Wichita’s Nico Hernandez remains undefeated as pro boxer with win on Manny Pacquaio card

Nico Hernandez traveled halfway across the world for his first professional boxing match outside of the Wichita metro area, but the result remained the same.

From headlining fights at Kansas Star Casino to fighting on the main card of boxing legend Manny Pacquiao’s return to the sport, the 26-year-old flyweight from Wichita was once again triumphant on Saturday with a unanimous decision victory over Jae Young Kim at the Korea International Exhibition Center in Goyang, South Korea.

It was by far the most high-profile match of Hernandez’s professional career, as he took the billing of co-main event alongside the exhibition match featuring Pacquaio. Wearing red trunks with Wichita prominently displayed in white lettering, Hernandez improved to 9-0 as a professional by outclassing Kim, who entered with a 6-1-1 record.

The 2016 Olympic medalist was making just his second appearance in the ring since returning from a three-year layoff from boxing following an accidental gunshot wound suffered in November 2020.

Before leaving for South Korea, Hernandez reflected on his journey with a post on his Instagram.

“(Doctor) told me I’m lucky I made it to the hospital as fast as I did because I was on my way to bleeding out,” Hernandez wrote on Nov. 8. “I remember the car ride there thinking I wasn’t gonna make it. Felt like a movie, light gettin’ all blurry, everyone tellin’ me to stay with ’em. I’m blessed to be alive today.”

Doctors told Hernandez he might never box again because of the injuries suffered, but he made his return to the ring earlier this year with a unanimous decision victory over Delvin McKinley at Koch Arena on July 9.

Hernandez wants to carry the momentum gained with his return in 2022 into next year when he hopes to become a serious contender again for championship belts at 112 pounds.