Somodio returns to the Wild Card Gym
By Eddie Alinea
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 14 Jan 2013
MANILA (PNA)- Hall of Fame trainer Freddie Roach has ruled out a tune up fight for Filipino prized pupil Manny Pacquiao before meeting Juan Manuel Marquez for the fifth time, but, nevertheless looks forward to vaulting back from what was a bad 2012 to a better 2013.
The five-time ?trainer of the year? honoree of the Boxing Writers Association of America has, in fact, recalled all of his men from vacation, including Filipino assistant trainer Marvin Somodio, for duty precisely for that purpose.
Somodio, who left Saturday after receiving a telephone call from Roach to cut short his leave, is in fact expected to join the Wild Card staff Monday morning (Tuesday in Manila) to start his tour of duty at the Roach-owned sweat shop along Vine St. in downtown Hollywood, Los Angeles.
?Tinawagan ako ni coach Freddie at pinakiusapan akong bumalik agad kung puede dahil maraming trabaho sa Wild Card (coach Freddie called to request that if possible I shorten my vacation and return to Wild Card immediately because we will be very busy at Wild Card this year),? Somodio told People?s Journal before boarding a Philippine Airlines flight to L.A.
?Hindi naging maganda ang takbo ng Wild Card last year, talo lahat ang marquee fighters namin, including Manny (Pacquiao).
Siguro gustong makabawi ni coach (Last year was a bad year for us in the gym as all of our marquee fighters lost, including Manny (Pacquiao). I believe coach Freddie wants to recover from our bad luck),? Somodio who is in the second year of a three-year working visa granted him, said.
?Trabaho yan at wala naman akong masyadong ginagawa ditto, kaya pumayag na ako (It?s my job and I don?t have many things to do here, anyway, so I consented in going back),? Somodio said.
Roach, in a report by Boxing Scene, expressed his objection to suggestions that Pacquiao fight this April 15 or 20 against a lighter opponent before plunging into action again against the Mexican legend.
Four possible opponents ? current WBO welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, who dethroned him of his 147-pount drown in June, Brandon Rios, Robert Guerrero and even Jessie Vargas and Vyacheslav Senchenko ? are being mentioned to face the Filipino superstar this summer.
?They?re talking about a tune up fight in Macau (or Singapore, and Abu Dhabi), with him and Marquez on the show together against different opponents and then a rematch in September. That?s being negotiated right now,? Roach told Boxing Scene.
?The thing is, I don?t really want a tune up fight. I would rather just go straight into the fifth fight,? he stressed. ?I don?t think a guy of Pacquiao?s level needs a tune up fight. Thing is, he?s going to get right back on the horse. The first thing he said to me (after the loss to Marquez), we need to do it one more time.?
Somodio said that besides Pacquiao, there is WBO and WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria to take care of. ?Although Brian is still waiting who to fight next, he?s been training all by himself since after the Christmas season.?
?Gusto rin ni coach na alagaan ko si Frankie Gomez na lalaban sa Feb. 2 (coach Freddie wants me to work on Frankie Gomez who is scheduled to fight Feb. 2),? he said.
Somodio was in Viloria?s corner when the ?Hawaiian Punch? KO?ed Herman ?Tyson? Marquez last November to unify the WBO/WBA flyweight titles. He was also in Frank Gomez?s corner when the 14-0 welterweight prospect, nicknamed ?Pitbull,? stopped Pavel Miranda in the first round last Dec. 15 for his 11th triumph via the short route.
(File Photo- Marvin Somodio with Manny Pacquiao)
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