“Basically I knew that he had a kind of rough situation with his promoter Tony Holden,” Carbajal recalls. “Basically they used to dick him around and they didn’t want him coming down here or wouldn’t provide the funds for him to be down here. He was kind of at a loss as to what to do and I wanted to help him out because I didn’t want to see his career suffer any more than it already had. Since he was like a brother to me I offered for him to come stay with me and he didn’t even think twice.”
Green admits that he ended up loving the isolation and focus that came from a getaway to Florida and his visits have become much more frequent since rooming with Carbajal. Unfortunately for both men, however, the results for Green have yet to meet the expectations. After the Ravelo fight, Green geared up for a huge showdown against Edison Miranda on HBO in March of 2007 and despite being close friends with Miranda as well, Carbajal showed his allegiance towards Green in helping him prepare for the contest.
Despite a rigorous training camp in which he appeared to be on point and fully motivated, Green’s performance in the ring against Miranda was sub par, even by his own standards, as he would go on to lose a ten round decision. While many more storylines would emerge shortly after the fight, such as Green’s struggle to make 162 pounds and various other health concerns, the fact remained that his record was marked with his first defeat and both men were disappointed with the outcome.
Following the Miranda bout Green would go on to have nearly 85% of his paralyzed colon removed, as it had been causing him much despair beforehand, and had a much fresher outlook following the procedure. He would go on to go 2-0 for the remainder of 2007 but not even he could have imagined the hardship that he would have to endure the following year.
Following a ten round decision over Rubin Williams on January 1st, 2008, Green would subsequently pull out of a scheduled February 29th showdown with Antwun Echols in Marksville, Louisiana, resulting in an indefinite suspension from the Louisiana State Boxing Commission. Green would go on to take much flack for his no-show and in looking back at how everything unfolded, he claims things were rough.
“That was probably one of the worst years of my life,” Green admits. “Not fighting and barely being able to make ends meet was hard for me. I had children to take care of and us being fighters, people tend to forget that we are people too. I might have done things differently looking back at it but people don’t realize the situation I was in with my promoter. People in this sport don’t take that into consideration because they are too busy trying to fuck you over.”
Following the Echols debacle, months went by without word from Green and people at Contender’s Gym began wondering what exactly was going on. For a fighter of his skill level, it was a shame to see Green sitting on the shelf and letting his talent go to waist. Despite things looking rather bleak, Green would make a cameo appearance for one week in Florida in early November in preparation towards a scheduled match with Carl Daniels on the Jermain Taylor-Jeff Lacy undercard in Memphis, Tennessee.
Green would go on to defeat Daniels by way of 7th round TKO in a fight that was obviously more of a tune-up than anything else. The main thing that came from the Daniels mismatch was the fact that Green had returned to his element and sure enough, he could be found back in Florida in training camp on the 1st of this year. Despite being uncertain of who he would be fighting, it was evident from the tone in his voice and his dedication while in training at just how much Green is savoring a return to the big stage. Rumors of a Jermain Taylor fight emerged, but the Arkansas native would go on to sign a date with WBC Super Middleweight Champion Carl Froch. While a fight with Taylor is one he has always wanted, all Green can do is take care of business against De Leon Jr. and let the chips fall where they may. Carbajal himself came across Taylor at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino earlier this year and asked Taylor himself about the possibility of a fight with Green.
“I asked Jermain Taylor why he doesn’t want to fight Allan and he told me it wasn’t worth the risk,” Carbajal says in disbelief. “He said there is no money involved so why take the fight? It is what it is, but all we can do is handle business from our end.”
Brothers Forever
As mentioned earlier, Green is back in his element for his fight with De Leon Jr. Despite not being the opponent he deeply desired, Green is still going about his work with a Spartan’s work ethic and an upbeat attitude. As is the custom between each man during their camps together, Carbajal and Green’s lives are intertwined with one another on many levels and each day serves as a daily grind of sorts.
“I usually get up pretty early,” says Green. “I get something to eat, go for a walk and then we usually hit up the gym around 10:30 or 11. We try to put some hard work in at the gym and usually leave around 2:30 or so. It’s a refuge for me and a way for me to get away from all the bullshit. This is all I do when I am down here and I like it simply because I’m away from everything back home.”
Contender’s has become all too familiar to Carbajal, who also works with the likes of Campbell, Bailey, Damian Frias, and a slew of other fighters who frequent the gym. Carbajal has immersed himself in the trainer’s lifestyle and despite being close friends with Green he knows how to change gears when at Contender’s.
“These days the only place I go is Contender’s and back home,” Carbajal says bluntly. “It’s a part of my everyday routine. This has become my life. I might be close friends with Allan and joke around with him at the house, but I see the future in his life and I know what he’s working towards so I know what time it is when we set foot inside that gym. I know how to push him and I know what to tell him. Also, as a fighter he helps me become a better trainer.”
While inside of the gym the two have a common goal that encompasses different responsibilities from both men. Green himself is focused on nothing but De Leon Jr. at the moment and is determined to not let anything deter him.
“There are certain cats in the gym who I know work hard but I try to separate myself,” says Green of his training regimen. “There are so many different guys in there and you never know who you might see in there. I like being in the gym and it has become my second home but at the same time I notice a lot of guys talk a lot of bullshit up in there. When people are in there working it feels like a second home but sometimes I step inside there and I look around and people are just bullshitting too much and not doing what they need to be doing. Different strokes for different folks.”
From wrapping hands, overseeing sparring, monitoring bag work, to working the pads, there are an endless amount of intricacies that a trainer must pay attention to if they are to do there job properly. While at Contender’s Carbajal often puts in a full day’s work and admits how far he still has to go.
“I definitely don’t consider myself a trainer yet,” Carbajal concedes. “I am still learning and it’s a process. The hardest part is just learning everything. You have to sit back and learn how to read people, from bums to world class fighters. If you aren’t learning something new every day then you aren’t doing something right.”
From going to the gym, day in and day out, both men share the same acquaintances and run with the same collection of people. Some characters stand out while others are subdued. One of the key figures who both men can relate to is Jackson, who shares a great chemistry with Green as his head trainer while also playing the role of a mentor towards Carbajal.
“I’ve been knowing John for years and there’s always been respect between us,” Green points out. “I remember when I first got to know him we really had fun and tried to entertain each other. He reminded me a lot of myself and I could tell that he was a real guy. I saw some street in him even though he was real calm. He has a lot of knowledge to give and I wouldn’t have anyone else as my trainer.”
Carbajal also has much respect for Jackson and tries to absorb as much information as he can from the former southpaw stylist. Carbajal has a maturity about himself that beguiles his age and in dealing with Jackson he sees a man who represents what his future in the sport may one day be.
“It’s a privilege to be able to see everything he does and I try to mimic what he does until it comes my time,” says an appreciative Carbajal. “His style if very laid back but he sees everything that is going on around him and he knows what he’s doing. As a former two-time champion himself, you have to respect him.”
As for the fighters they come across inside of the gym, there is nobody more charismatic or vocal then Campbell. Coming from a checkered past in Jacksonville, Florida, Campbell has stories upon stories to share and does so with a wild sense of humor that goes unmatched. Carbajal and Green have gotten to know Campbell from the inside out and admit that his presence in undeniable.
“After a while you really miss Nate because he brings a certain energy and humor to the place,” says Green of his good friend. “With Nate, you love Nate and love having him around, but for every eight good days there is still some bad days for Nate. I’m not saying anything behind his back because he knows I feel that way. After his last fight I called Nate and said ‘Guess what? The gym is quiet’. He said ‘Fuck you, Allan’.”
When Campbell is in camp Carbajal sees him at the gym and afterwards when they often go out for lunch. Campbell also swings through his house on the weekends, as Carbajal’s home serves as the standard meeting grounds to watch all of the weekend’s televised fights. Despite Campbell sometimes getting easily irritated, Carbajal understands it’s because of the situation he is in as a fighter.
“I like having him around,” Carbajal says of Campbell after a brief pause. “At times he can get bitchy but what fighter doesn’t get that way near their fight? Fighters go through things that other people don’t and it’s easy for them to get drained emotionally. Nate is always going to be Nate; it’s just a part of who he is and you come to accept it.”
After their time in the gym is up, Carbajal and Green head to Pembroke Pines to call it a night. Also living in Carbajal’s house are his wife, two children, and longtime friend Aaron. From being around each other so much, Carbajal has gotten to know everything about his friend, both the good and the bad.
“It’s just like living with a family member,” Carbajal says smiling. “You get annoyed with them sometimes but you hate to see them leave. Even if he went and left to the store I would still be missing him. I just pick up things about Allan that other people don’t understand. For example, he is one of the funniest dudes around and he has a way of mimicking people to a T. He just makes me laugh. If you don’t know Allan then you don’t know that he has a great sense of humor.”
With both of their professions being in the sport, it’s only natural that both men talk heavily about boxing. No stone goes unturned during their conversations, whether they are talking about past memories in the game, upcoming fights on the horizon or Green’s career in general.
“In this day and age of boxing, I ask what makes a fighter good?” asks Green boldly. “It’s not the fights he wins or even his ability. It’s the promoter he has and the media. I see a lot of fighters who really don’t belong and I know I have ten times more ability then yet they continue to keep getting shots. It was frustrating to not get those shots but now that I’m with a real promoter in Lou Dibella I feel I will be getting those fights. Still, it’s frustrating knowing that people in this business who have never thrown a punch in their lives are the ones who control shit and it makes you not want to even do it sometimes.”
For his part, Carbajal’s frustrations are just as much from his friend’s situation as they are from his own life. His bond with Green is so deep that he can’t help but wish his friend the best and feel burned when things don’t go as planned.
“Everything that frustrates him is going to frustrate me just as much if not more so,” says a caring Carbajal. “To me, it hurts me a lot to see someone else hurt, especially someone who is a friend of mine. He’s just in a position where he can’t expect people to give him any opportunities and instead he has to break down those doors in order to get them.”
Both men have grand visions of what lies ahead but they know they must take one step at a time. The most important thing they can do is focus on this coming Saturday night and what Carlos De Leon Jr. brings to the table. When eyeing the big picture, Green puts everything in perspective and has appreciation for those who are helping him reach his goals.
“There are times when you can lose focus in this sport. Even with your eyes on the prize you can lose focus and that’s just life. At the end of the day I still have visions of becoming a world champion and a millionaire so that’s what I push for and that’s why I’m down here. Chico has taken me in and shown me love. Without him I don’t know where I’d be right now and I will never forget that. This dude is my brother. We’ll be brothers forever.”
When asked about his closing thoughts on his connection with Green, Carbajal reveals that it is much more than just a normal friendship. If he is to be a trainer in this sport for years to come, fighters will come in and out of his life on a regular basis but it’s unlikely that any of them will ever have the impact on his life that Green has had.
“If you ever meet somebody and you just knew that there was a special kind of love. It’s not a love that you had towards a female, but it’s like you just know that you are meant to help each other. I really feel that Allan and I were meant to be in each other’s life and we’re hear to make the other better. This guy is a lifelong friend and he’ll always be family to me.”
