Culver City Observer -

There's a little slice of heaven a few miles southeast of downtown Los Angeles known as the Maywood Boxing Club. Located at the very sliver end of East 52nd Place and East 56th Street adjacent to an industrial complex bordering the Los Angeles River the modest ex-community center serves as a hotbed for some very talented fighters and some very legendary trainers.

"There are rumors that Carlos Cuadras may be fighting February 25, 2017 in Dallas, Texas... against Roman "Chocolatito" Gonzalez," declared Cuadras' trainer Rudy Hernandez following three hours of non-stop work with numerous fighters on a Saturday afternoon, October 29, at the Maywood Boxing Club.

"It (WBC Super Flyweight title fight this past September at The Forum) was a good fight. Some people thought that Carlos won and some people thought that Roman won. So they're looking to get a rematch."

Hernandez went from boxer to boxer, studying, instructing, engaging and working the corners during the 3-minute 6-round sessions in the two-ring facility. Very soon Cuadras and he will begin training to recapture the WBC Super Flyweight belt he relinquished to Gonzalez on September 10 in Inglewood in arguably the 'fight of the year'.

"Carlos has been running around a little bit and working out at the gym. But we'll start training consistently by the end of November. So we'll be training here in Maywood. This is our gym. Here is where we make our home turf."

"Carlos is in Mexico right now for his wife's birthday. He's been out there for two weeks and he's enjoying the time off right now. He was working before he left, coming in a couple of days out of the week. At the end of the day this is his job. And I expect him to be here. Like everybody else he gets up and goes to work from 9 to 5. He has a job he has to maintain."

The atmosphere at the Maywood Boxing Club is what one would expect from a different era. It's obvious the moment one steps through the front door and is immediately greeted with a genuine smile and a handshake from everyone regardless of their reason for being there. It is the attitude and ultimately the climate that's been created to train at the highest level.

Hernandez: "It's a throwback of what gyms used to be like. There's nothing fancy about it. It's a boxing gym where people come and put in the work. It's a sign of respect. It's been taught to them a number of years ago. A long time ago we started this in L.A. Boxing. When you come to the gym you greet everyone and when you leave you give your best to everyone and go about your business."

"There's nothing extraordinary but to come here you must at least be able to go six rounds. If you can't do six rounds here you can go to my buddy Ben's gym. (Laughs) I love Ben to death."

"Today was a good Saturday. We had already made arrangements with a few people to show up. They came to this gym and you saw what a great atmosphere we have here."

It's no surprise that the lower weight divisions in boxing are now drawing the attention of the fighting world in terms of stature and rank. The quality of the super flyweight division is a glowing example by having what is considered the "Fab Four" within the sport. The relevance is not lost on Hernandez.

"Now in the super flyweight division, when they mention Chocolatito Gonzalez, Naoya Inoue and Gallo Estrada, Carlos Cuadras is mentioned with them as well. So now they throw Carlos Cuadras in the mix. Before he wasn't even a thought. If people didn't know him in Mexico before, they know him now."

Fred Altieri

Rudy Hernandez and Carlos Cuadras at Wild Card West Boxing in Santa Monica, September 2016

"He ended up getting the credit he deserved when he lost the title. It was his seventh title defense already. He'd already been 35-0 as a professional. It's the way the ball bounces. Sometimes you win more by losing."

"He's a good boxer, a good counter-puncher. He's a happy fighter. He loves the sport. He believes in himself like no other. I think what makes him better than most is that he doesn't need someone tapping him on the shoulder and back and telling him how good he is. He pretty much knows he has the talent. He's been given a gift and has taken advantage of it."

So mark your calendars for the "rematch of the year" on Saturday, February 25, 2017 in Dallas, Texas. Look for the official notice to soon follow. One thing is certain, you will read and hear plenty more from the Maywood Boxing Club in the coming months and years.