Times when Jewish boxers like Benny ?The Ghetto Wizard? Leonard, Barney Ross and Max Baer ruled sweet science are long gone. Today majority of Jewish kids in America go to college like Harvard or Yale, UCLA or USC if you are in Los Angeles; they go to universities to become doctors, lawyers or film directors. But not all; one of the Jewish kids went astray on mean streets of Los Angeles. He ended up in famed boxing academy in Hollywood, Wildcard Boxing Club where legendary Coach, Freddie Roach has been training pound for pound king of boxing Manny Pacquiao along with other champions like Amir Khan and Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
?Freddie, I was like his pet project,? said Zachary? Kid Yamaka? Wohlman (2-0) during recent interview with ES News:? I was taken in there when I was nineteen. I was having a really, really hard time. I was hanging out there on the streets. He just said, you stay out of trouble, you don?t drink and you don?t do any drugs and I?ll teach you how to fight.?
Being mentored by five time trainer of the year, Freddie Roach and to train at the Wildcard Boxing Club is a dream of many young, amateur and professional boxers. Kid Yamaka just sort of fell into it, or did he?
?First thing when I got to Wildcard,? continued Wohlman who turned professional in December of last year:? He beat me up. He beat me up for about a month and a half. And then he said all right kid, you?ve got what it takes. I am going to teach you how to fight. I?ve been with him for the last four years. He is like a father figure and a friend. I talk to him about life and whatever.?
Wohlman who won Los Angeles Golden Gloves tournament as an amateur is very easy to recognize. ?I have a big star of David tattooed on my belly,? he said.
Freddie Roach?s pet project will be in the ring this Saturday, March 31st to partake in his third professional contest against an opponent yet to be announced at the Woodland Hills Marriot Hotel on the card titled? Saturday Boxing Fever.?
Undefeated middleweight prospect, Donyil Livingston (8-0-1, 4 KOs) will be featured on the same night in a six round contest against battle tested Elie Agustama (5-4,3KO?S) of Haiti. A cousin of current king of super middleweights, Andre Ward, Donyil Livingston is a prospect worth watching. Eight other bouts will be on tap. Other prospects to watch are Oxnard?s, Herbert Acevedo (6-0) and heavy handed super middleweight, Willie Hendrix.
