SLOWLY BUT SURELY, MARVIN SOMODIO IS HITTING IT BIG
By Ed de la Vega, DDS
PhilBoxing.com
Sat, 16 Mar 2013
HOLLYWOOD -- Marvin Somodio, the ex-boxer turned trainer at the gym in Baguio City where Manny Pacquiao trains, is indeed a young trainer to watch.
From the time Freddie Roach of the Wildcrad Gym took him under his wings and moved him to his gym in Hollywood, Somodio has indeed made lots of progress.
Slowly but surely, Roach is giving him more responsibilities.
I saw him at the LA Sports arena working the corner of Brian Viloria when he fought the then WBA champion Hernan ?Tyson? Marquez. Viloria trained at the Wildcard for that fight but it was not Roach who was tasked as the chief trainer. It was Marvin Somodio.
By now of course we all know that Viloria won that fight and grabbed the WBA belt from Marquez.
Last night at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood, another Wildcard Gym prot?g?, Liam Vaughan of Liverpool, England fought a 6 rounder. The young English boxer fought Antron Pearson and won via a unanimous decision.
While Roach was there up the ring apron to show his presence, it was Marvin Somodio who did the trainer?s work for Vaughan. It was Somodio who coach Vaughan after each round telling his fighter his observations of the fight from the ringside and giving advice on how to manage them.
Although Freddie Roach occasionally spoke to give a point or two, from what we saw, it was mainly Somodio who did the coaching. In fact Roach never even stepped inside the ring to help Somodio.
One interesting thing we observed from our photo position near the corner of Vaughan was that Somodio apparently has absorbed all if not most of Roach?s style as the fight progressed. Just like Roach, Somodio spoke softly as he gave Vaughan his instructions. We never heard him raise his voice, or yell at his fighter like what we usually see and hear from other trainers including Trainer of the Year Robert Garcia. That maybe bad or good, we don?t know.
But, surely, it does not panic the fighter into reacting wrongly in the vain attempt to follow instructions yelled at him from close quarters.
With all the responsibilities now falling on Somodio?s shoulder, it would not be too surprising if someday when Roach decides to hang his trainer?s shoes and just enjoy life, Somodio will take over the helm at the Wildcard.
That would be the day huh?
One interesting observation we saw at Vaughan?s corner last night was identity of the cutman.
It was Rob Peters, the giant of a man with a good sense of humor who serves as Manny Pacquiao?s security at the Wildcard.
Photo:, L-R: Roach, Somodio and Peters on Vaughan's corner.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Ed de la Vega, DDS.
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