As Rudy Hernandez prepares for the upcoming title defenses of Junto Nakatani (WBC bantamweight) and Anthony Olascuaga (WBO flyweight) in Japan on October 14, he is also planning a move into his new boxing home.
LA Boxing Gym located at 200 S. Los Angeles Street (which is not to be confused with the long gone LA Boxing Gym, where Hernandez once trained his brother Genaro) which is on the verge of opening.
There was a media gathering held for Hernandez's two champions this past Tuesday at this facility. For Nakatani, who has made Southern California a regular part of his training ritual, this was his last day in Los Angeles before heading back to Japan.
Steve Kim
"October 16th, this will be my new home,'' said the respected trainer, who has taken his boxers to various gyms around the area throughout the years. "As of that day, I'll be here every day."
This facility is located in Japantown -- better known as J-Town -- near downtown Los Angeles. The gym is nice and clean, with one ring, heavy bags and an area with free weights and stationary bikes. Parking is a bit tough in this area, but metered spots are available on this block. Located on the first floor, the windows that have pictures of Mike Tyson, Muhammad Ali and 'Chicanito' will let you know that you are entering a LA's newest boxing gym.
''My friend called me up and said that he's thinking of putting up a gym. He asked if I'd be interested in being a partner with him. I said, 'Sure, why not?'" recalled Hernandez. "At first, I didn't think it would really be happening. Well, look at it now. It's here and I'm looking forward to it."
Steve Kim
LA Boxing will have both white collar clientele (which is really the way a gym makes money) and professionals. As of now, they still haven't figured out what monthly dues will be.
As for his pair of home grown champions, they will still go to other gyms for sparring.
Hernandez told SNAC.com, "Look, I'm not going to sacrifice their careers by opening up a gym. They'll be sparring at Knockouts Boxing. We've always been there, and that's where we're going to be at. But as far as the gym here is concerned, it'll be up-and-coming future fighters."
Steve Kim
Nakatani (28-0, 21 KOs) will be headlining the card at the Ariake Arena versus Tasana Salapat. Now a three-division champion, he is now considered one of the elite boxers in the sport. To a point where you now see his name listed on various pound-for-pounds lists. There is now talk of an all-Japanese super fight with the incomparable, Naoya Inoue.
But like any other coach, Hernandez is only looking forward to what's directly in front of them.
"Right now, we have a date -- October the 14th. I can't go beyond that. At the end of the day we still have a fight ahead of us. Once that fights over and we're successful, we can move onto the next one. In the future if it happens, great. If it doesn't, it is what it is."
Steve Kim
For all the physical tools that the 26 year old Nakatani possesses, the thing that Hernandez truly appreciates about him is his willingness to continue to learn the craft. While he is garnering more attention than in the past, Nakatani has remained the same humble and compliant individual that he was as a teenager.
An admiring Hernandez said, "This kid, man...he's unique. There's not a whole lot of guys that I know like him. He comes to work and the moment he walks in, anywhere he's at, he doesn't walk around feeling like he's the champion of the world, or he's popular."
"None of that matters to him. He gets ready and is focused on his next fight. That's always been him."
As for Olascuaga (7-1, 5 KOs), who won his title in July by blasting out Riku Kano in three rounds, he faces Johnathan Gonzalez before Nakatani takes center stage for the main event. "He's got just a little smarter, not a whole lot but just a frickin' tiny bit more," Hernandez said with a chuckle in regards to 'Princesa'.
"His focus is just a liiiittle bit better. That puzzle is starting to be put in place."
FINAL FLURRIES
Top Rank's card, which is headlined by the battle between Sandy Ryan and Mikaela Mayer for the WBO womens welterweight title will begin at 10:30 pm, ET/ 7:30 pm, PT on ESPN....Also featured on the broadcast are Bruce Carrington and Xander Zayas....Top Rank has announced the signing of Juanmita Lopez De Jesus, the son of former two-time world champion 'JuanMa' Lopez...I can be reached at k9kim@yahoo.com....
