The Wild Card - boxing's mecca

Los Angeles - Nestled on the second story of a strip mall, just north of where Santa Monica Boulevard and Vine Street intersect, is the current day mecca of boxing, the world famous Wild Card Gym.

Owned and operated by trainer Freddie Roach, the Wild Card Gym is home to elite professionals, up and coming amateurs, and after-hours white collar tough guys looking to keep in shape.

The Wild Card Gym is known within the world of boxing, like the Kronk Gym was once known when it was churning out fighters the caliber of Thomas Hearns, Gerald McClellan, and Jimmy Paul during the 1980s under the watchful eye of trainer Emanuel Steward.

And if you needed a remainder of Wild Card's importance within boxing;s landscape, the Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) validated the gym's significance when it released its awards recipients last week.

The BWAA named Roach Trainer of the Year Award for an unprecedented fourth time, an honor ironicly named after Roach's former coach and mentor, the late Eddie Futch.

Earning Fighter of the Year honors, for the third time, and being selected for Fighter of the Decade, the gym's crown jewel, Manny Pacquiao.

Not bad for a professional boxing gym sitting atop a laundromat in the heart of Hollywood.

Mosley and Mayweather ready to rumble

It was made official this afternoon when Floyd Mayweather signed his name on the dotted line to face Shane Mosley on May 1st in Las Vegas, Nevada.

The bout will be carried by HBO pay per view from the MGM Grand and pit the two of the best American fighters to have stepped in a ring during the last fifteen years.

Mayol makes preliminary weigh-in

WBC light flyweight title holder (ranked #3 by The Boxing Truth) hit the 115 pound mark during a preliminary weight-in at the Wild Card Gym yesterday.

Mayol is schedule to fight Omar Nino on the 27th of this month in Mexico City, Mexico.The Filipino defeated Edgar Sosa for his WBC crown in November of last year and is 28 years of age.
Sergiy Dzinziruk coming to Los Angeles

Having fought exclusively in Europe for his 36 fight career, undefeated Ukrainian WBO light middleweight title holder Sergiy Dzinziruk signed a contract with American promoters Gary Shaw and Art Pelullo and will be based out of Los Angeles.

"Artie and I have big plans for him which will include his U.S. debut this spring and setting up his base of operations in Los Angeles where will be taking screen tests," said Shaw. "He’s going to become an international sensation.”

Source: Ricardo Lois  | examiner.com