On March 22, 1997, Genaro ?Chicanito? Hernandez fought Azumah Nelson at the Memorial Coliseum in Corpus Christi,Texas for the WBC super featherweight title.
?Chicanito? fought well and was ahead on all three judges scorecards when, at the end of the seventh round, a Nelson left hand found Hernandez? throat, which was ruled a foul.
The proud Mexican and one-time title holder could have elected to halt the fight at that moment if he chose and win his second world title by disqualification.
?Chicanito? chose not to.
It was a noble act, an honorable display of sportsmanship that was shown, and in fact, a dangerous one in which Nelson was given a second chance and could have went on to win the fight even though down on points.
Hernandez won via split decision, and went on to enjoy another successful title reign before meeting a then 17-0 Floyd Mayweather and losing his championship, which happened to be Mayweather?s first title in a ?passing of the torch? type fight.
?Chicanito? stayed around the sport after retiring, broadcasting live fights and in the process became one of the sports nice guys who had a solid reputation for his character and class. Mayweather himself remained cordial over the years with Hernandez.
Unfortunately, Hernandez died after battling a rare form of cancer this past June.
Mayweather, who fought this past weekend at the MGM Grand, again as a contender to another Mexican champion, WBC titlist Victor Ortiz, personally paid for Hernandez? funeral expenses, and brought the name up of the fighter from whom he won his first major title from throughout the course of the promotion for the September 17th fight.
During the fight, Mayweather was fouled like Hernandez was in 1997, albeit in a different manner, with Ortiz leaping into and head butting Mayweather with ten seconds to go in the fourth round, and also like Hernandez, was soundly winning the fight against Ortiz on the scorecards up to that point.
Ortiz was deducted a point and the fight was allowed to resume, and at the time after the point deduction and the restart of the action, with a Ortiz in a non-defensive posture and still awaiting instructions from referee Joe Cortez, who had ordered time-in but was looking away from the fight and at the timekeeper, which prompted Ortiz to continue looking at Cortez, Mayweather had a decision to make; do I continue to fight and win the fight legitimately on a decision or even knockout, or seek payback for the foul committed?
Mayweather chose the latter and once time was called back in, with Ortiz still staring in the direction of Cortez, Mayweather landed two thudding shots, dropping Ortiz, who happened to have his gloves at waist-level at the time of the two night-ending blows.
Mayweather?s decision to sparked a moment in boxing history that will be debated and analyzed for years, and although the punches were legitimate and within the rules of boxing, many are on the fence as to whether the multi-division title holder and future Hall of Fame inductee should have done what he did, and have questioned the sportsmanship of the decision Mayweather made.
Further, many have questioned if champions and boxing greats of the past would have done the same in that particular situation.
One can?t imagine a proud fighter like Hernandez making the choice that Mayweather did last Saturday.
It was genuine and respectful gesture that Mayweather paid for Chicanito?s funeral as a doting tribute to the man from whom he defeated to win his first major title, and who was greatly revered in the boxing game.
Mayweather could have taken it a step further last weekend at the MGM Grand and fought on honorably just like Chicanito did onMarch 22, 1997.
