WILDCARD BANS TAKING PHOTOS INSIDE THE GYM
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Thu, 01 Oct 2015
On my way to a business meeting in LA, I took a little side trip to the Wildcard Gym in Hollywood to check on the progress of the ALA Boys. I thought perhaps I could check on how they are doing so that I can relay the news to true boxing fans, particularly those who are abroad and would love to hear or read first hand reports how their ?heroes? are coming along ahead of their fights on October 17th at the Stub Hub Center.
First order of the day as I walked in the gym was to check at the desk. Speedy Gonzalez was on guard so I asked if I could take a few photos of the ALA Boys and then leave. He didn?t think there was anything wrong with that.
Minutes after a got into the gym and say the usual hellos to many familiar faces, a guy with some Brit or Irish accent came to me and ask if I was taking photos and who gave me permission to do so. And, he proceeded to tell me that taking photos is no longer allowed inside the gym.
Sometime later, Marie Spivey, one of Freddie Roach?s trusted aide at the gym arrived and told me the same. To her credit she explained the gym policy in a nice way, indicating among others that many fighters are in deep training and the gym ?management? decided that no one should know the progress of their training.
I told her I was not there to spy on anybody. That is not my goal! Besides I was there only for the ALA fighters.
However, she suggested in a very courteous way that perhaps I should consider leaving so that it will not encourage others to do what I was doing. She implied that allowing me to take photos would create an impression of ?favoritism? since most folks at the gym know me well. ?We even prevent boxers who pay and train here from taking photos,? she said.
Albert Pagara.
Mark Magsayo.
Jason Pagara.
So after saying a quick goodbye to the ALA Boys, I left.
Now, I am not one to question policies created by the Wildcard Gym to avoid ?spying? and the potential unnecessary clutter of media folks inside the gym. After all, it?s their private gym.
WCG should also consider that it?s the media that generates interest in fight events. I can fully understand it if they kick out media folks that hang out there for hours. But placing a blanket policy to bar everyone from taking photos even if one is there just to take a few photos of it?s own team members and leave, sucks. But then again, that is just my personal opinion!
But, I wonder if the same policy is applied to celebrities and large media outlets.
With that, I apologize to the readers of this website. From now on, be satisfied in getting progress reports of our Filipino boxers who are training at the Wildcard Gym for their first ever sojourn in the US from second hand information. Enjoy the attached photos. They are the last ones who will see from the Wildcard Gym.
This is the best we can do given the new policy at the Wildcard Gym.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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