{{Short description|American boxer (1988–2021)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=February 2021}} {{Infobox boxer | image = | name = Zachary Wohlman | realname = | nickname = Kid Yamaka<ref name="laweekly1">{{cite news |last=Chelin |first=Pamela |url=https://www.laweekly.com/zachary-wohlman-aka-kid-yamaka-is-boxings-great-jewish-hope/ |title=Zachary Wohlman, aka 'Kid Yamaka,' Is Boxing's Great Jewish Hope |newspaper=LA Weekly |date=October 3, 2013 |access-date=August 13, 2020}}</ref> | weight = Welterweight | height = {{height|ft=5|in=8}} | reach = | nationality = {{Flagicon|USA}} American | birth_date = {{birth date|mf=yes|1988|5|23}} | birth_place = San Fernando Valley, Los Angeles, California, U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|2021|2|14|1988|5|23}} | style = Southpaw | total = 15 | wins = 10 | losses = 3 | draws = 2 }} '''Zachary Wohlman''', also known as '''Kid Yamaka'''{{efn|A phonetic spelling of "yarmulke," the skullcap worn by Jews while praying}} (May 23, 1988 – February 14, 2021), was an American boxer in the Welterweight division, who was an amateur and later a professional.<ref name="laweekly1" /><ref name="fightnetwork1">{{cite web |url=http://fightnetwork.com/news/28609:zachary-wohlman-a-k-a-kid-yamaka/ |title=Zachary Wohlman, a.k.a. Kid Yamaka |publisher=Fight Network |date=February 1, 2012 |access-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331052726/http://fightnetwork.com/news/28609:zachary-wohlman-a-k-a-kid-yamaka/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Wohlman, a late-comer to the sport, went from juvenile delinquency to becoming the 2010 winner of the Los Angeles Golden Gloves Tournament.<ref name="laweekly1" /> On February 15, 2021, it was announced that Wolhman had died at the age of 32.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/02/15/zachary-wohlman-death/|title=Tributes pour out to Zachary Wolhman after his death - American boxer dies aged 32|first=Filiz|last=Mustafa|work=HITC|date=February 15, 2021|access-date=February 15, 2021|archive-date=February 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210215195717/https://www.hitc.com/en-gb/2021/02/15/zachary-wohlman-death/|url-status=dead}}</ref>
He was trained by International Boxing Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, with whom he started training in 2008, and trainer Eric Brown.<ref name="fightnetwork1" /><ref name="Dog House Boxing.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Chee/Chee112811.htm |title=Boxing Debut of Freddie Roach Protege |publisher=Doghouse Boxing |date=November 28, 2011 |access-date=November 30, 2011 |archive-date=December 1, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111201014824/http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Chee/Chee112811.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> His record as of December 2017 was 10–3–2. He went on to help at risk youth, joining Ring of Hope Boxing.
==Early life== Zachary Wohlman was Jewish, and was born in the San Fernando Valley of Los Angeles to David Wohlman and his wife, a beautician.<ref name="laweekly1" /> He lived in Northridge, Reseda, and Woodland Hills, California.<ref name="massappeal1">{{cite web |url=http://massappeal.com/papa-said-knock-you-out/ |author=Gabriel Alvarez |title=Papa Said Knock You Out: Issue 53's Zachary Wohlman Fights This Thursday |publisher=Mass Appeal |date=November 11, 2013 |access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref>
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.<ref name="laweekly1" /><ref name="fightnetwork1" /><ref name="massappeal1" /><ref name="nowness1">{{cite web |url=http://www.nowness.com/day/2013/2/20/2775/zachary-wohlman-in-the-ring |title=Zachary Wohlman: In the Ring |publisher=Nowness |date=February 20, 2013 |access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref><ref name="esnewsreporting1">{{cite web |url=http://www.esnewsreporting.com/interview-with-zachary-kid-yamaka-wohlman-2/ |author=Elie Seckbach |title=Interview with Zachary "Kid Yamaka" Wohlman |publisher=Boxing News |date=July 6, 2012 |access-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331130021/http://www.esnewsreporting.com/interview-with-zachary-kid-yamaka-wohlman-2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> He was sent to Sylmar Juvenile 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.<ref name="laweekly1" /><ref name="fightnetwork1" /><ref name="massappeal1" /><ref name="casd">{{cite web |url=http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/170423-centeno-headlines-wohlman-debuts-on-fight-night-club |author=Doug Fischer |title=Wohlman Debuts on Thursday's Fight Night Club |publisher=Ring TV.com |date=November 30, 2011 |access-date=November 30, 2011 |archive-date=December 3, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111203211948/http://ringtv.craveonline.com/blog/170423-centeno-headlines-wohlman-debuts-on-fight-night-club |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thesweetscience.com/news/articles/13962-zachary-wohlman-qthis-is-not-a-sob-story-by-any-meansq |author=Raymond Markarian |title=Zachary Wohlman: "This Is Not A Sob Story By Any Means" |publisher=The Sweet Science |date=January 19, 2012 |access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref> He said: "If you’re getting hit in the face for a living, something fucked up happened [in your life]".<ref name="massappeal1" />
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."<ref name="massappeal1" /><ref name="esnewsreporting1" /> He sported many tattoos, including a Star of David across his stomach, and wore a Star of David around his neck.<ref name="laweekly1" /><ref name="massappeal1" /> He attended weekly Jewish services, and his nickname "Yamaka" referred to his Jewish heritage.<ref name="laweekly1" />
==Career== ===Amateur=== [[File:Freddie Roach.jpg|thumb| 160px| Freddie Roach]] He was the first amateur boxer taken on by International Boxing Hall of Famer Freddie Roach, with whom he started training in 2008.<ref name="laweekly1" /><ref name="fightnetwork1" /> Roach and Eric Brown trained him during his professional career.<ref name="laweekly1" /> Brown says of him: <blockquote>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.<ref name="laweekly1" /></blockquote>
He won the California Golden Gloves Championship in 2010.<ref name="Dog House Boxing.com" /><ref name="nowness1" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content11284.html |author=Simon Ruvalcaba |title=The Pro Journey Of Zachary "Kid Yamaka" Wohlman Starts Today |publisher=Fight Hype |date=December 1, 2011 |access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref> His amateur record was 18–4.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://zacharywohlman.com/bio.html |title=Biography |publisher=Zachary Wohlman |access-date=March 31, 2014 |archive-date=December 8, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131208195012/http://zacharywohlman.com/bio.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===Professional=== 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.<ref name="laweekly1" /><ref name="massappeal1" /> On March 31 Wohlman scored his first knockout, to improve his record to 3–0 (1 KO), over Clifford McPherson, when McPherson couldn’t continue due to an injured hand.<ref name="casd" />
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''.<ref>LA weekly Cover story http://blogs.laweekly.com/arts/2012/08/zachary_wohlman_boxer.php</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.boxingscene.com/chris-van-heerden-stops-cosme-rivera-four--74426 |author=Francisco Salazar |title=Chris Van Heerden Stops Cosme Rivera in Four – Boxing News |publisher=Boxingscene.com |date=February 7, 2014 |access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/full-report-hollywood-fight-night-236682 |author=Miguel Maravilla |title=Boxing News | Full Report: Hollywood Fight Night |publisher=Fightnews.com |date=February 7, 2014 |access-date=March 31, 2014}}</ref>
==Movies== Wohlman appeared in the movies ''Golden Boy Boxing'' (2009), ''Boxer'' (2011), and ''Xander Cohen'' (2012). He also worked as a commentator for Bash Boxing, alongside Jonathan King and Chris Strait<ref>{{cite web|title=Zachary Wohlman Biography|url=https://www.tvguide.com/celebrities/zachary-wohlman/bio/3000856879/|website=TV Guide|access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref>
==Personal life== Wohlman was married to Serafina until his death. He died suddenly on February 14, 2021, in a gas station bathroom, at the age of 32.<ref>{{cite news|title=Zachary Wohlman Dies: Focus Of ESPN+ Doc 'Why We Fight' & Boxer Known As Kid Yamaka Was 32|url=https://deadline.com/2021/02/zachary-wohlman-dies-espn-why-we-fight-documentary-boxer-kid-yamaka-32-1234694174/|first=Tom|last=Tapp|date=February 15, 2021|access-date=February 15, 2021|magazine=Deadline Hollywood}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/remembering-kid-yamaka-the-telegenic-star-and-proudly-jewish-boxer-2021-7 |title=Remembering Kid Yamaka, the telegenic star and proudly Jewish boxer |date=July 3, 2021 |work=Business Insider}}</ref>
==Professional boxing record== <small>Source: BoxRec<ref>{{cite web|url=https://boxrec.com/en/proboxer/589059|title=Zachary Wohlman|publisher=BoxRec|access-date=February 15, 2021}}</ref></small>
{{BoxingRecordSummary |draws=2 |nc= |ko-wins=2 |ko-losses=1 |dec-wins=8 |dec-losses=1 |dq-wins= |dq-losses= }} {|class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; font-size:95%" |- !{{abbr|No.|Number}} !Result !Record !Opponent !Type !Round !Date !Location !Notes |- |14 |{{draw}}Draw |10-2-2 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Matt Murphy |D |4 (4) |2017-06-22 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Exchange LA, Los Angeles, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |13 |{{yes2}}Win |10–2-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|Mexico}} Roman Mendez |TKO |1 |2017-02-24 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|Mexico}} Salon Mezzanine, Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico}} |align=left| |- |12 |{{yes2}}Win |9–2-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Lionel Jimenez |UD |4 (4) |2016-03-12 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Marriott Convention Center, Burbank, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |11 |{{no2}}Loss |8–2-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Paul Velarde |UD |6 (6) |2014-08-09 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Civic Auditorium, Glendale, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |10 |{{yes2}}Win |8–1-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Eddie Cordova |UD |4 (4) |2014-05-17 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Forum, Inglewood, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |9 |{{yes2}}Win |7–1-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Luis Hernandez |MD |4 (4) |2014-02-06 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Florentine Gardens, Hollywood, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |8 |{{yes2}}Win |6–1-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|Canada}} Steve Conkin |UD |4 (4) |2013-11-14 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Florentine Gardens, Hollywood, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |7 |{{yes2}}Win |5–1-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Omar Avelar |UD |4 (4) |2013-07-13 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Hollywood Park Casino, Inglewood, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |6 |{{no2}}Loss |4–1-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Alonso Loeza |TKO |4 |2012-11-10 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Staples Center, Los Angeles, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |5 |{{draw}}Draw |4–0-1 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Jesus Vallejo |D |3 |2012-09-20 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Florentine Gardens, Hollywood, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |4 |{{yes2}}Win |4–0 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Jose Martell |UD |4 (4) |2012-07-12 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Florentine Gardens, Hollywood, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |3 |{{yes2}}Win |3–0 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Clifford McPherson |TKO |1 |2012-03-31 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |2 |{{yes2}}Win |2–0 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Tatsuro Irie |UD |4 (4) |2012-01-21 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Warner Center Marriott in Woodland Hills, California, United States}} |align=left| |- |1 |{{yes2}}Win |1–0 |align=left|{{flagicon|USA}} Ricardo Malfavon |UD |4 (4) |2011-12-01 |align=left|{{small|{{flagicon|California}} Club Nokia in Los Angeles, California, United States}} |align=left|{{small|Professional debut.}} |}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Boxrec|id=589059}} * {{official|http://zacharywohlman.com/}} * [http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Henderson/Henderson071212.htm "Zachary Wohlman Interview"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130601153744/http://www.doghouseboxing.com/Henderson/Henderson071212.htm |date=June 1, 2013 }}, Big Dog Prospect Watch, by "Big Dog" Benny Henderson Jr, Doghouse Boxing, July 12, 2012 * [http://milkmade.com/articles/2577-Kid-Yamaka-All-Class#.UzkVxYXDUW8 "Interview: Exclusive-Kid Yamaka: All Class"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140331112948/http://milkmade.com/articles/2577-Kid-Yamaka-All-Class#.UzkVxYXDUW8 |date=March 31, 2014 }}, February 20, 2014, by Kalvin Lazarte, ''Milk Made''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wohlman, Zachary}} Category:Welterweight boxers Category:1988 births Category:2021 deaths Category:Jewish American boxers Category:American male boxers Category:Boxers from California Category:21st-century American Jews Category:Jews from California