The Free Roll Review: Miguel Torres

Written by Cameron Gidari

Miguel Torres did not have a conventional beginning to his fighting career.

"The way I learned, I didn't have an instructor for the first couple years, so we learned through video tapes and watching fights," Torres told the Free Roll Radio Program.

Torres stopped by the show to discuss his gym, his last fight, and his new approach to training.

"I'm the only top pro fighter in my gym," Torres said. "My last fight when I fought Brian Bowles, I had a great training camp, but I didn't have a proper training camp."

As a result of his last loss, Torres brought in Mark DellaGrotte and Kurt Pellegrino to help with training.

"For one thing, it boosts your confidence, because you know you're training with a guy who is at an elite level," Torres said. "Kurt trains different then I train, so when we get together we come up with the most insane workouts you can think of, and it's just good to have a different look."

While Torres is reaping the benefits of training with fighters from other gyms, he is also wary that those fighters might train with a future opponent one day.

"I'm very selective with who I choose to work with," Torres said. "Me and Kurt are really good friends, and if he went and trained with someone I was going to fight, I would hate him for the rest of my life, and I would try to kill him one day."

Coming off just his second professional loss, Torres is even hungrier to get back to work.

"[Brian Bowles] didn't knock me out. He woke me up," Torres said. "If anything, he awoke a sleeping giant."

Torres did not let the loss discourage him. Instead, he looks at it as an opportunity to improve himself as a fighter.

"If anything, this catapults me, it puts the spotlight on me for my next fight," Torres said. "How am I going to do in my next fight?"

Torres says that his next fight should be in February. No opponent has been announced yet, but whoever it is will face a Miguel Torres that is better than ever.