With each and every trip that I take to the Wild Card Gym, I always get at least one nice surprise. The first time that I visited the gym was about 6 years ago. Freddie Roach was kind enough to pose with me on the cover of my first published book, “Let’s Talk Boxing.”
The trip to Los Angeles went smooth, and I remember asking my buddy Stan if he thought that we would run into any celebrities while we were out there. It was funny because the very first person that we saw coming down the stairs while we were climbing up, was actor Mario Lopez. Ironically, Lopez ended up posing with me on the back cover of the book. Lopez made about 5 women very happy back in Jackson, Mississippi. When I got back to Mississippi, I had 5 signed 8×10 photos of Lopez for the ladies in the office. Mario also has agreed to visit the state and do a little something for the “Make a Wish foundation” Lopez is no stranger to giving back.
After we finished doing the photoshoot of the book cover, Roach, myself, and my buddy Stan were standing at the front counter in the gym, you know? The counter that Michael Moorer ruled and charged people money if they leaned on it, yea that counter. The door of the gym opened up and in comes former world champ Bobby Chacon. You talk about a nice guy? Chacon was a class act gentleman, and a genuine funny guy.
Legends of the big screen, and legends of the boxing ring all walk into the Roach Hotel. You just never know who will walk in. One day it could be actor Mickey Rourke, and the next day it might be a legend like Lennox Lewis.
During my last trip out, my business partner Ed Anderson and I ran into Ron Perlman. One of the best actors alive, and a great guy as well. We spent quite a bit of time with Ron while out there. Perlman was amazed and impressed as he looked at Pacquiao doing his thing.
The Roach Hotel AKA Wild Card Gym is a place where all walks of like venture into. During the day the people who train there vary from doctors, to cooks, to sales clerks. It’s a real mixed bag.
If Maweather Vs. Pacquiao pushes through, one could imagine who will walk into the gym then. Hopefully one of them is Manny Pacquiao.
Read Marley’s latest here – http://http://www.examiner.com/x-5699-Boxing-Examiner~y2010m7d6-Mayweathers-balding-tires-may-fail-in-Pacquiao-collision
