab before she could maneuver away from Brown late in the seventh. The final rounds saw Brown come out looking sharper than the previous rounds as the two exchanged some hard blows while on the ropes. Brown connected a quality left jab on Hernández in the ninth, but once again, the younger Hernández responded with a hard right jab. In the end, Hernández proved too quick and conditioned for Brown to handle."
"I didn't know I was winning, I was just surviving with Lisa Brown," Hernández said following her win. "I just feel crazy right now."
Melissa told WBAN writer Bernie McCoy
"When I was still in the amateurs and thinking of turning professional, I had a list of four fighters that I held in a great deal of respect and esteem. Kelsey Jeffries was second on that list. Belinda LaracuenteBelinda LaracuenteBelinda Laracuente is a women's boxing competitor who hails from Puerto Rico. Her nickname is Brown Sugar.Laracuente's debut as a professional boxer came against Karen Nye, whom Laracuente beat...
was at the top and she's now my manager. Chevelle HallbackChevelle HallbackChevelle Lynette Hallback is a female boxer from Plant City, Florida. Hallback, nicknamed "Fist of Steel", has been featured on television many times, usually fighting the biggest names in the sport...
and Melissa Del ValleMelissa Del ValleMelissa Del Valle is an American multiple champion in the sport of women's boxing, both at the amateur and professional levels....
were the other two."
After being asked to describe her style as either "boxer," "puncher," or "brawler," Hernández replied, "All three, probably, depending on what's needed in a particular fight."