Yoan Pablo Hernandez

Yoan Pablo Hernandez – Failing To Live Up To Expectations

by

hernandez34534.jpgBy Erik Schmidt: After jumping off to an impressive 14-0 start, former Cuban amateur standout Yoan Pablo Hernandez (16-1, 10 KOs) has looked less than impressive in his last three starts, losing one of them by Wayne Braithwaite by a disappointing 3rd round TKO in March, and then once again looking less awe inspiring in his recent fight last Saturday night, a 5th round TKO over 35 year-old Santiago De Paula (10-8-1, 10 KOs) in Berlin, Germany.

Hernandez, still ranked high at #15 in the World Boxing Association and IBF cruiserweight division, knocked De Paula down three times in the fight round alone, yet wasn’t able to put him away. This was the same problem that Hernandez has in his fight with Braithwaite, whom he knocked down once in the first round and staggered badly a later on, and then let him off the hook by fighting much too relaxed.

Braithwaite Stops Hernandez

by

braithwaite46433.jpgBy Scott Gilfoid: In somewhat of an upset, former WBC cruiserweight champion Wayne Braithwaite (23-3, 18 KOs) stopped previously undefeated Cuban prospect Yoan Pablo Hernandez (14-1, 8 KOs) in the 3rd round tonight to claim the WBA Fedelatin cruiserweight title & WBC Latino cruiserweight titles at the Sparkassen-Arena, Kiel, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Braithwaite, 32, rallied from a 1st round in which he was knocked down once and staggered on a separate occasion from the 23 year-old Hernandez. However, instead of going for the kill, Hernandez seemed to back off as if wanting to prolong the fight for his viewers.

In a way, it was like watching an old news real of the former great Cuban super heavyweight Teofilo Stevenson, who would often be incredibly patient while fighting and would knock many of his opponents out with a single punch. If that was Hernandez’s plan, it was a big mistake because Braithwaite hits too hard to keep him in the fight, and Hernandez was making it easy by him by opening up with wild exhanges, leaving his chin vulnerable from counter shots by Braithwaite. Hernandez controlled the action though the first and second round, though at the end of the second, he was hit with two right hands from Braithwaite, one of which landed at the bell and seemed to hurt Hernandez.

Yoan Pablo Hernandez vs. Braithwaite On Saturday

by

braithwaite333535.jpgBy Scott Gilfoid: Former WBC cruiserweight champion Wayne Braithwaite (22-3, 18 KOs) steps up to the plate tomorrow night against undefeated Cuban prospect Yoan Pablo Hernandez (14-0, 8 KOs) in a 12-round championship bout for the little known WBA Fedelatin and WBC Latino cruiserweight titles at the Sparkassen-Arena, Kiel, in Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Braithwaite, a former WBC cruiserweight champion from 2002 to 2005, lost his title to Jean Marc Mormeck in a 12-round unanimous decision loss on April 2005.

Before that, Braithwaite had successfully defended the title three times, beating the likes of Ravea Springs, Luis Andres Pineda and Louis Azille, none exactly household names to be sure. However, Braithwaite, a fighter with excellent power, was considered was arguably the top fighter in the cruiserweight division during that three year period. With all things there comes an end, however, for Braithwaite would be defeated by the aforementioned Mormeck in 2005. Following that loss, it’s been pretty much non-stop bad news for Braithwaite since then, losing again in his very next fight, this time to Guillermo Jones by 4th round TKO in a WBC title eliminator in September 2005.

Hernandez Destroys Azzaoui

by

hernandez4646446.jpg Former Cuban amateur boxing star, Yoan Pablo Hernandez (14-0, 8 KOs) flattened Algerian Mohamed Azzaoui (22-2-2, 8 KOs) in the 1st round on Saturday night to win the World Boxing Association Fedelatin and World Boxing Council Latino cruiserweight title at the Seidensticker Halle, in Bielefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany. The fight had started out slowly, with both boxers caustiously jabbing at each other, when Hernandez suddenly landed a monstrous left hook that connected to the jaw of the 32 year-old Azzaoui, sending him to the canvas badly hurt.

By the time he could make it to his feet, the referee Massimo Barrovecchio had counted him out. The fight was officially stopped at 2:08 of the first round. Hernandez, only 23, a former 2005 Cuban National champion at light heavyweight, who also participated in the 2004 Olympic games, started slowly in the bout, focusing on landing his jab and right hook combination and keeping Azzaoui guessing as to what punch would come next.