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07/06/2005 Archived Entry: "Chicago Middleweight David Estrada Fights in Ayala's Back Yard on ‘Solo Boxeo’ This Friday!"
Chicago Middleweight David Estrada Fights in Ayala's Back Yard on ‘Solo Boxeo’ This Friday!
By Juan C. Ayllon
David Estrada (left) with Juan Ayllon
NEW HAVEN, CT, July 5, 2005 – Just a few days from now, Chicago’s middleweight David “The Weezel” Estrada (7-3-0, 5 KO’s) will take on Elvin Ayala (11-0-0, 4 KO’s) on Telefutura’s popular Friday night show, Solo Boxeo.
A talented fighter within the squared ring and an engaging personality without, Estrada entertains with a smooth boxer-puncher style and has drawn praise from the likes of renowned fight announcer and trainer, Teddy Atlas.
In his last bout which appeared on ESPN2’s Tuesday Night Fights, Estrada went to work early on and gradually increased his punch output, stopping hometown favorite Brian Chairy, who was 8-4-1, 1 KO at the time, in St. Petersburg, Florida. In the closing moments of the fifth round, Estrada terminated matters with a heavy right hand that violently snapped Chairy’s head back and deposited him on the ropes, followed by a vicious left-right combination that prompted the referee’s intervention.
Afterwards, Estrada said via cell phone to this writer, “Did you see it? I hit him with everything but the kitchen sink!”
David Estrada granted the Cyber Boxing Zone an exclusive interview on his upcoming bout.
On taking this bout:
DAVID ESTRADA: It’s going to be my biggest fight of my career this far. He’s 11 and 0 with four knockouts. Victor Laras, his opponent pulled out. I guess they must have saw my fight and stuff when they were looking for an opponent, so that’s when they gave me a phone call and I said, ‘absolutely.’ I took it as an opportunity to shine on TV, because that’s when I usually shine best, when the pressure’s on.
Elvin Ayala is a middleweight prospect who’s signed with Peltz Boxing Promotions in Philadelphia. This is not going to be an easy fight as I’ll be fighting two people: him and his hometown crowd. A lot of people won’t take this fight; a lot of people won’t leave their state. I’m willing to take that chance.
Here’s my chance to shine. In boxing, you have to stay in shape because you may get that phone call.
In that fight (Chairy) I got two weeks notice. I didn’t take a beating.
A lot of fighters don’t get to fight on TV, but this is my fourth fight on national TV; I’ve fought two times on ESPN and on Telefutura I’ve fought four times.
On ESPN, I’m 2-0; and on Telefutura, I’m 3 and 1.
On the payoff of his heavy sparring experience this last year:
DAVID ESTRADA: It’s starting to pay off training with Fernando Vargas for a month and a half in February and with Kermit Cintron in March for a month all the way till April in the middle of the month. I took maybe a week or two off and got ready for this last fight (vs. Chairy).
Good things come to those who train hard; good things come to those who wait and hard work pays off at the end. You pretty much have to be a gym rat; stay in shape and take care of my body. I’m 28 years old and I’ve got to make my move now. I take care of my lifestyle and my body. I don’t feel 28 years old.
I’ve been training really hard since February. It takes a toll on your body. I’m receiving punches from big punchers like Fernando Vargas, who’s a two-time champion and Kermit Cintron, a former champion; he was 24 and 0. They have a lot of experience. I was sparring with big punchers and it takes a toll mentally and physically.
I may take a month off after this fight.
I’ve been sparring with the best. I also came back to Chicago and sparred with Rudy Cisneros, who is like 6 and 1 or seven and one, 3 or four kayoes. In the amateurs, he stopped Kermit Cintron, I hear.
You want to get better, you spar with better people.
Hell, I could spar with you, Juan, 20 rounds and I can look like Roy Jones, but will I get better? You will improve, but I won’t! You have to spar with better people to get better.
I’ve been sparring with Rudy Cisneros, this other guy named Carlos from Windy City Gym and I’ve been sparring with Michael Walker and I did really good. I’ve been doing really good. If you want to say it’s been a good training camp, it’s been really good.
[Editor's note: Walker is 7-0-0 (5 KO's) and owns a decision win over Estrada in a bout where Estrada did not keep his hand busy enough]
On Michael Walker’s sparring:
I’ve been sparring with Michael Walker in preparation for his bout against Jimmy Gonzales (2-0, 2 KO’s) so they say he’s a good puncher. Michaels looking good. We sparred two or three times. He also sparred with Rudy Cisneros, who’s a good puncher.You want to get better, you’ve got to spar with better people.
On aches and pains:
DAVID ESTRADA: I’ve been dealing with aches and pains, but everyone deals with that—sore hands, sore shoulders.
On how the fight should go:
DAVID ESTRADA: It’s going to be chess match because I hear that he’s a boxer. If I see he’s boxing, then I’m going to take it to him.
I know I can win this fight; this is why I took it. I took this fight because I know that I can win it. I want to show the world that I’m better than my record is; as I told you before, I should be 10 and 0.
I think it should be a good fight; they say he can box; well I can box. They say he can punch; I can punch, too. Let the best man win.
I’ve got no pressure on me; this is his house; he’s got to look good, I’m going in relaxed. He’s the one who’s undefeated, he’s the one who’s signed, he’s the one who’s fighting for the first time on TV and it’s going to show on TV.
This guys supposedly a boxer an orthodox fighter. I’m going to see how he comes to me and adjust from there. I’ve got several game plans. You’ve got to be able to adjust. You can’t be on- dimensional. This guy’s tall—he’s six feet tall. I’m six one and a half and he’s six feet. We’ve got 12 feet in the ring, two big guys. I think it’s going to be a good match.
I let my hands go, I’m going to win the fight; if I don’t let my hands go, I’m going to lose. If you want to win the Lotto, you’ve got to play. I plan on letting my hands go and letting it all out.
On boxing in an opponent’s hometown:
DAVID ESTRADA: My last three fights, I’ve taken them out of state. My loss to Sloan in Wisconsin was a total robbery. That was a black eye to boxing. It wasn’t even close and I want to fight him again. You learn from your losses and you want to keep on.
This is his (Elvin Ayala’s) hometown and I’m not going to win a decision. Nowadays, you can’t leave it to the judges; you’ve got judges who have licenses, who have licenses. I’m not going to look for a knockout.
Nowadays, you can’t leave it with the judges, especially if it’s in the other guy’s hometown. I’m not saying you absolutely need a knockout to win. You really have to win impressively and sometimes you think you win impressively and you end up losing.
Closing Remarks:
DAVID ESTRADA: Thank you, Juan, for giving me the opportunity and thanks, Cyber Boxing Zone. You’re going to see a new David Estrada; I’m going to be relaxed, I’m going to be composed and the best comes out of me when I fight good guys.
I’m my own worst critic; the last fight (vs. Chairy), we didn’t train for a southpaw. I gave myself a C plus. And that’s about it.
