Melissa Hernández Pacheco (born 4 February 1980) is a Puerto Rican professional boxer. She held the WBC female featherweight title from 2012 to 2013 and challenged once for the WBC female lightweight title in 2011.

Melissa Hernández
Born
Melissa Hernández Pacheco

(1980-02-04) 4 February 1980 (age 44)
Mayagüez, Puerto Rico
Other names
  • Huracán Shark
  • The Shark
Statistics
Weight(s)
Height5 ft 2 in (157 cm)
Reach64 in (163 cm)
StanceOrthodox
Boxing record
Total fights35
Wins23
Wins by KO7
Losses9
Draws3

Amateur career

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She took up boxing to lose weight when she tipped the scales at 160 pounds (73 kg, 11 stone 6 lbs). She was invited to a gym by her best friend's brother, a two-time Golden Gloves champion. Melissa trained at the gym for a while, but dropped out. However, two months later she walked into a Webster PAL gym, where she decided to take another shot at boxing training.

By the time the 2003 New York Golden Gloves came around, Melissa had reduced her weight to 145 pounds (66 kg, 10 stone 5 lbs), and she signed up to fight at 138 pounds (63 kg, 9 stone 12 lbs). In her first amateur fight, she faced Golden Glove champion Jill Emery and lost.

She then met former world champion Ada Vélez, who invited Belinda Laracuente to watch Melissa fight at the 2003 Women's U.S. Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Not long after that, Velez and Laracuente moved Melissa from New York City to Florida to train with them. She says of that time:

"I lived with them for a while and learned how to box and not just fight. It seemed that a little of the 'Brown Sugar' rubbed off on me and I began to have a little of her style in me. I stayed with Belinda as my head trainer for almost a year, fighting any fights I could get. By the time the 2004 Golden Gloves rolled around I had changed my style to a mix between boxer-brawler. My trainer Pablo knew I had a better shot and I had dropped my weight down to 130 lbs. With hard training and dedication I went on to win the 2004 Golden Gloves."

At the 2004 National PAL Boxing Championships in Virginia Beach, Virginia, Melissa won the 132-lb division. She also won the 2005 Golden Gloves. She then went on to win the 2005 Florida PAL Championship over Lena Taylor.

Professional career

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Melissa made her pro boxing debut at the Hilton in New York City on 26 October 2005, notching a four-round majority decision over previously unbeaten Mao Mao Zhang of China, also a former amateur champion. Hernández dictated the pace of the fight with her jab. She executed her game plan well by using excellent footwork, head and body movement, as well as feinting, but she did manage to walk into the line of fire a few times and was hit with a couple of solid left hooks as she tried to get inside. Overall, her boxing skills were too much for Zhang, whose pro record fell to 1-1 with the loss.

On 21 January 2006 at the White Rock Boxing Gym in Columbia, South Carolina, Melissa stopped Jennifer Johnson of Camden, South Carolina at 0:17 in the first round, dropping Johnson to 0-2.

On 29 April 2006 at the Silver Reef Casino in Ferndale, Washington, Melissa scored a four round unanimous (40-36 x 3) decision over 19-year-old pro debuter Merced Nunez of Philomoth, Oregon. The difference in this bout was experience. Hernández, though she only has two professional fights, had sixteen amateur bouts. Nunez had only two amateur bouts. Nonetheless, the fight was action packed. Though Nunez stood taller, she had some trouble making contact with the elusive Hernández.

On 15 June 2006 at the Seven Feathers Hotel and Casino in Canyonville, Oregon, Melissa faced veteran Kelsey Jeffries over 10 rounds for the IFBA featherweight title, fighting her to a split draw (95-93 Jeffries, 96-94 Hernández, 95-95). Jeffries was now 33-9-1 (2 KO's) while Hernández was just 3-0-1 (1 KO) as a pro. This was an impressive step-up in competition for Hernández.

On 30 June 2006 at Club Europe in Atlanta, Georgia, Melissa won a six-round unanimous (60-54 x 3) decision over Leora Jackson of Springdale, Arkansas who fell to 2-8. On 31 August 2006 at Harvey's Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada, Melissa TKO'd pro debuter Stacey Rogers of New London, Ohio at 0:42 in the third round of a scheduled four rounder.

On 14 September 2012 at the Shaw Conference Centre in Edmonton, Alberta, Melissa won a ten-round unanimous decision over Jelena Mrdjenovich to win the WBC featherweight title.[1] She would lose the title in a rematch with Jelena in her next fight.

Her final world title shot came against Chantelle Cameron for the WBC light-welterweight title, she would lose via fifth round stoppage.[2]

Professional boxing record

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35 fights 23 wins 9 losses
By knockout 7 2
By decision 16 7
Draws 3
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
35 Loss 23–9–3 Carla Torres UD 6 (6) 2023-07-29 John T. Rhodes Sports Center, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, U.S.
34 Loss 23–8–3 Chantelle Cameron TKO 5 (10) 2021-05-29 Michelob Ultra Arena, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For WBC light-welterweight title
33 Win 23–7–3 Selina Barrios UD 8 (8) 2019-04-27 Cajundome, Lafayette, Louisiana, U.S.
32 Loss 22–7–3 Layla McCarter UD 8 (8) 2016-07-16 Legacy Arena, Birmingham, Alabama, U.S.
31 Win 22–6–3 Gina Chamie TKO 1 (8) 2015-10-08 Radisson Grand Ballroom, Rochester, New York, U.S.
30 Win 21–6–3 Loli Munoz UD 10 (10) 2015-06-12 Amazura Concert Hall, Queens, New York, U.S. Won vacant UBF light-welterweight title
29 Win 20–6–3 Ashleigh Curry UD 8 (8) 2015-04-18 Main Street Armory, Rochester, New York, U.S.
28 Loss 19–6–3 Layla McCarter UD 8 (8) 2014-11-21 The Orleans, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
27 Win 19–5–3 Nicole Woods MD 8 (8) 2014-03-01 North Atlanta Trade Center, Norcross, Georgia, U.S.
26 Loss 18–5–3 Marcela Acuña UD 10 (10) 2013-07-13 Club Defensores de Villa Lujan, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina
25 Loss 18–4–3 Jelena Mrdjenovich TD 6 (10) 2013-05-31 Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Canada Lost WBC featherweight champion
24 Win 18–3–3 Jelena Mrdjenovich UD 10 (10) 2012-09-14 Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Canada Won WBC featherweight champion
23 Win 17–3–3 Nicole Woods UD 10 (10) 2012-07-28 Columbus Civic Center, Columbus, Georgia, U.S.
22 Loss 16–3–3 Érica Farías UD 10 (10) 2011-12-16 Arena Maipú, Maipú, Mendoza, Argentina For WBC lightweight title
21 Win 16–2–3 Christina Tai TKO 4 (6) 2011-09-24 Grand Star Receptions, Altona North, Australia
20 Win 15–2–3 Jelena Mrdjenovich SD 8 (8) 2011-06-24 Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Canada
19 Win 14–2–3 David Morrison TKO 4 (6) 2011-01-20 Convention Center, Charlotte, North Carolina, U.S.
18 Draw 13–2–3 Lindsay Garbatt MD 10 (10) 2010-10-16 Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel, Bernalillo, New Mexico, U.S. Retained WIBA super-featherweight title;
For vacant GBU super-featherweight title
17 Win 13–2–2 Victoria Cisneros UD 8 (8) 2010-08-14 Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel, Bernalillo, New Mexico, U.S.
16 Loss 12–2–2 Lindsay Garbatt MD 8 (8) 2010-06-05 National Guard Armory, Evansville, Indiana, U.S.
15 Win 12–1–2 Ela Nunez UD 6 (6) 2010-02-19 Tri-State Sport Complex,Aston Township, Pennsylvania, U.S.
14 Win 11–1–2 Ambar Fajardo TKO 5 (8) 2009-07-21 Atlapa Convention Centre, Panama City, Panama
13 Win 10–1–2 Jeri Sitzes UD 6 (6) 2009-05-09 The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, U.S.
12 Win 9–1–2 Ela Nunez UD 10 (10) 2008-09-05 Buffalo Bill's Star Arena, Primm, Nevada, U.S. Won vacant WIBA super-featherweight title
11 Win 8–1–2 Melissa Fiorentino TKO 3 (8) 2008-06-07 Mohegan Sun Arena, Uncasville, Connecticut, U.S.
10 Draw 7–1–2 Chevelle Hallback SD 10 (10) 2008-02-07 Pechanga Resort & Casino, Temecula, California, U.S. For vacant IFBA lightweight title
9 Win 7–1–1 Layla McCarter MD 8 (8) 2007-04-27 The Orleans, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. Won GBU lightweight title
8 Loss 6–1–1 Layla McCarter RTD 8 (12) 2007-02-14 The Orleans, Paradise, Nevada, U.S. For GBU lightweight title
7 Win 6–0–1 Lisa Brown UD 10 (10) 2006-11-04 Shaw Conference Centre, Edmonton, Canada Won vacant WIBA super-bantamweight title
6 Win 5–0–1 Stacey Rogers TKO 3 (4) 2006-08-31 Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, Nevada, U.S.
5 Win 4–0–1 Leora Jackson UD 6 (6) 2006-06-30 Club Europe, Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
4 Draw 3–0–1 Kelsey Jeffries SD 10 (10) 2006-06-15 Seven Feathers Casino Resort, Canyonville, Oregon, U.S. For IFBA featherweight title
3 Win 3–0 Merced Nunez UD 4 (4) 2006-04-29 Silver Reef Casino Resort, Ferndale, Washington, U.S.
2 Win 2–0 Jennifer Johnson TKO 1 (4) 2006-01-21 White Rock Gym, Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
1 Win 1–0 Zhang Mao Mao UD 4 (4) 2005-10-26 Hilton Hotel, New York City, New York, U.S.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Mrdjenovich loses WBC crown in bruising battle". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
  2. ^ "Chantelle Cameron stops Melissa Hernandez in fifth round to defend WBC super-lightweight title". Sky Sports. Retrieved 13 October 2024.
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Sporting positions
Minor world boxing titles
Vacant
Title last held by
Jeannine Garside
WIBA super-bantamweight champion
4 November 2006 – 2007
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Lisa Brown
Preceded by GBU lightweight champion
27 April 2007 – 2007
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Layla McCarter
Vacant
Title last held by
Chevelle Hallback
WIBA super-featherweight champion
5 September 2008 – 2010
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Lindsay Garbatt
Vacant
Title last held by
Rola El-Halabi
UBF light-welterweight champion
12 June 2015 – 2015
Vacated
Vacant
Title next held by
Alicia Melina
Major world boxing titles
Preceded by WBC featherweight champion
14 September 2012 – 31 May 2013
Succeeded by
Jelena Mrdjenovich