MELINDO, SERVANIA SPAR AT WILDCARD GYM
By Ronnie Nathanielsz
PhilBoxing.com
Tue, 14 Jan 2014
Former flyweight title challenger Milan Melindo and undefeated super bantamweight Genesis Servania sparred at the Wild Card Gym of Freddie Roach in Los Angeles on Tuesday and Roach?s assistant trainer, Filipino Marvin Somodio said they looked good.
Somodio said he had just returned from Mexico working the corner of Antonio DeMarco alongside Roach in DeMarco?s impressive 2nd round TKO of Jesus Gurrola with Justin Fortune as conditioning coach.
He said he couldn?t pay attention to them because he was busy training another fighter but told us ?they are fine.?
Somodio also told the Manila Standard that former WBO/WBA flyweight champion Brian Viloria is also back in training at the Wild Card Gym and sparred with two-time Olympic gold medalist Zhou Shiming who will see action in Macao on February 29 in a Top Rank card featuring three Olympic gold medalists who have turned pro and signed up with Top Rank.
He said Viloria was ?waiting for a fight because the opponents he wants to face are reluctant to fight him.?
Somodio said Viloria has been out for sometime since his loss to Juan Francisco Estrada in a bruising battle in Macau last April so they are taking it ?slowly? because the timing is important when preparing for a fight.
He said Viloria ?still has the hunger and I can see that in his training and sparring he will be back.?
Melindo told Jhay Oh Otamias that there was a "big difference" between the spacious ALA Gym while Wild Card was crowded and "it enhances the mental attitude of a boxer because we see the different atmosphere."
Melindo said adapting to the climate in Los Angeles so it would be helpful if he fights in the US in the future.
He said he spoke to Roach but trained under under Edito "Ala" Villamor.
Melindo said he "observed what boxers did and what was different in their style because people and what makes people believe it's much better at the Wild Card Gym."
But he said he feels "it's much better in the Philippines." He said he is eager to fight Estrada in a rematch after putting on a solid performance in a losing cause last July.
Photo: Filipino boxers Genesis Servania (L) and Milan Melindo (2nd from left) together with trainer Edito Villamor (C) pose for a photo at the Thai restaurant near the Wildcard Gym in Los Angeles. Also in photo is Filipino boxer Drian Francisco (4th from left).
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