MANILA, Philippines – Hall of Fame boxing trainer Freddie Roach recalled his Filipino assistant Marvin Somodio a week early from home leave to report back to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles today.
Somodio left Manila last night and because he?ll lose a day due to the time zone differential, should be back at work with Roach this morning. He would?ve stayed a week longer during the holiday break but Roach phoned long distance the other day to ask if he could cut short his vacation.
Somodio was denied a tourist visa to the US twice before changing his application to a P-1 visa which was granted last year. The P-1 visa was issued with a three-year tenure. Somodio was later given a working permit in the US and is employed by Roach at the Wild Card Gym. Last Dec. 17, he returned home for the holidays.
?We?re busy at Wild Card,? said Somodio the other day. ?Brian (Viloria) is back in training although he?s still waiting for a fight schedule. He?s training by himself so that?s also why I need to be back. But Freddie wanted me in the gym to work with Frankie Gomez who has a fight on Feb. 2.?
Somodio was Viloria?s chief second when the WBO flyweight champion stopped Hernan (Tyson) Marquez to unify the WBO/WBA titles in Los Angeles last November. Gomez, 20, is one of Roach?s new prospects and has a 14-0 record, with 11 KOs. A Los Angeles welterweight known as ?Pitbull,? Gomez takes on Lanard Lane in Las Vegas on Feb. 2. Last Dec. 15, the 2009 World Amateur Boxing Championships silver medalist knocked out Pavel Miranda in one round in Los Angeles.
Somodio admitted 2012 wasn?t a good year for Wild Card. ?That?s boxing, there are ups and downs,? he said. ?Sometimes, you can?t avoid bad luck. The important thing is to be ready to bounce back. We were all sad when Manny (Pacquiao) lost to (Juan Manuel) Marquez. But Freddie was back to work in the gym the Monday after. It?s too bad Amir (Khan) left us but he wanted Freddie to focus on him, make Manny less of a priority. That?s impossible for Freddie to do. Manny is like his son. Manny will always be Freddie?s priority.? Dean’s Corner ( Article MRec ), pagematch: 1, sectionmatch: 1
Somodio said if ever Pacquiao and Marquez battle in a fifth fight, the Filipino won?t be denied his payback. ?Manny knew Marquez was ready to go, that?s why he went in for the knockout when he got caught,? said Somodio. ?Too much killer?s instinct. Manny had a great training camp. We saw his determination. If he fights Marquez again, he?ll know to be more careful but he won?t be less aggressive. Maybe, Manny was too confident that he could take out Marquez. He promised he would fight like the Manny of before. He didn?t do lateral movement because he charged in. That happens in boxing, Manny will learn from that. Next time they fight, I?m 80 percent sure Manny will win.?
Somodio said there are no signs of Pacquiao slowing down. ?His mind is sharp, his body is strong, he has a big heart,? he said. ?Manny wants to come back in April. I don?t know what the plans are but I heard there are opponents like Tim Bradley, Brandon Rios and Robert Guerrero being lined up. It?s up to Manny and Top Rank what they?ll do. Any of them will make a good fight. An option is for Manny to fight Bradley to prove he?s really the better fighter and to win back the world title. But it?s not for me to say. I?ll just be ready to do what I?m asked to by Freddie and Manny. As for (Floyd) Mayweather, I have no news. Maybe, Manny will fight Mayweather after taking care of Marquez.?
Somodio predicted 2013 will be a good year for Wild Card especially since the color of the year is emerald green and Roach is of Irish descent. ?Last year wasn?t a good one,? he said. ?I feel worse because that was when I joined Wild Card. I also broke up with my girlfriend in Baguio. It was difficult to keep a relationship being far apart. But it?s my dream to be involved in big-time boxing in the US. I wasn?t able to succeed as a boxer but now, I?m focused on my career as a trainer. It?s best that at the moment, I?m unattached so I can concentrate on my work.?
Somodio said he expects Wild Card to be busier this year. ?Freddie gets offers to train more and more fighters everyday,? he said. ?Aside from Frankie, another young prospect is Jose Carlos Ramirez who made his debut in the undercard of Manny?s fight against Marquez. Then there?s Vanes (Martirosyan) although he hasn?t reported for training since drawing with (Erislandy) Lara last November.? Ramirez, 20, is a US London Olympian who scored a sensational first round knockout over Corey Seigwarth in his pro debut. Martirosyan, 26, has a 32-0-1 record, with 20 KOs, and is in line for a shot at the world lightmiddleweight crown.
