Boxing News Boxing News
PROVIDENCE, Rhode Island (November 18, 2004) – U.S. Olympic super heavyweight Jason Estrada today signed a promotional contract with Jimmy Burchfield’s Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc. He will make his pro debut December 10 in “Bragging Rights,” on CN8/The Comcast Network, at Foxwoods Resort Casino. “I’ve been waiting for this, to turn pro, for so long,” Estrada said. “I’m really excited. It’s like the Olympic Games. I worked so hard to get there and now I’m excited to be turning pro. The main reason I signed with CES is it’s really the best place for me, fighting at home. It’s the best place and (promoter) Jimmy (Burchfield) works as hard as anybody. I’ve known him a long time and I’ve always hoped that this would happen. December 10 is another day, another day of work for me. I’m going for a knockout, to end it (the fight) nice. I’m going to show everybody that Jason Estrada can fight as a pro, too, not just as an amateur.”
Estrada has been matched against Anthony Ottah in a special heavyweight attraction for his pro debut. “Going professional is a new ballgame,” Burchfield noted. “”We have a lot to prove and will prove a lot. We never had anybody (boxer) represent Rhode Island in the Olympics until Jason. We have a tremendous opportunity and need to make the best of it. Stay tuned to see what Jason Estrada will do, starting Dec. 10 at Foxwoods.” Jason, twenty-three, completed his amateur career in the U.S. with a remarkable record of 261-14 (excluding international matches), going unbeaten in America four years since the 2000 Olympic Trials. Estrada became the first boxer to win both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. Challenge three years (2001-2003) in a row. He went unbeaten at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, defeating 2003 Golden Gloves and PAL champions, Travis Walker and George Garcia, respectively, in addition to 2004 U.S. Championship gold medal winner Mike Wilson, whom he also defeated at the U.S. Box-Offs.
“We started talking about this with Jimmy in 2000 and every year since,” Jason’s father and adviser Dr. Roland Estrada explained. “We wanted to make it to the Olympics before turning pro. It didn’t end as planned (Estrada lost in the quarterfinals of the 204 Olympics), but now he’s turning pro and it’s time to take it from here. Jason had more than 300 amateur fights, but everybody remembers the last one, even though he won more than 95-percent of his fights. He will be a world champion someday. I’m happy he signed with Jimmy because he can do more for Jason than any promoter in the country. You’ll see that from bout to bout.”
The highlights of Estrada’s amateur career were qualifying for the U.S. 2004 Olympic Boxing Team, of course, and winning a gold medal at the 2003 Pan-American Games in the Dominican Republic. “I’d like to thank Jimmy and the Estradas,” head trainer Peter Manfredo, Jr. remarked. “They could go anyplace (for a trainer), but they came to me. This kid’s a hard worker. Jason’s working with a personal trainer and doing a lot of running. He’s taking off pounds. We will make him a legitimate champion of the world. December 10th you’re going to see the start of something big.”
Estrada’s vast potential as a pro may be best illustrated by his amateur victories against five contemporary professionals sporting a combined record of 87-4-3, 58 KOs: Malik Scott (19-0, 10 KOs), former NABF heavyweight champion DaVarryl “Touch of Sleep” Williamson (21-3, 17 KOs), Malcolm “The Showstopper” Tann (13-1, 6 KOs), Donnell “The Real Touch of Sleep” Holmes (18-0-1, 18 KOs), and USBA cruiserweight champion Felix “Bad News” Cora, Jr. (15-0-2, 7 KOs). “I watched Jason’s outstanding amateur career, everybody here is aware of it, and we’re really excited to sign our (CES) first Olympian,” CES legal advisor Jimmy Burchfield, Jr. added. “Someday soon, somewhere else we’ll be announcing a world heavyweight championship fight for Jason.”
