RODEL MAYOL’S RECIPE ON BECOMING A BOXING CHAMP

By JOSE MONTY FLORES

LOS ANGELES, California — Former world champion Rodel “Kid Rapido/Batang Mandaue” Mayol, who is now a trainer here at the Wild Card Boxing Gym shared his “recipe” on becoming a professional boxing champion to Fight News Asia.

Mayol, 35, has set it up with his assistant Stanley Godinez. It starts with an early 5 to 7 mile 6 am run at the Pan Pacific of Los Angeles on every Monday, Wednesday and Fridays.

A few minutes of rest then a tough 1,000 sit ups for the upper, lower abdomen and obliques. A short break then sprinting for quick recuperation when there is a transfer of energy from the fists to one head.

Mayol said that the second part of training is going to the Wild Card Gym after an hour break for their regulated protein and carbohydrate diet. Bananas are also needed to decrease the build-up lactic acid in the muscles. Lactic acid is the pain you feel when your muscles are tired.

The gym is where the fighters are doing their mitt work and sparring. The total number of rounds depend on when the fight is scheduled. Two months before the fight only needs around four rounds of sparring and will increase to about eight to 10 rounds a month before the fight.

“There is no sparring a week before the fight and that it is very important that a fighter should not over train. Over training will only lead to a burned out fighter and lack of energy,” said Mayol.

Adenosine Triphosphate will be cycled incorrectly. Glycolysis will also go through incorrect steps which is the breakdown of sugar in one’s anatomy. Only mitt work, dieting, and easy cardio to make the weight.is

On opposite days which are Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays will have the grueling run at the famous Griffith Park. This cross-country place is where our 8-division world champion and current WBO world welterweight king Manny Pacquiao also uses for his cardiovascular workout.

Once again it consists of the five to seven mile run up and down the hills followed by 1,000 sit ups again then back to the Wild Card gym for mitt work and sparring.

Then 1,000 more sit ups to end the day.

Now that we are physically and mentally knowledgeable about his routine, we can now enter into his world of boxing.

Mayol (31-5-2-22 KOs) was successful under the guidance of Jesus Arevalo, Buboy Fernandez and Nonoy Neri. His manager during his championship career was Pacquiao’s wife Jinkee.

Mayol, now 35 years old, captured the WBC World light flyweight title via a 2nd round technical knockout against Mexican Edgar Sosa on November 21, 2009 at the Palenque de la Feria in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Chiapas, Mexico.

Mayol got a one-point deduction in Round 2 for an accidental headbutt that caused a cut on Sosa’s left cheek. But Mayol knocked down Sosa in 1:52 of the same round.

In his first title defense, Mayol retained his crown due to a technical decision in the 3rd round against another Mexican Omar Nino Romero on February 27, 2010 in Mexico.

However, in their rematch, Mayol dropped already a unanimous decision to Romero on June 19, 2010 also held in Mexico. Mayol had a point deducted in the 2nd round and another point deducted in the 5th round. Under the WBC’s head-clash rule in which, if a fighter is cut in a clash of heads, the boxer who is not cut automatically has a point taken from his score.

The 5-foot-4 Mayol, also a former Philippine light flyweight champion, bounced back with five straight wins including a 7^th round TKO on Thailand’s Amorn Longsriphom on Nov. 5, 2010.

He last won by a UD against Julio Cesar Miranda on May 13, 2012 before he went on to challenge IBF world super flyweight king Juan Carlos Sanchez Jr. in the same year.

Mayol, however, lost by a 9th round knockout to Sanchez Jr. on Sept. 22, 2012 in Mexico. Mayol then decided to hang up his gloves to become a trainer at the Freddie Roach’s Wild Card Gym.

“I (now) find happiness by turning contenders into champions,” said Mayol, who recently trained Aston “Mighty” Palicte from Bago City, who is now the new WBO NABF super flyweight champion.

Palicte (22-2-0,18 KOs) won by a split decision against Oscar Cantu in Las Vegas.

Another student of Mayol’s class is Al Rivera (17-2-0-15 KOs), who successfully defended his OPBF lightweight crown in the Philippines.

Mayol also trains former UFC lightweight champion Dos Anjos, who was supposed to fight Connor McGregor but got injured during his mixed martial arts training. Anjos has 25 wins and 9 losses in the MMA arena.

One of the upcoming prospect with heavy hands is Romero “Ruthless” Duno, 21, a boxer of Dexter “Wang Yu” Tan of the Sanman Promotions in General Santos City with a record of 12 wins, 1 loss and 11 KOs.

Duno, currently the WBC Asian Boxing Council super featherweight champion, previously stopped Gabby Simpo in the 3rd round last Dec. 4 at the Robinson’s Place in Gensan.

“I’m now working on Duno’s balance and footwork to enhance his boxing skills. He is definitely on his way on becoming one of the greats that our country will produce,” said Mayol.