Danny Hernandez is one step closer to a spot in the
Olympics.
The 18-year-old Gilroy High senior has excelled under the
coaching of Zeke Lopez at Bulldog Boxing Club in Hollister.
”
This is pretty much my life,
”
Hernandez said.
”
Between school and boxing, that is all I do.
”
Hernandez’s most recent victory came in a four-round bout
against Jaime Barajas of Hanford in a match in Orosi.
Danny Hernandez is one step closer to a spot in the Olympics.
The 18-year-old Gilroy High senior has excelled under the coaching of Zeke Lopez at Bulldog Boxing Club in Hollister.
“This is pretty much my life,” Hernandez said. “Between school and boxing, that is all I do.”
Hernandez’s most recent victory came in a four-round bout against Jaime Barajas of Hanford in a match in Orosi.
“It was a good experience for him,” Lopez said. “Danny came out strong and quick in the first round. In the third round, the guy was boxing Danny and was more aggressive.”
The fight came down to the fourth two-minute round.
“He beat him real nice,” Lopez said. “It was almost a draw, but Danny won because he took it all off in the last round. It was close to being stopped. It was a good fight.”
The opponent had more experience than what he claimed, Lopez said.
“He told us he was 17 and had only 14 matches,” Lopez said. “But he had way more experience. There was no way he could be that young. He looked like at least 24 or 25.”
Hernandez, fighting as a 135-pound featherweight, said that the match was the toughest he had been in.
Because Hernandez is only 5-foot-5, he has to use his quickness to get the better of his opponents.
“I rely on my speed and my footwork,” Hernandez said. “Everyone has a different fighting style, so I just have to find ways to counter. My coach tells me what I need to do after the first round and what adjustments I need to make.”
Hernandez (28-6) will be competing in the Western Regionals in Bakersfield in the first week of February. After that, he will compete in the Nationals for a chance to be in the Olympic trials.
“I think he will do very well,” Lopez said. “The new style of scoring will help him. Danny has more of a hurt-you style. He will go in with body shots, upper cuts and nice power punches. It is different from the amateur style where you have to pitter patter and try to score points.”
Hernandez said as long as he works hard and remains positive he can go a long ways.
“I’ve already beaten a couple top opponents,” Hernandez said. “The main thing is being confident. No matter what the circumstances, you can’t give up.”
Lopez has been trying to teach his young apprentice to be more mobile and to be ready for the counter attack.
“I’ve been working with him on bending his knees more,” Lopez said. “When he throws a combination, he comes back straight and becomes vulnerable. The punch doesn’t hurt him, but it gets him a little off balance. I’ve also been trying to get him to use his speed more to set up his power punch.”
A big part of Hernandez’s training is with a combination punching bag and a free-swing ball bag.
“I hate that bag,” Hernandez said. “Sometimes it comes back around and hits me. But it helps me learn to block and move better.”
Hernandez tried baseball, soccer and track but said none of those sports were for him. Then he found wrestling.
“I first started wrestling to get in shape,” Hernandez said. “I was a little overweight. I liked it (boxing), and the coach asked me if I wanted to compete. People said I wouldn’t stick with it, but I proved them wrong. After the 15th fight, I knew I wanted to compete at the Nationals and try to make the Olympics.”
Hernandez runs about five miles a day and works with lightweight repetitions as well. He spends between 12 and 15 hours boxing each week.
Hernandez, who was born in Mexico and has lived in Gilroy about seven years, used to train with Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero.
“It takes dedication and hard work,” Hernandez said. “Right now, I am just trying to be in as many fights as possible, so people can see what I can do and so I could get a sponsor.”
Hernandez doesn’t have any plans for after high school but is looking into going to a junior college before transferring.
Jorge Hernandez (no relation) is another Bulldog boxer who has had success recently. Hernandez, 10, won the state championship and will be competing in the Regionals in Norwalk in early January. If he wins there, he will go on to the Nationals in Kansas City.
The Bulldog Boxing Club is looking for sponsorships for its athletes. If you would like to contribute, call Lopez at 831-636-1349.
