Danny Hernandez may have caught the career break he needed at
last Saturday’s Porterville Boxing Extravaganza when the scheduled
fighter he was supposed to fight didn’t make weight. Hernandez, an
18 year-old senior at Gilroy High, ended up fighting three-time
national champ Saul Zieyra of Pixley, instead.
Hernandez took care of Zieyra in a four-round decision to raise
his record to 24-6. Hernandez, along with Jorge Hernandez (no
relation) and Emilio Roman, all were victorious in the bouts for
the BBC, which went three-for-three in Porterville.
Danny Hernandez may have caught the career break he needed at last Saturday’s Porterville Boxing Extravaganza when the scheduled fighter he was supposed to fight didn’t make weight. Hernandez, an 18 year-old senior at Gilroy High, ended up fighting three-time national champ Saul Zieyra of Pixley, instead.
Hernandez took care of Zieyra in a four-round decision to raise his record to 24-6. Hernandez, along with Jorge Hernandez (no relation) and Emilio Roman, all were victorious in the bouts for the BBC, which went three-for-three in Porterville.
“We’ve had more guys win at one show,” said Bulldog Boxing Club founder and trainer Zeke Lopez. “But these guys did extremely well.”
Danny Hernandez, a 132-pounder, was slated to fight Russell Guerrero, cousin of Robert (The Ghost) Guerrero of Gilroy. But, Russell weighed in too heavy. Zieyra had a walk-through in his division for there was no opponents in his weight class. Hernandez and Zieyra were hooked up.
“Danny outboxed Zieyra from the outset,” said Lopez. “I noticed Zieyra was trying to counterpunch Danny and told him. Danny did a good job of not letting him.”
“He was surprised when I beat him,” said Danny. “I saw he was getting tired, so I kept coming back at him.”
Lopez feels it won’t be long until Hernandez can go pro.
“He’s quick and he’s good on his feet,” said Lopez of Hernandez. “He has good power. His only weakness is that when he gets hit, he gets mad and starts charging the other guy. He needs to learn patience.”
Jorge Hernandez, a 119-pound, 10 year-old at Ladd Lane Elementary School in Hollister, beat Porterville product Roy Rodriguez in a three-round decision. The tournament judges selected Jorge “Fighter of the Night”.
“I just used my straight punches,” said Jorge, who has been boxing for six months. “I got a big trophy. I hit him with a left-right combination.”
“Jorge is a quick learner,” said Lopez. “He’s strong for his size and hits hard. He could be good.”
Roman knocked out his opponent, Christopher Corenel, in the first round. That gives Roman (4-2) three knockouts in his four victories.
“Roman’s one of the best punchers I have in my camp,” said Lopez. “He’ll be a good fighter if he stays on the straight and narrow.”
“I like boxing because it gives me discipline,” said Roman, an eighth grader at Santa Ana Junior High School in Hollister. “I’m pretty fast and I try to get better and better every time out. Zeke has helped me become a better boxer and helped me with my personal problems.”
The brick wall behind the Bulldog Boxing Gym, located at McCrary and Gibbs Streets sports graffiti, giving the improvised gym a setting more for an inner city, rather than the rural town of Hollister.
The fellas in the ‘hood done good in the ring once again, representin’ BBC.
