Pawtucket, Rhode Island heavyweight Jason Estrada is a newcomer to professional boxing yet he already has a lot to prove.
Estrada was a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic boxing team and went to Athens as a heavy favorite to win gold. But the experience soon turned into a nightmare when Estrada came into Greece 30 pounds overweight and looked weak and uninterested against Michael Lopez Nunez of Cuba, losing 21-7.

After the fight Estrada lost more credibility when he said, “That’s just the way boxing is. I’m not going to really worry about it. If I’m going to lose, I’m going to get hit as little as possible. This is only one part of my life anyways.”
After being vilified in the press as just another spoiled athlete, Estrada has gone on the offensive.
He said a training camp injury was responsible for the added weight and he was misquoted at the infamous post-fight press conference.
“A lot of things I said really got taken out of context. Some of the things that were written down I never even said. So when I read it I was like where did this come from? Where did this line come from? There’s a whole bunch of things.
“I never said I didn’t care, not in the arrogant way it was reported. What I told them was I can’t change what happened and I just have to move on. But if anyone felt disrespected by that, I really want to apologize to them, because I didn’t mean for it to come out the way it came out,” he said.
Estrada then went on the offensive in the ring in his pro debut last month when he easily beat up on an over-matched Anthony Ottah to win a unanimous four round decision.
Estrada had such an easy time of it, he would periodically turn his back on Ottah, dance a little dance then turn and land stinging lefts and rights on to Ottah’s face.
Though he has questionable quotes and performances in his past, Estrada is a promising pro prospect. He has been called a light puncher and been tabbed as a better fit for the four-round fights of the amateurs rather than the headgear-less bouts of the pros.
But there is no denying his superior hand and foot speed and impressive amateur resume that includes wins over Malik Scott, Felix Cora, DaVarryl Williamnson and Donnell Holmes. Those four fighters have posted a combined record of 87-4 as pros, proving that Estrada can hang with the big boys.
In today’s blighted heavyweight landscape, where former middleweights can rise to the top of the division with a few impressive performances, Estrada could make an impact.
If you listen to him, it is more a question of when than if.
Some people love to see people when they are down. When I won, everybody was comparing me to Larry Holmes. As soon as I lost, everybody forgot about me. They all wanted to take shots at me.
“But that’s all right because I’m going to make it up in the end. When I am heavyweight champion of the world, I’ll laugh at all those people,” he said.
New England Ringside Becoming A Major Force
New England Ringside, whose interests include a boxing magazine, boxing radio show and boxing promotions, is fast becoming a staple of local boxing. This month, they boasted of advances in all three departments.
New England Ringside magazine now boasts an article by the legendary fight historian Bert Randolph Sugar in each issue. Sugar writes on the 1952 brawl between Rocky Marciano and Jersey Joe Walcott in this month’s edition.
On their weekly radio show, the guys from Ringside interviewed two of boxing’s biggest names – Hasim “The Rock” Rahman and Zab “Super” Judah. Rahman is the next challenger for Vitali Klitschko’s heavyweight championship and Judah is challenging Cory Spinks for the undisputed welterweight championship of the world.
For the promotional arm of their company, Ringside has hired Julio Pena as its Director of Boxing operations.
“We’re delighted to have Julio Pena as a member of Team NER. He is well respected in boxing and has over 30 years of valuable experience. Julio will scout prospects, work with matchmakers and supervise the behind the scenes activity it takes to promote a first class show,” said Rick Brutti NER president.
Good luck to everybody at New England Ringside for undertaking the honorable task of resurrecting the sweet science to its former position of prominence.