Karina Hernandez, 21 years old, as of August 2004, began boxing when she was 15 ½ years old, when she went with her brother to a boxing gym. Her brother lasted a week in the gym…Karina, a couple of more weeks. Hernandez’s brief encounter with boxing at that time, did not last long, after she was immediately put in the ring to spar a male boxer, who was much larger than her. Hernandez took a beating, and the owner of the boxing gym told her that if she had it in her, that she would come back to the gym. Hernandez told WBAN, “I didn’t go back. I didn’t want to get beat up again by this guy.”
Hernandez did return to another gym when she turned 18 years old, but she said that at that gym there was not anyone who wanted to help her. Hernandez said, “I joined Cardio Fit in Rancho Cucamonga, California, that is a health club. They had some heavy bags in the club, so I would hit them all the time for about a year. “ Hernandez had no idea if she was hitting the bags correctly or incorrectly. She had people telling her that she looked “pretty good” and that she should get a trainer.
Due to Hernandez’s earlier experiences with boxing trainers, she was apprehensive, until a couple of people recommended boxing coach Eric McCartin. Hernandez told WBAN, “At the same time, others were telling him that he should check me out and that they thought I had some potential.”
McCartin is now currently training Hernandez, and has been training her for the last year and one half. Hernandez’s future goal is to be a pro and to make it to the top.
Hernandez has had seven amateur fights, and plans to fight five more amateur bouts before turning pro.
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