Eddy Reynoso is the TSS 2020 Trainer of the Year

Once again Mexico’s Eddy Reynoso is the Trainer of the Year.

Though his main star Saul “Canelo” Alvarez only fought once in this pandemic year, once was enough to prove Reynoso’s students are always ready. Preparation is key and no one seems to do it better than the trainer from Guadalajara, Mexico.

When Canelo tore through England’s Callum Smith last week with the ease of a painter stripping away old peeling walls, it showed emphatically that size does not matter. Skill and precision can be even more damaging when applied scientifically.

It’s the type of fighting that Reynoso teaches.

Last year Alvarez defeated Sergey Kovalev by knockout for the light heavyweight world title. This year he knocked off the super middleweight world titlist Smith with a one-sided beating. It was another amazing display of the sweet science.

Reynoso has proven again that he was the best at his profession and the Trainer of the Year in 2020 as he was in 2019.

It was never an easy road for Reynoso.

While working with his father years ago, he cites a talk he had with legendary fight manager Rafael Mendoza as an important moment in his boxing life. The manager and advisor for 25 former world champions approached the son of Jose “Chepo” Reynoso and gave advice that proved to be a guiding light.

“He told me anyone can hold the mitts,” said Eddy Reynoso about Mendoza’s advice. “Be a professor that teaches boxing. Show them the art of boxing.”

During this period a redheaded youngster walked into their gym who was one of six Alvarez brothers – his name Saul “Canelo” Alvarez.

“Really his hair is what I remember most. He really surprised me with his red hair and face, it was not very common in Mexico,” said Reynoso who was 25 at the time and Alvarez 13. “He caught my attention for being how small and strong he was.”

Though Alvarez was very powerful even at a young age, the Reynosos preferred to teach him a style not too common with Mexican prizefighters – counterpunching.

“It’s something we had been taught as kids and I as a kid always liked counter punching. I always studied fighters like Jose Medel and Gilberto Roman. I started implementing that as well as the old school style of fighting,” said Reynoso.

Both father and son realized they had a special fighter in Canelo Alvarez. From the very beginning they realized he could advance further than even their previous world champions.

Through all of Alvarez’s fights, the Reynosos always felt Canelo was the stronger fighter. But they also realized that defense and tactics could derail any fighter regardless of strength. After seven years of burning through opponents they finally obtained a match against the fighter most considered the best at the time Floyd Mayweather on Oct. 2013.

Alvarez was 23 years old when he was defeated by majority decision by Mayweather. It was an incredible learning moment for the team from Guadalajara.

“From fighters like Mayweather, we learned a lot. It wasn’t for nothing, he was the best in the ring,” said Eddy Reynoso about that encounter for the WBA and WBC super welterweight world titles in Las Vegas. “Fighting against Mayweather you learn a lot of different levels. The loss teaches you to do better on certain things and you gain a lot of good especially when you fight somebody like that.”

After Mayweather’s victory over Alvarez, changes were made and additional skills and strategies were implemented by Reynoso for all of his students. Defensive adjustments were shown and adapted for all his fighters like Oscar Valdez, Luis Nery, Andy Ruiz and Ryan Garcia. Alvarez has now become anointed as boxing’s best fighter pound-for- pound a second consecutive year.

Next weekend Reynoso has a fighter in Ryan Garcia who is stacked with potential greatness. Will he be the next future superstar honed by Reynoso?

Garcia, 22, a lightning-fast lightweight from Victorville, California is slated to fight England’s Luke Campbell on January 2, at the American Airlines Arena in Dallas, Texas. He is the youngest of Reynoso’s pupils and expected to become the next world champion in his stable.

Once again, a salute to Eddy Reynoso, this year’s Trainer of the Year.

Cheers and Happy New Year.

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