Q&A With Boxer Melissa Hernandez

Melissa Hernandez doesn't see herself as the underdog going into Friday night's fight against Holly Holm, even though she'll do so before Holm's hometown fans at the Isleta Casino and Resort in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and has spent her career competing at lower weight classes than her opponent.

In a clash that is for the WIBA welterweight (147 pounds) title, as well as for bragging rights as the best pound-for-pound female fighter, Hernandez (11-1-2, four knockouts) will put her 5-0-1 unbeaten streak on the line against an 18-0-1 unbeaten streak by Holm (25-1-3, seven KOs).

Fresquez Productions Inc. is offering the live via webcast for $8.95.

A Bronx resident of Puerto Rican decent, Hernandez recently spoke with FanHouse about their upcoming clash, billed "Bad Blood," as well as the reason she got into boxing, and why she believes she will defeat Holm.

Check out the interview after the jump.

FanHouse: So you began boxing to lose weight?

Melissa Hernandez: When I was about 22, I had gained up to 170 pounds and I just wanted to lose weight without going to a Bally's or a health club. So I went to a local Police Athletic Club in the Bronx.

And I started boxing. I lost about 30 pounds. Two months later, I was in the golden gloves.

FH: So how much do you weigh right now?

Hernandez: That's a secret. [Laughs] Never ask a woman her weight. Just kidding. Right now, I'm a good 138 pounds. Walking around, when I don't have a fight, I can go as high as 147. But when I do fight, I can go as low as 122.

FH: So, is this fight a long time coming?

Hernandez: Oh, it was just a spur of the moment kind of thing for me. [Laughs.]

FH: Well, don't you think that you may want to put a little more thought into it since I just spoke to Holly and she says that she wants to dominate?

Hernandez: She could be ready, but she's never faced anybody of my caliber, so she needs all of the time that she can get.

FH: Can you tell me why you believe that she hasn't faced anybody like you?

Hernandez: She's never fought anyone with my technique, my slickness and my playfulness. Holly only has three good fights on her record and then everybody she was bigger than. She should take another month to train for me.

FH: But she's 5-foot-8 and you're listed at 5-3, so how will you deal with the height and perceived weight advantage that she usually enjoys?

Hernandez: I'm actually 5-foot-1, so everybody that I've ever fought has been taller than me, so she's the one who is going to have to make the adjustment. I don't have any problems punching up.

FH: There seem to be a lot of contrasts in this fight -- among them being that she's from the country relative to your being from the Bronx. So will your New York toughness play a role in your resolve?

Hernandez: [Laughs.] I'm not bringing any street with me, if that's what you mean. But what I'm actually just bringing is something with me that Holly lacks, which is boxing skills.

My record is 11-1-2, with three world titles, one intercontinental title and I'm the No. 1 female fighter in the world, pound-for-pound.

I have three knockouts at my good weight, 126. I've been the distance with all of the good fighters. Out of my 14 fights, seven of them have been world title fights.

It's not about my knockout power, it's about being able to stand in there with the best ones.

FH: Can you tell me why your skills are better?

Hernandez: You can just tell by looking at my record, who I've fought. I'm definitely the more technical and the better fighter out there.

The only thing Holly has is her size. Besides that, everything else that she does, it's not boxing, it's more of an MMA kind of style.

FH: I believe that she's had a few MMA fights, so why is that bad?

Hernandez: It's bad because if you want to fight MMA, you should get into the cage and get out of the ring. I just think that her style puts women's boxing back a lot.

It brings us back to us being pretty women in there smacking each other, instead of women -- like everyone else -- who go in there with technique and slickness.

FH: What style are you referring to in Holly Holm?

Hernandez: Holly's whole gameplan is that she grabs you and then she muscles you around because she's the bigger person -- and that's exactly what they do in MMA.

And she likes to run in swinging wildly. Boxing is called boxing for a reason. If you want to fight like they do in MMA, then there's an octagon there with her name on it.

FH: So are you a more defensive-oriented technician like a Floyd Mayweather, or are you more of an offensive-oriented, Manny Pacquiao-type of fighter?

Hernandez: I could be Floyd Mayweather, or I could be Manny Pacquiao, or I could be Miguel Cotto -- depending on what she brings to the table.

FH: So you will be able to handle it if she's physical like you say she can be?

Hernandez: I'm planning to be able to handle it but you can never tell what's going to happen until that bell rings.

FH: Will it be a problem for you fighting in what is basically Holly's hometown?

Hernandez: No, it's not a problem. The only time I fought in my hometown was for my pro debut, so the rest of the time since then I've been a journeyman fighting basically on the road.

So going into her hometown, that's going to turn the crowd around for me. That's usually what I always do in other people's hometowns.

FH: I understand that you have a female pit-bull named Hagler?

Hernandez: Yes. [Laughs.] And she's been with me for three years. She's my inspiration. She's really agile, and small for a pit-bull.

But she'll fight any dog out there and take them out. So I'm kind of getting my style from watching her nowadays. She's pretty slick.

FH: What is your strategy, and how do you see the fight going?

Hernandez: Strategy-wise, I have the feeling that Holly is going to come to try and knock me out. I think that she feels that she has to make an impression on everybody.

The only strategy that I have for her is that whatever she brings to the table that day, I will be ready to adapt to it. I'm a different fighter than Holly. Holly is an 'A' fighter, meaning she only has a plan 'A.'

I come with a plan 'A' through 'Z.' And that's what she's going to have to face that day. My prediction is that Holly's going to see the ground that day.