Boxer Roman Carlos making an impression
Poway resident Roman Carlos never thought his interest in boxing would take him this far.
He thought wrong.
Carlos, a 2005 graduate of Rancho Bernardo High School, has qualified for the United States Amateur Boxing, Inc.’s regional bout in two weeks in Los Angeles, this after winning the district competition in San Diego last Saturday.
Carlos, a junior middleweight, has established himself as one of the best young amateurs in San Diego.
“When I first started boxing, I never thought I’d be fighting like I am now,” said Carlos, 18. “I like the adrenaline rush you get and the people you meet. You get a certain level of respect in boxing.”
Carlos first became interested in the sweet science when was a child, pounding on his dad’s punching bag in the garage. While his father only used the bag for exercise, young Roman took a greater interest in boxing. At the age of 14, he joined a local gym, and soon after that hooked up with local coach Chuck Wissmiller.
It’s been a successful ride ever since.
“I could tell right then and there this kid has something going for him,” said Wissmiller, who was a professional boxer from 1962 to 1966 and is part of cast of the A&E television series “Family Plots.”
Wissmiller knows what it takes to make a good boxer, and likes what he sees in Carlos’ physical attributes and work ethic.
“It’s his dedication (and) his athletic ability. God gave him this talent. All I did was develop it. Pure and simple.”
When in the ring, Carlos focuses on controlling the bout and the person he his battling.
“I box my game,” said Carlos, now a freshman at Miramar Community College. “I don’t get too over anxious in there and fight him my fight.”
When in training, Carlos runs 4 to 5 miles and works out about 90 minutes a day. He finds sticking to his diet the most challenging aspect of all.
“You’ve got to train,” said Carlos, who works part-time at Cully’s Restaurant in Poway. “You’ve got to put your road work in. You’ve got to eat right. It’s a lot of running. It’s the sacrifices you have to make. The hardest thing for me is to eat right.”
Carlos hopes to turn pro in a couple of years and may try for the 2008 Olympics, but first wants to get more fights, and thus more experience, under his belt. He recognizes the opportunities a professional boxing career can give him, from traveling and fame to making his family proud, though his mom can only watch her son fight on tape and refuses to see the violent sport in person.
“Fighting and going into the ring, seeing the guy across from you and the crowd, that’s the experience I like,” said Carlos. “I like the adrenaline rush.”
Wissmiller sees unlimited potential is the up-and-comer.
“He’s one of those guys that has a natural athletic ability,” said the coach. “He loves to box. It’s his attitude about boxing. When he loses a fight, he’s determine to come back and do better, which he does. He’s just one of those kids. The sky is the limit.”