You don’t need to tell Carlos “El Famoso” Hernandez what a burden it can be to carry an entire nation on your back.
El Salvador’s one and only world champion boxer can certainly relate to Filipino national idol Manny Pacquaio in more ways than the usual fellow boxer understanding and camaraderie. Hell, Famoso has a stadium named after him in the capital city of San Salvador.
I had to chance to speak with the 36-year-old former IBF 130-pound champion, who has just relocated from the LA area with his wife and two young children. When we rapped out, Hernandez had just returned from checking out the Pacman. Pacquaio, of course, faces rugged Mexican Jorge Solis on Top Rank’s solid PPV show from the Alamodome this Saturday night.
Hernandez, who was friendly with Manny and Manny’s pugilistic posse from the days when both of them trained at the Wild Card Gym, said that Pacman looks brilliant.
“I spoke with Manny and watched him work out today (Monday),” Hernandez said. “I think that Manny looks great. He is certainly in tip top shape. He is right there, ready for the fight. I know Solis likes to fight on the outside but I don’t know a lot about him. I know Manny is up for the task at hand.”
What kind of a person is Pacman?
“Whenever I see him, Manny is a lovely guy,” Hernandez said. “His whole team seem to be good guys. They’re just a nice group. I think he is so exciting in the ring. I think when he fought Juan Manuel Marquez that was such a sensational fight. It had to be one of the most exciting fights ever.”
Hernandez has another tie to the Phillippines.
“My brother, Ryan Anthony, is in a seminary over there,” Hernandez said. “My brother is really good friends with one of Manny’s assistant trainers.”
Hernandez, who counts unbeaten WBC-WBA super middleweight champ Mikkel Kessler among his closest pals, is seriously contemplating ring retirement after losing four of his last six bouts. He still owns an impressive 42-7-1, 24 KO record and went 12 solid rounds with a future Hall Of Famer and Pacman foe Erik Morales. He lost a quite debatable decision to Manny’s brother, Bobby Pacquaio also.
“I am figuring out what I am going to do next,” Hernandez said. “But I got to tell you seeing guys like Pacman and Kessler training so hard and then performing so well…that makes me want to get back in there. These guys inspire other fighters because they are so dedicated.”
