The famed Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California, which has turned down requests from a long list of boxers who wanted to be trained by Freddie Roach, has opened its doors and admitted a new student, the undefeated Oriental featherweight champion from North Cotabato, Philippines, Lorenzo ?Thunderbolt? Villanueva.
News of Roach?s acceptance of the 24-year-old southpaw as his new prot?g? was relayed to me Wednesday by Wild Card assistant Rob Peters, a close friend of Freddie who also doubles as Manny Pacquiao?s security officer when the Filipino boxing icon is in the United States.
?We got lucky with this because Freddie has turned down a lot of fighters recently,? Peters informed me through text message.
?I told Freddie you thought highly of Lorenzo so he has agreed to work with him on your recommendation,? Peters said.
Freddie, who is himself a former boxer and considered one of the best boxing trainers in the world now, trains Manny Pacquiao, Amir Khan and Julio Cesar Chavez, Jr. among others.
His successes in the ring has made his Wild Card Gym in Hollywood, California a ?must-go? for aspiring boxers from all over the world.
When I called up Wild Card Gym last week in an attempt to talk to Freddie personally, Peters said that he would take up the matter with Roach, who at the time was working on members of the US Olympic boxing team.
?What I know is he is not accepting any more boxers to train at this time,? he said.
But last Wednesday, Peters sent me a text message saying: ?You could release this news to the press. Freddie has agreed to work with Lorenzo on your recommendation.?
Peters said Roach wants Villanueva to join Manny Pacquiao?s training camp in Baguio City sometime in September and then bring his new prot?g? back to the US with him in October.
?It is in Baguio where Freddie will first work with Lorenzo. Hopefully, you can make arrangements for him to come to Wild Card Gym approximately October 7 when Freddie and Manny return from Baguio,? Peters added in his text message.
Freddie Roach?s acceptance of Villanueva as his new student has opened a new door of opportunity for this shy and humble orphan who was discovered in a grassroots boxing program I started when I was Governor of North Cotabato and who has stayed with me since he was 14.
While he is awkward in his fighting style, his power and relentless fighting style has propelled him to 21 victories with 20 of these coming by knockout.
Among his victims were former Asian Games gold medallist Eric Canoy from whom he wrested the World Boxing Organization (WBO) featherweight title, world title challenger Balweg Bangoyan and recently, the Indonesian Junior Lightweight champion Eddy Comaro whom he knocked out in 1:02 minute of the 1st round.
With Freddie Roach now training him and Alex Ariza handling his conditioning program, I expect Lorenzo Villanueva to show his full potentials as a prizefighter.
