?Not all East coast fighters acclimate to sunny Southern California,? said Big Steve coming out of the PAL boxing gym for amateurs in Glendale: ?Some get home sick. Others can?t handle the heat, not from the sun, but from sparring, especially if they wind up at Wildcard or Maywood, boxing clubs well-known for their gym wars.?
One pugilist who had absolutely no problems with almost three thousand miles move is an unbeaten middleweight Peter ?Kid Chocolate? Quillin.? West Coast is the best coast,? said colorful Quillin (24-0,18KO?S) when I interviewed him last year at his new adapted home, Wildcard Boxing Club in Hollywood, California: ? Twenty four hours a day I think about boxing. Even when I go to the bathroom I think about boxing.? With that philosophy Kid Chocolate is able to get through rigorous training and sparring that is expected from fighters at the legendary gym.
With career stagnant in New York due to managerial problems, Peter Quillin took his show on the road and came to Hollywood signing a contract with leading boxing promoter, Golden Boy. ?I am destined for stardom,? said Quillin, 28:? And this is where you get it.? Last time out, in March of this year, Quillin annihilated experienced veteran, Jesse Brinkley within three rounds.
Originally, this Saturday, July 23rd, on the undercard of Amir Khan and Zab Judah unification championship fight, Peter Quillin was supposed to have the toughest test of his professional career against the former champion, Travis Simms. Simms pulled out with an injury. ?The fight didn?t cancel, ?said Quillin when I asked him about it:? I am still on the card we are just looking for an opponent for me to get up against.? The new opponent found on short notice is Jason LeHoullier (21-5-1,8KO?S) from New Hampshire who has lost last five bouts, two by knock outs. Despite of a let down of recent opponent change Peter Quillin must look sensational against LeHoullier, because HBO suits will be watching.
?My full training camp was right here at Wildcard,? said Quillin who is now a permanent fixture at the gym:? I spar tons of people. The only person I didn?t spar with was my mom and my father. I was just basically sparring with guys Freddie put me in there with, anywhere from cruiserweight down.? With renowned Freddie Roach guiding his training, Quillin also works with Erick Brown, doing mitt work and day to day training. Another very important person in the camp of Kid Chocolate is his father, a former domino world champion. ?My dad is always here in camp,? said Quillin:? When I am preparing for fights he is the cook. He cooks the best food to make sure I am in the best shape. I will eat good food to fight good.?Another recent addition to the team is well respected cut man, Tony Rivera who is best known for tending corners for legendary Roberto Duran and Marco Antonio Barrera. Advertisement
Regulars at the WILDCARD Boxing Club tell me that Kid Chocolate would be a hand full for any one at or around his weight class, including a current middleweight king, Sergio Martinez.
Peter Quillin borrowed his nickname from Cuban, Eligio Sardinas Montalvowho was also known as Cuban Bon Bon. According to the legend Montalvo won all one hundred of his amateur fight and 86 by a knock out. Original Kid Chocolate has earned his place in boxing history books when he became the first ever Cuban world champion in 1931 knocking out the defending world Jr. Lightweight champion Benny Bass in seven rounds to take the world title. He went on to have a Hall of Fame career with a record of 135 wins, 10 losses and 51 knockouts.
I asked the charismatic middleweight about his moniker. ?To let people know about the history,? replied Quillin showering me with his bigger than life smile:? About original Kid Chocolate who was Cuban. I have Cuban heritage. What more can you say??
I have a feeling we will be hearing a lot from this young fighter in the very near future.
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