By Steve Kim
As he prepared for this weekends bout against McWilliams Arroyo, former world champion Carlos Cuadras spent the past few months going through his first training camp under the guidance of trainer Abel Sanchez at 'the Summit' gym in Big Bear, California.
The spartan setting is not for everybody and it took some time for the free-spirited Cuadras to get acclimated to it.
"The first couple of weeks were very difficult for him," admitted Sanchez, best known for working with unified middleweight champion, Gennady Golovkin. "I think he's the type of fighter that does things in a nonchalant way and we have a very strict, disciplined routine up there. So it was difficult for him at the beginning but he caught on and actually did very well."
Going up the mountain and getting used to the solitude isn't an easy adjustment for many boxers who go up there for the first time.
"Big Bear is for fighters that really want to dedicate and discipline themselves and give it at least a good ol' try. You just don't go up there to go through the motions. If you're going to be up there you might as well do what's being asked of you and see what happens," said Sanchez.
"The worst thing that's going to happen is you're going to leave in great shape."
In the past Cuadras has been a volume puncher who hasn't always had enough in the gas tank.
"I think he understands why in the past he got tired, why he wasn't able to perform at the same level throughout the fight. He mentally understands the difference," stated Sanchez.
"If Arroyo's in great we're going to have a great fight. If not, Carlos might be a little too busy for him, not that he's a big puncher because he's not. He's a very active fighter and if he's not on it for 10 rounds - it may not go ten rounds."
Cuadras-Arroyo is being contested for the WBC silver super flyweight title and is part of the 'SuperFly2' card at the Forum in Inglewood, California that will be televised by HBO on Saturday night.
Steve Kim is the news editor for BoxingScene.com.
