Zachary Wohlman, also known as Kid Yamaka[a] (May 23, 1988 – February 14, 2021), was an American boxer in the Welterweight division, who was an amateur and later a professional.[1][2] Wohlman, a late-comer to the sport, went from juvenile delinquency to becoming the 2010 winner of the Los Angeles Golden Gloves Tournament.[1] On February 15, 2021, it was announced that Wolhman had died at the age of 32.[3]
He was trained by International Boxing Hall of FamerFreddie Roach, with whom he started training in 2008, and trainer Eric Brown.[2][4] His record as of December 2017 was 10–3–2. He went on to help at risk youth, joining Ring of Hope Boxing.
Wohlman’s early life was marked by a lack of family structure, fights in school, military school in Texas on the Mexico border where he had his first taste of boxing, drugs, and “behind-the-barn” amateur boxing matches across the border in Mexico.[1][2][5][6][7] He was sent to SylmarJuvenile Detention at age 16, worked on an oil rig in San Jose to support himself at age 17, and had brushes with the criminal justice system.[1][2][5][8][9] He said: "If you’re getting hit in the face for a living, something fucked up happened [in your life]".[5]
At the age of 20, he had a bar mitzvah and started attending Shabbat Friday night dinners each week, and said "I got that sense of family and community that I didn’t grow up with."[5][7] He sported many tattoos, including a Star of David across his stomach, and wore a Star of David around his neck.[1][5] He attended weekly Jewish services, and his nickname "Yamaka" referred to his Jewish heritage.[1]
I've had him box with world champions and contenders, and Zac's held his own with all of them. He's got mad skills, heart, determination and an eagerness to learn.[1]
He made his professional boxing debut on December 1, 2011, at a packed Fight Night Club at Club Nokia in downtown Los Angeles, aired on Fox Sports Net, winning by unanimous decision.[1][5] On March 31 Wohlman scored his first knockout, to improve his record to 3–0 (1 KO), over Clifford McPherson.[8]
His performance on July 12, 2012, in Hollywood brought his record up to 4–0 and led to him being on the cover of LA Weekly.[12] In February 2014 he defeated Luis Hernandez at the Florentine Gardens in Hollywood, California, in a four-round decision to bring his record to 7–1–1.[13][14]
Movies
Wohlman appeared in the movies Golden Boy Boxing (2009), Boxer (2011), and Xander Cohen (2012).[15]
Personal life
Wohlman was married to Serafina until his death. He died on February 14, 2021, at the age of 32.[16]