Brian Mendoza, not so long ago, was preparing to spar Caleb Plant when he was quietly whispered a few words by that fella who has done the same for many other fighters you know.
Think Andre Ward.
Amir Khan.
Boxing: Tszyu vs Mendoza SUN 15th OCT 12PM AEDT | Order Now with Main Event on Kayo Sports
Even Diego Corrales — and right before he went and stopped Jose Luis Castillo in their famed ‘Fight of the Century’.
But back to Mendoza and that Plant sparring session on which so much changed.
“Brian,” the voice started, “don’t be in awe of him.
“Don’t even go in there to learn.
“Just go show Plant that even though you’re lighter, even though you don’t have the same pedigree … man, show him you are somebody serious in that boxing ring.”
Which the kid from Albuquerque, he did.
Has been doing ever since, too.
“So now,” says Tony Brady, one of the boxing game’s most famed strength and conditioning coaches, “we don’t have to convince Brian Mendoza of anything … he is just totally locked in”.
The reason Mendoza left Tszyu waiting | 04:02
Of all the storylines that have surrounded Mendoza during his hyped fight week Down Under – headlines about his power, his highlight reels, even his new role as a world boxing underdog – none have centred on Brady.
Yet they should.
Understanding that Mendoza, by his own admission, would not be here without him.
Not only in Australia for the first time, but ready to go and do the unthinkable — become the first man to stop undefeated Aussie poster boy, and new WBO super welterweight champ, Tim Tszyu.
Officially, bookies have Mendoza as wide as 6/1.
Just as he was also the underdog in his last two bouts with Brady in his corner.
That quietly-spoken coach – and something of a ‘Boxing Whisperer’ — who over the past 20 years has assisted the likes of Andre Ward, Amir Khan, Joel Cassamayor, even Diego Corrales during his world title run.
Elsewhere, Brady has worked with NBA stars, NFL running backs, even American soccer players.
And now this Sunday, he is readying to add Mendoza to his list of world champions.
While he may be unknown to most Australian sports fans, Brady looms as something of an ‘X Factor’ in Mendoza’s bid to upset WBO champ Tszyu.
After decades spent guiding some of the biggest names in the sport, Brady has this past year partnered up with Mendoza, who has now scored three straight KOs under his tutelage.
“Brian just locks in now,” Brady says when asked what most impresses him about the charge who, last start, iced Sebastian Fundora for the WBC interim world title.
And before that, did the same to Jeison Rosario – a result paying 12/1 with Las Vegas bookmakers.
“He always shows up for work now understanding it isn’t going to be easy,” the trainer continues.
“He’s is comfortable being uncomfortable.”
‘Because of one man’s bitchiness’ | 01:19
Which matters.
Especially against a pressure fighter like Tszyu.
Indeed, apart from improving the gas tank of a challenger who previously had history of fading in the later rounds, Brady has improved his athleticism to the point of being able to fulfil those game plans of legendary Cuban trainer Ismael Salas.
“Brian meeting Tony, that’s when everything changed,” Salas says. “That’s the turning point.
“If Brian Mendoza is a computer, Tony installed the right program.”
Importantly, the fighter himself describes Brady and Salas, who has himself trained 22 world champions — among them Australian favourite Danny Green — as being the “perfect blend”.
“I never like to say strength and conditioning really does everything because boxing isn’t about who is stronger, faster, it’s who is the more intelligent as a fighter,” Mendoza says.
“But what Tony has done, he’s pushed my limits physically and mentally so many times that I have the gas tank, have everything I need to execute the game plans Salas puts in place.
“Sometimes Salas would tell me to do things but if you fade, it doesn’t matter how smart you are.
“So that’s the difference now.
“We’ve truly stepped it up.
“Tony trained Andre Ward for years, and trained Diego Corrales for the Fight of the Century.
“And with that in my corner, I feel like I can’t be stopped.”
Asked about their initial meeting and Brady, one of the first strength and conditioning coaches to really delve headlong into boxing, continues: “I saw a lot in Brian.
“I had seen him spar Erislandy Lara, was in there with Yordenis Ugas, with everyone, all these great fighters.
“But each of them was telling me ‘Brian Mendoza, yeah, he’s good, but …’
“They would tell me he had power, skill, great chin, yet there was always that ‘but’.”
So what was missing?
“He just hadn’t taken that step up,” the coach says. “Hadn’t taken his place as the man.
“He was in there learning and, surrounded by all these great fighters, it can be humbling.
“A guy like Erislandy Lara, he’s hard to hit
“So coming up against all these great guys, Brian just hadn’t stepped into his own place, that place where ‘now it’s my time to take over’.”
Yet now, undeniably, he has.
Not that Brady wants credit going anywhere but to the fighter himself.
“I’m just pulling out what was already there,” he says.
Take, for example, those recent highlight reel KOs.
“Brian has always had power,” he continues.
“Was already knocking guys out.
FULL Press Conference Tszyu v Mendoza | 28:49
“So it was more about being able to sustain his power for 10 rounds, 12 rounds and we did a lot of work to get that up.
“A lot of different drills that get your heart rate up, put you under stress, yet also requires you to have power.
“It is also preparation too that gives you confidence.
“And Brian Mendoza spars some of the world’s best.
“He knows he is ready.”
Asked about the Plant session in particular, the trainer continued: “We just said ‘don’t go in there and be in awe of him’.
“Don’t even go in there focused on learning from him so much.
“Go in there and show him you belong.
“Caleb Plant’s a 168 champion.
“So, yeah, you’re a few weight classes down, don’t have the same pedigree … but go in there and show Caleb Plant he’s dealing with somebody serious in that ring.
“And Brian put in good work.
“They actually said afterwards ‘man, that is not what we expected’.”
Call it a phrase Brady expects to hear again Sunday.
