Figured this needed it’s own appreciation thread. To me I think Cuyo Hernandez and Nacho Beristain are undoubtedly Mexico’s best trainers and boxing minds. They are known for implementing great technical styles that made Mexicans more than just slam bang fighters. Cuyo Hernández's school of boxing consisted of using a high guard, textbook style that focuses on great punching form and technique. Hernandez has trained fighters such as Ruben Olivares, Carlos Zarate, Alfonso Zamora, Rodolfo Martinez and Ricardo Lopez. Beristain had worked with Hernandez learned a lot from him and would also become a great trainer himself and having fighters such as Gilberto Roman, Daniel Zaragoza, Humberto Gonzalez, Victor Rabanales under his stable. It wasn’t until Hernandez’s death that Nacho would later train Ricardo Lopez for the majority of his career and it’s very likely that he had picked up the same technical style and boxing stance from Finito and laid that same foundation on his fighters later on, most notably Juan Manuel Marquez and Rafael Marquez. I always found the Hernández/Beristain style of boxing to be very unique. Simple and basic yet so effective and beautiful to watch, especially when used on offense. For me I think this is the ideal boxing form for any beginner boxers to use. Here's some example of Cuyo Hernandez and Nacho Beristain's notable boxing prodigies and their brilliant style. This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected This content is protected
I don't know a lot about these guys as trainers, but I remember watching a show leading up to the last JMM - Pacquiao fight and watching Beristain training JMM. They were working on body punching and Beristain was focusing on having JMM keep his shoulders level and not dip the front shoulder when he changed levels. I was impressed that Beristain focused on a fundamental with a guy who was as experienced as JMM. Small things like that make a big difference, keeping his shoulders level probably improved his power, defense, and balance and might have been a difference in the fight. JMM was fortunate to have Beristain training him.
Ruben Olivares told me his main trainer, the one who developed him most was Chilero Carillo. Zárate’s brother trained him more than Cuyo and Lupe Sanchez was the one who developed and trained Rodolfo Martinez. They told me that Cuyo was more involved with the management than the hands on training. I know he was more involved with training Finito López. One common theme I got from speaking to Zárate, Olivares & Zamora, was that they didn’t like Cuyo as they felt he ripped them off and exploited basically all boxers. Finito might be the only one I know who speaks about him in glowing terms. Cuyo is definitely a legend, he knew boxing and clearly did great work as trainer, manager, was connected etc; but I think basically all of Nacho’s fighters will explain a positive experience and I think he’s been more “hands on” with the development of more top fighters with regards to technique. Of course, Finito was refined by the time Nacho got him as Cuyo just passed away, and with Chiquita he got an already world class boxer who he tweaked and made him think more, but Gilberto Roman, Daniel Zaragoza, the Marquez bros, he developed them from scratch.
This is something I've never heard of when it came to Cuyo but also eye opening as well. I'm curious to know if Zarate, Olivares, and Zamora ended up splitting up from Cuyo later on in their career because of the reasons you pointed out. Lopez seemed like he had a close bond with Cuyo. Beristain is someone I've always admired as a trainer so it's great to hear that all the fighters that he's worked with have nothing but positive things to say about him. Even though Finito was already a finely tuned fighter by the time he worked with Beristain he definitely provided the core style to Beristain that he's now known for using on his fighters. Although many would say that JMM was Beristain's greatest pupils I still think Roman was his finest student that he helped develop from scratch. I always wondered why he doesn't have many fighters that uses Roman's slick style of boxing. Thanks again for these personal insights. You are without a doubt the best source of information when it comes to these fighters.
Roman had unusually long arms for his size. That made him perfect for Nacho’s teachings. When I asked Nacho about his best pupils, he put Marquez first and Roman second. His closest bond seems to be Juan Manuel but I’ve heard him say Zaragoza because he was his first and they traveled the world together. Nacho got very close to his fighters. His wife died in an accident maybe 35-40 years ago and he never remarried so he had his kids, his boxing and his fighters. Zamora split first with Cuyo. Zamora’s dad and Cuyo didn’t get along. Zárate split with him later over money and that was also Ruben’s problem with him. These guys don’t like him. Zárate thinks trainers in general often get too much credit, citing that it’s the fighters who make them but he does believe a well connected manager is very important.
