By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Freddie Roach, regarded by many as the finest trainer in the world today and winner of the Trainer of the Year” award three times from the Boxing Writers Association of America is giving Filipino light flyweight Rodel Mayol a lot of attention as he trains at the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles.
Mayol is training for his rematch with undefeated WBO champion Ivan Calderon in San Juan, Puerto Rico on September 12.
Conditioning expert Alex Ariza told us that Roach’s attention to Mayol’s training and his fight strategy “will help Mayol a lot” as the celebrated trainer goes over the fight plan with the Filipino challenger.
Ariza said Roach has been working with Mayol on his moves, setting up his punches and working on combinations.
Ariza said the three weeks he spent in England watching Roach up close as he broke down the weaknesses of Andreas Kotelnik from whom Amir Khan won the WBA super lightweight title was an amazing experience. Ariza said he “got to really appreciate what a strategist and what a tactician Freddie is. "
Mayol told BoxingScene.com, insidesports.ph, Standard Today and Viva Sports that he is in great shape and has trained hard for the rematch with Calderon in a fight card billed “Undefeated Champions”.
He said he has been sparring with WBO minimum weight champion Donnie Nietes and hopes to get some rounds in with junior bantamweight AJ “Bazooka” Banal who is slated to fight in Hawaii on August 29.
Mayol, nicknamed “Kid Rapido” has a record of 25-3-3 with 19 knockouts while Calderon who barely stands five feet is undefeated with a record of 32-0-1 with a mere 6 knockouts indicating his lack of punching power.
Mayol said he plans to capitalize on Calderon’s lack of power to go after the champion and hopefully knock him out or give him such a bad beating that the decision won’t be left in the hands of the judges. Mayol contends that the judges deprived him of the title in their last fight which ended in a sixth round draw after Calderon suffered a nasty cut due to an accidental clash of heads.
Judge Tony Paolillo had Calderon the winner 58-56, Tom Schereck had Mayol ahead 58-56 while the third judge Steve Weisfeld s aw it a draw at 57-57.
