?Going into this fight, he was everything I thought. This guy has rocks in his hands. He was tough. Every shot would hurt, and it would bust you up??
In advance of Saturday?s fight at the Sports Arena in Los Angeles, California, between Mauricio Herrera (21-5, 7 KOs), from Riverside, California, and Hammerin? Hank Lundy (25-4-1, 12 KOs), from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for the vacant NABF super lightweight title, I had the pleasure of speaking with El Maestro.
The temptation, when questioning Herrera, is to ask about his losses, specifically his loss to Danny Garcia, since it appeared to be a win. But Herrera has victories to his credit, and one of the best was over Ruslan Provodnikov. When they fought on January 7, 2011, at the Cox Pavilion in Las Vegas, Nevada, Provodnikov was undefeated. His profile has grown since then, in part because of the way he lit up ESPN with his tenacious do-or-die style.
?Before I got offered that fight,? Herrera told Boxing.com, ?I saw this guy Provodnikov fight on Friday Night Fights on ESPN. The guy was like a tank. He was tough and he was blowing guys out of there. He reminded me of a fighter I used to like, Kostya Tszyu, so I was impressed by him. He was in my weight class. At the time I had only about 16 fights and never even thought I?d fight on TV anytime soon. It was just a couple of months after watching him that I got offered the fight. And when they asked me if I wanted to fight him, I said, ?Man, I know exactly who that is. That guy?s a machine. He?s on ESPN, taking guys out. I?ve been watching him.? But when I got offered that fight I said, ?Yep, let?s take it. If I?m in this business and if we have to fight already let?s do it and see how it goes.??
That willingness to fight whoever is in front of him is a Herrera trademark. He may not pack explosive heat, but he?s never been stopped. He?s smart and he?s skilled and never fought a man he didn?t think he could defeat.
?Fighting Provodnikov was the first fight I ever had enough time to train,? recalled Herrera. ?I had two months, so I know I had no excuses. I had to go in there and train hard. Going into this fight, he was everything I thought. This guy has rocks in his hands. He was tough. Every shot would hurt, and it would bust you up. In the beginning of the fight I was playing it safe, sticking the jab, tying him up. It was going good and I thought I could take this guy easy this way. And I don?t know what happened. He came up with I think it was a left hook?right in my left eye. It closed and I felt it shutting. I thought, alright, now comes the fight. It was about the third round, and as I walked back to my corner I could see all my family behind the corner there and they?re all rooting for me. I sat down and said to myself, Oh man, every time I gotta go to this corner I?m gonna see all my family, so I?ve got to push through.?
Herrera paused before continuing.
?He?s a tough guy, he was putting pressure, and I?m trying to see through that one eye. I?m sticking my jab out there and I think it wasn?t until the seventh or eighth round, I started getting more into a zone where I just didn?t feel any of his punches and I felt confident in there. He can take you out in any round. He is dangerous. But I was just focused, his punches couldn?t hurt me. I don?t know if it was my will, my hunger, or just everything about not letting this guy beat me. I didn?t care where he was from. I knew he had lots of amateur background. I was there to win and please my family. I could see them. They helped me. They were going through it as I was. They gave me that extra boost that put me in the zone, where it kind of numbed me. I knew the punches were hard. And some were landing. They were just not going to take me out. I could feel my face getting more swollen, but I didn?t feel that I was getting rocked or stunned. It was just a weird feeling.
?My corner was telling me, ?Just box him. Just box him,? but I felt I could exchange with him. It wasn?t power punches, but almost going to take the risk and go toe-to-toe. But I started boxing and it wasn?t until the 12th round I felt I had him and almost had him out. He was exhausted and tired and I went for him. I was so happy. I felt that I knew I won and the crowd was screaming and it was one of the most exciting fights I ever had. I took it. I was glad I won it. It was just one of those nights to remember.?
