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By Hans Olson
Yesterday, Boxing Insider brought you an exclusive interview with Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez as he prepares for his fight this Saturday against Julio Cesar Chavez Jr.
Continuing our Martinez/Chavez fight week blitz, let’s get to know the man preparing Sergio for the fight, trainer Pablo Sarmiento.
Boxing Insider: Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions Pablo! First off, can you tell me about your history with boxing, how you got involved in it, and how you got to where you are today?
Pablo Sarmiento: “I started in boxing as a child, as many start off in Argentina. Gradually, I grew up into a professional prizefighter. Now here I am, training the best fighter in the world!”
You have your own gym in Oxnard, how is life for you here in America?
“Well, I like it. It is the third country in which I live, I’m used to everything. I feel very comfortable in Oxnard, a great atmosphere that breathes boxing!”
Do you have a personal philosophy with boxing/training such as a certain method, or does every fighter you work with bring out different things in you as a trainer?
“Each fighter is different, but something always prevails above all: I rule in training, no one else. I make the rules and I am in charge. If you don’t listen, you can leave, as has happened before.I do not tolerate nonsense. Boxing is very serious. People must always be well prepared. I do not like uncertainty.”
You had a long fight career yourself, capturing titles like the IBO, WBF, and WBO Latino. Can you talk about your career a little bit, the ups and downs, and how your career affects you as a trainer today?
“I do not think I was very lucky in my career, because I could have gone further. But the poverty I spent in Argentina forced me to take some fights that I otherwise would not have taken, because I was not prepared. Arriving in Spain, things changed, because I could feed myself daily and get quality training. As a coach, I try to help the younger fighters in the gym understand they now have a big opportunity to work alongside a star like Sergio or another great champion like Campillo.”
What’s a typical day like around the gym training Sergio Martinez? What is his regimen? How about other guys like Campillo, etc.
“Well, we wake up early a lot. We get up at 4 in the morning to exercise. We run, and we also use mountain biking and canoeing, among other things. After resting, we eat breakfast, etc. In the afternoon, we are fully dedicated to boxing, though we have perhaps less sparring sessions than other gyms. I don’t like to go up to fight guys with having had 600 rounds of sparring. I want you to go into the fight hungry.”
What are your thoughts on Julio Chavez Jr, and what will it take for Sergio to get the victory in this fight?
“Julio is not a bad fighter, but he’s not at the level of Sergio. He is very strong, but not much stronger. Sergio is much more complete, and more technical. Sergio is much more ambitious than Chavez; he escaped poverty. Julio never lacked anything.”
Thanks again for the interview, if there’s anything else you’d like to say or share, feel free to do so!
“Just to say thank you very much, and I’m trying to learn English so that everyone can know me better, but it’s hard!”
[The above interview, as well as yesterday’s with Sergio were translated from Spanish. Boxing Insider would like to thank Oscar Zardain for all his help]
Boxing Insider’s Hans Olson can be reached at [email protected] Follow @hansolson
