Recent visit to the Wildcard Gym to see Roach

hey mate, for anyone interested in going - I would definitely reccomend December. The flights are substantially lower in cost versus summer but it's still warm enough to be out in shorts & a T-Shirt (I was over there for surfing in Huntington Beach, California).

Because Pac and Khan were both away, I basically had as much time as I wanted with Roach to ask questions and just chat. I'm planning to go next year but instead maybe spend a day there working out. One question I wish I'd asked him is what his favourite punch is, and maybe got him to teach me how to throw it! Would be cool to then one day teach my kids and say "..and this is how Freddie taught me!" I appreciate that may sound ridiculous but he was that friendly, I don't think he would have minded showing me. Except my mind went blank so I totally didn't think of asking!

I suspect if I had hit the gym during training camps, it would have been much more difficult to get time. Just something to consider if you're planning to go there.

Re. pics - see below:

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As you walk up the steps and through the door of the wildcard this is the wall of photos you see to your left. Adjacent to it is "Freddie's counter" where I found him stood there chatting away as I walked in.

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Basically stood next to entrance, I got chatting with Freddie and when I asked if I could take a photo with him - he was really polite and insisted we go into the main ring area for a proper photo. I would have been happy bending inwards with him staying put but he was really friendly about it when he heard i'd come all the way from the UK.

The moment we walked through the gym chatting, a bunch of philipino's heard and exclaimed : "We've come from the philipines! Can we get photos too!" LMAO...here's the guy:

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Again, you can see Freddie was totally cool to just stand there, chat, take pictures, whatever. He was even asking me questions about the UK as part of general banter. My only regret is that i didn't prepare a heap of stuff which I now wish i'd asked him about but was too star struck to think of at the time. Damn!

Anyway, while Freddie was getting his photo with the dude from the Philipines, I quickly took a picture of his side-kick with one eye (forget his name) who was at the counter messing around on Facebook which I found quite amsuing. hahah. this is basically where Freddie was standing chatting as I walked through the door, right next to the entrance.

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In short - it was a great visit. My only regret is that I didn't plan a bunch of questions in advance and get him to teach me how to throw a punch just for the bragging rights in the future. Will defo be going next year - super friendly guy & very approachable boxers at the club.

 

Not really mate, it was mainly amateurs although I think I saw Chavez Jr there - he brushed past me walking through the door.

I rocked up at 4pm on Dec 23rd. Most of the pro's were on holiday. The car park was half empty with Pepper patrolling it like a bouncer.