Q & a with Yoan Pablo Hernandez
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Q & A with Yoan Pablo Hernandez Unlike many of his compatriots Cuban born Yoan Pablo Hernandez elected to leave his homeland for Germany and not Miami, Florida. It seems to be the right think for him with many of the top Cruiserweights in the world plying their trade in Europe particularly Germany. Just a few weeks back Hernandez 26, took his record to 24-1(13) when he stopped Steve Herelius to claim the WBA Interim title. Now he hopes to be able to unify the title and with his promoter Sauerland Events behind him he could certainly get the opportunity in the near future. Here’s what the newly minted champion had to say. Hello Yoan Pablo, welcome to 15rounds.com Anson Wainwright – Firstly congratulations on your win over Steve Herelius. You stopped him in the seventh round, what did it mean to get the win and how happy were you with your performance? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – Thank you. I was very happy about the victory. Everyone could see it after the fight, that I was perfectly happy. It was the moment for which I had waited such a long time. I have no words to describe it. My performance was also good. I had trained hard for the fight. Anson Wainwright – He injured his leg and there was a long delay between the fourth and fifth rounds. This would have been very different from your point of view as you had to just wait to see what would happen. What was going through your mind during the interval? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – I still was ready. I didn’t care. I only wanted to fight and to win. But I was not sure, if it could be a trick. But after all I didn’t think so. Such injuries could happen. That’s boxing. Anson Wainwright – You’re the WBA Interim champion and the full champion is Guillermo Jones. Is that a fight you are looking for next? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – That would be great. But I’m also ready to fight against the other champions. I will fight whoever my management can organize. Anson Wainwright – Late last year it was mentioned that your promoter Wilfred Sauerland was looking to set up a Cruiserweight Super 6. What are your thoughts on that? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – I like this idea. Such a tournament with the best fighters in my division would be great. Anson Wainwright – There are several very good fighters at Cruiserweight what do you think of the current champions WBC Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, IBF Steve Cunningham & WBO Marco Huck? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – They all have their strengths. Cunningham has got great technical skills. Huck is physical strong. And Wlodarczyk has got a little bit of both – technical and physical. Anson Wainwright – You were born and raised in Pinar del Rio in Cuba, what was it like when you were young growing up there? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – It was not so easy. As a kid I had a few problems. We had not so much money, so sometimes I went to school without shoes or with home made slippers. Sometimes I didn’t go, because it was awkward for me. But later, as a young fighter, I saw a lot of the world. That was a big motivation and helped me. In the end I decided to go to Germany… Anson Wainwright – Most Cuban’s have moved to Miami, Fl. do you know Gamboa, Rigondeaux, Solis etc and why did you go to Germany and not Miami? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – Not every guy from Cuba is the same. Everyone has got his goals. And everyone has got his place, where he likes to stay. I felt, that I’m able to achieve my dreams and goals in Germany. The like the German style. Anson Wainwright – Obviously Boxers can’t turn professional in Cuba & you decided to leave and go to Germany. Can you tell us about this and how you find living in Germany where it is significantly different? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – Ha-ha, that’s really not so easy to say. Of course I miss my mother, my father, my sisters and brothers. We are a big family. But one brother is also in Germany. I also miss the sun. But on the other hand I like the silence here in Germany. And I like it to have my own family here with my girl-friend Sally and our son Yoan Jr. Anson Wainwright – You fought for Cuba in the 2004 Olympics, can you tell us about this experience? Also what other tournaments did you do win medals at? What was your final record in the amateur’s? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – The Olympic Games are one thing, everyone is dreaming about it. Who is able to be there, could be happy – even if his success in the tournament is not so big. I learned a lot there and it was a big experience for me. Anson Wainwright – What do you like to do away from Boxing to relax? What are your hobbies & Interests? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – I’m really a quiet guy. I like it, to enjoy the silence. For example I like to look movies in my apartment and to do something with my laptop. Anson Wainwright – You lost to Wayne Braithwaite back in 2008. Was it a case of the fight being a bit to soon in your pro career for you? What are your thoughts looking back on that fight? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – That fight was really a lesson for me. But I think such an experience is good for every fighter. If you don’t feel a defeat, you can’t learn from it. For me it was a help to the right point of time. Anson Wainwright – Who was your hero growing up? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – First I like Mike Tyson. Later I have admired Muhammad Ali. Anson Wainwright – Finally do you have a message for the cruiserweight division? Yoan Pablo Hernandez – Go on with your training. The way is not so long…. Thanks for your time & keep up the good work. Anson Wainwright 15rounds.com Midweek Musings – It was a busy weekend of fights, throught out the world. Giovani Segura repeated his win over Ivan Calderon only sooner, stopping the diminutive Puerto Rico in three, battering him to the body mercilessly until Calderon crumbled. The skies the limit for Segura, who will now move up to Flyweight and look to fight one of his countrymen either Julio Cesar Miranda or newly crowned Hernan Marquez…The aforementioned Marquez travelled to Panama and was involved in a war with Luis Concepcion. Both men were down before Marquez closed the show in the eleventh…In an Interesting Heavyweight tussle Robert Helenius of Finland stretched Sam Peter in the ninth after dominating through out. Helenius is 6’6 so would of had a significant height and reach advantage over Peter. The former WBC champion has always had problems with guys like Helenius who would likely of used the same game plan that the Brothers Klitschko employed on 3 occasions. Though he’s only had 15 fights and is 27 years old Helenius seems to be very much a player in the Heavyweight division while Peter looks to be fading into gatekeeper status. Also on the same card Marco Huck won a workmanlike decision over Ran Nakash…Krzysztof Wlodarczyk retained his WBC Cruiserweight title for the second time with a close split decision win over previously unbeaten Francisco Palacios. Hopefully now Steve Cunningham, Huck & Wlodarczyk have taken care of there mandatories & Yoan Pablo Hernandez took care of business against Steve Herelius we will see the much talked about Cruiserweight super 6..