Underdog Boxing: Local trainer Marvin Somodio aspires to be the next Freddie Roach
How one discovers and becomes immersed in the sport of boxing varies from person to person. There are those who born into the sport like the Peñalosas and the Elordes, just as there are those who chose the sport because fighting is the only thing they know how to do. Marvin Somodio’s journey started due to a random coincidence. After classes, he went with one of his high school buddies to boxing training. “Wala naman akong gagawin pagkatapos ko mag-aral kaya sumama ako,” Somodio said. “Nagulat na lang ako nung sinabihan ako nung trainer na sumali sa ginagawa nila.” He had long amateur career and he was thinking of going professional. However, an overzealous trainer made Somodio hate boxing. “Nagsawa ako sa boxing dahil sa coach ko,” he shared. “Pinapatakbo niya ako ng apat na oras tapos 12 rounds ako sa mitts at 12 rounds rin sa jumping rope, speed bag, at punching bag.” When he told his coach that his knuckles were already swelling up, his coach told him to do push-ups with his knuckles to keep the swelling down. Somodio is a light-hearted man who does his work without ever complaining. Yet, when he recalled what he had to go through with his coach, the smile on his face could not mask the anger that he bore. He left the coach and his dreams to be a pro fighter. Knowing that he could train fighters better than his coach, Somodio decided instead to become a full-time boxing trainer, offering his services to anyone who came into the Shape-Up Boxing Gym in Baguio. In his first match as a trainer, his fighter disregarded all his instructions and lost the fight. “Mahirap para sa akin kasi alam kong hinanda ko naman siya. Pagkatapos nung laban na ‘yun, nag-desisyon ako na lalaban na lang ako ulit,” Somodio said. Luckily for him, his gym hired a boxing coach who actually had a clue. Somodio trained for his pro debut while at the same time, helped train the younger fighters in their gym.