Boxing was not something he wanted. It was something that came naturally. The young Marvin Somodio went with one of his high school buddies to boxing training. “I had nothing to do after school so I went with one of my classmates to his boxing training,” Marvin said.

The boxing coach asked Marvin to train so he did. It was the start of a long relationship between Marvin and boxing; a relationship that almost ended because of a clueless coach.

“I was about to turn pro but I was burnt out because of my coach,” he shared. “He made me run for four hours, do mitts for 12 rounds, and a combination of the speed bag, jump ropes, and punching bag for another 12 rounds. Then when my knuckles were swollen from punching, he’d make me do push-ups with my knuckles.”

Marvin is a light-hearted man who does his work without ever complaining. Yet, when he recalled what he had to go through with his coach, the smiles on his face could not mask the anger that he bore.

He left the coach and his dreams to be a pro fighter. He knew he could train fighters better than his coach so he decided to be a full-time boxing trainer. Marvin worked diligently in training anyone who came into the Shape-Up Boxing Gym in Baguio. In his first match as a trainer, his fighter disregarded all his instructions and lost the fight.

“It was tough for me because I know I trained him well. This was the time when I decided to go back to fighting,” Marvin shared. Lucky for him, his gym hired a boxing coach who actually had a clue. Marvin trained for his pro debut but he also helped train the younger fighters in their gym.

By that time, Manny Pacquiao started training in the same gym. Lucky for Marvin, he was given the chance to watch the best trainer alive.

“I was really happy to have Manny Pacquiao and Freddie Roach in our gym,” he shared

Since then, Marvin and Freddie shared a bond. He even brought Marvin to Manila for the recent Gabriel Elorde Awards where the two shared the same hotel room. “Freddie has never done that. He has never shared his room with another man, only Marvin,” said WBA light welterweight champion Amir Khan. Freddie trusts Marvin so much that he lets Marvin wrap the hands of his second most prized pupil.

Freddie wants to bring Marvin to the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles. “He learns really fast and he follows instructions very well,” Freddie said of Marvin, “but I’m going to let him finish his pro career first.”

Marvin now has a record of two wins without a loss with both wins coming via knockout. Well, he may just be starting his career as a professional fighter but he does not lack experience in the ring. But in the back of his mind, Freddie’s offer lingers. “Who would not grab the chance to be Freddie’s assistant trainer?” he asked “but I want to win a championship first.”

Marvin Somodio did not want to be a prize fighter but boxing, the beautiful sport that it is, found its way into his life. Now, he has the chance to train side-by-side the best trainer in the game today; not bad for a guy who basically met the sport by accident.