“This is not the limit. I want more purity,” said Herrera through a translator. “I feel amazing. I came from nothing. This was one dream.”
Herrera was linked with the British campaign in May 2024 and since then he has scored four victories, although his activity slowed down in 2025 and he only had one fight before this appointment. The fight was originally slated for the undercard of Joseph Parker vs Fabio Wardley last October, making the short preparation window a test.
Coach Joe McNally was pleased with the response after a shaky start.
“We put a lot of work into his fifth position,” McNally said. “He turned it off for a second and paid, but he showed good character.
The right hand put Herrera down for just the second knockout of his career, but it wasn’t overturned in the fight. He admits how surprisingly fast the changes were forced.
“I was surprised, but I wasn’t hurt,” Herrera said. “I knew I had to change things up in the fourth and fifth. More jabs, more feints, more pressure.”
That mix of vulnerability and attack makes Herrera an easy watch in a lightweight class filled with young names like Abdullah Mason and Floyd Schofield.
He is a work in progress, but the power and character are clear. With the power of action and the gradual increase in the level of resistance, Herrera is likely to force his way into the Ring in the top ten, regardless of whether a full world title follows or not.
