|
|
|||||||||||||||||
|
Top U.S. Heavyweight In 2009: 2004 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada
Estrada possesses the quickest hands and feet in the heavyweight division, along with solid “whiskers,” and he has also shown steady improvement in the power game. All told, though, he’s perceived by many promoters, managers and fighters as too risky to fight, largely because he can box the ears off of anybody in the world who weighs 200 pounds or more.
Estrada (15-1, 3 KOs, 1 NC) won all five of his 2008 fights against opponents with a combined record of 109-24-4 (67 KOs), including former world title challenger Charles Shufford (20-7-1) and multi-regional title-holder Lance “Mount” Whitaker (32-4-1) by 10-round decisions, as well as Derek “The One Man Riot” Bryant (20-4-1, 17 KOs) and Texas State champ Domonic Jenkins (13-8-1) by 8-round decisions, and Carolina champion Moultrie Witherspoon (14-1) by seventh-round technical knockout.
However, finding competitive fights for Jason, who has lost very few rounds during his 4-year pro career, has become a growing problem for his promoter, Jimmy Burchfield. Despite his constant efforts to lure “rated” heavyweights to fight Estrada, Burchfield has been turned down more often than a nerd at the Playboy mansion. A perfect example recently happened when Burchfield’s company, Classic Entertainment and Sports, Inc., and the Estrada Unit (Jason’s managerial company that includes his father/head trainer Dr. Roland Estrada) agreed to all terms for a WBF heavyweight title fight against Frans Botha in South Africa. While awaiting a signed contract, Burchfield surprisingly discovered that Botha would instead be defending his title against a challenger who sports a 20-15-3 record, Ron Guerrero, who has lost three of his last five, including a first-round knockout loss to Jenkins (aforementioned loser to Estrada by 8-round decision by scores of 79-73 three times) .
“Sooner or later, though, the top heavyweights will to have to fight Jason,” Burchfield commented. ”Like in the days of Vinny Paz, Jason never refuses to fight anybody. He was experienced when he turned pro four years ago because of his vast amateur experience. Heavyweights mature later than other fighters and even though Jason has matured as he’s gotten older, he isn’t anywhere near his potential peak, and will be a dominating heavyweight for years to come.
“Jason has completely dedicated himself to bringing the world title back to the United States. He even opened his own gym (“Big Six Academy”) in Providence to train and teach youngsters. Part of his problem, though, is he makes everything in the ring look so easy. He’s a pure boxer who is learning how to sit on his punches more. The skeptics should be silenced by now, especially those questioning his ability to fight tall heavyweights like the present world champions (7-0 Nicolai Valuev, 6-7 ½ Vitaly Klitschko and 6-6 ½ Wladimir Klitschko). Jason fights his best against taller opponents and everybody saw what he did against (6-8) Lance Whitaker, who came into that fight in the best shape he’s been in for years. Jason Estrada is going to be world champion.”
The 28-year-old Estrada, who is gradually moving up in ratings (WBC #32, NABF #7) has indeed fought anybody and everybody put in the ring with him and none of his opponents had a losing record (260-86-11 combined record of his opponents) when they fought Jason. His only loss was to Travis Walker, who Jason had beaten three times without a loss in the amateurs, by an 8-round majority decision a year ago when Estrada was hampered by a sore shoulder preventing him from effectively throwing his vaunted jab.
Providence-native Estrada compiled an incredible 261-14 record in U.S. competition. He was the first boxer to win both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. Challenge three years (2001-2003) in a row. Highlights of his amateur career included representing the United States in the 2004 Olympics and capturing a gold medal at the 2003 Pan-American Games.
During his extraordinary amateur career, Estrada defeated some of today’s leading professionals including former world title challenger DaVarryl “The Touch of Sleep” Williamson (25-5, 21 KOs), unbeatens Malik Scott (32-0, 11 KOs) and Donnell “The Real Touch of Sleep” Holmes (29-0-2, 25 KOs), Malcolm “The Showstopper” Tann (23-4, 12 KOs), and Felix “Bad News” Cora, Jr. (19-2-2, 9 KOs). 
|
||||||||||||||||
