By Ronnie Nathanielsz

Hard-hitting Denver Cuello’s opponent in his WBC minimumweight interim title fight Juan “Churritos” Hernandez set for Monterrey, Mexico on Saturday has been postponed after Hernandez collapsed in training.

Cuello’s manager Aljoe Jaro in a story by Chito Yu Katangkatang  on philboxing.com reported that Hernandez was hospitalized after he fainted during training. Speculation is that the Mexican’s effort to diet to reduce weight was the cause of the fainting.

The report stated that Hernandez was drained by his efforts to stay within the minimum weight limit.

In keeping with the WBC’s efforts to protect the health of fighters secretary general Mauricio Sulaiman decided to re-schedule the interim title fight. A new date will be discussed by both camps. Philboxing.com reported that according to Jaro, Cuello will return to the Philippines to continue training.

However, Jaro will remain in Mexico on the invitation of Sulaiman and the promoters to watch the main event in which Mexican legend Erik “El Terrible” Morales returns to the ring  against former WBA lightweight champion, KO specialist  Jose Alfaro of Nicaragua.

The promoter of the fight card Ignacio “Nacho” Huizar will meet with Jaro to discuss a new date for the interim title fight.

The top contender Cuello has a record of 19-2-5 with 10 knockouts while Hernandez who is ranked No. 2 has a record of 15-1 with 12 knockouts.

The 23 year old southpaw Cuello scored a TKO in 53 seconds of the first round in his last fight against Samuel Apuya on January 23, 2010 at the Solar Sports presentation of the “Battle of the Bay” at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The 23 year old Hernandez won the vacant North American Boxing Federation title  with a 1st round knockout of Tirso Hernandez Morales on December 8, 2006 and has five successful title defenses including an impressive 8th round TKO over talented Ivan Meneses on July 19, 2007.

In his last defense on February 27 this year, Hernandez scored a 1st round knockout over Armando Vazquez proving once again his punching power.

Alfaro (25-5, 20 KO’s) will face Morales (48-6, 34 KO’s) who was stopped twice by pound-for-pound king Manny Pacquiao in a trilogy where Morales won their first encounter on points after Pacquiao suffered a nasty gash due to an accidental clash of heads in the fifth round and was bothered by the blood streaming down his face for the remainder of the fight.

Alfaro and Morales will be featured in the main event of KO Promotions for the WBC Intercontinental welterweight title.