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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.

The training staff at Shape-Up gym with Freddie Roach. Carlo Pamintuan
By that time, Manny Pacquiao started training in the same gym. This meant that he get to watch the best trainer alive.   “Masaya ako na sa gym naming mag-eensayo si Manny at masaya rin ako na makikita ko si Freddie Roach,” he shared  
Marvin Somodio holds his idol Freddie Roach's mitts. Carlo Pamintuan
Since then, Somodio and Roach shared a bond. He even brought Somodio to Manila for the Gabriel Elorde Awards where the two shared the same hotel room. “Freddie has never done that. He has never shared his room with another man, only Somodio,” said former WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan. Roach trusts Somodio so much that he lets Somodio wrap the hands of his second most prized pupil.   Roach even wants to bring Somodio to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. “He learns really fast and he follows instructions very well,” Roach said of Somodio.   Currently, the diminutive trainer from Baguio is working out with Khan, who is deep in preparations for his rematch against Lamont Peterson. Khan wanted to keep on working while waiting for Roach to arrive in the Philippines so he decided to get Somodio for the meantime.   This is a big step for him considering that he did not want to hold the mitts a few months ago.   Somodio was in Karlo Maquinto’s corner when the fighter fell. He was there with Maquinto every single day in the hospital. Somodio, his fellow trainer Jeff Linay, and all the other members of the Shape-Up Boxing Gym went through counseling sessions to help them put the tragedy behind them and move forward. It was not easy but they are slowly trying to get back up after being robbed of a great fighter and an even better friend.   Marvin Somodio did not want to be a prize fighter but boxing, being the beautiful sport that it is, found its way into his life. Sure, the road has been rough most of the time but Somodio won’t give up just yet. He has an end in sight and that is to train side-by-side with the best trainer in the game today. - AMD, GMA News