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11/29/2007 Archived Entry: "David Estrada: ‘It’s Weezel Time!’"
David Estrada: ‘It’s Weezel Time!’
By Juan C. Ayllon
Photo by Tom Barnes
CHICAGO—David “The Weezel” (sic) Estrada is a tall and lanky fighter at 6’ 1” and 160 pounds. Outside the ring, he’s very friendly and talkative. Inside the ring, at 31 years old, he’s got solid skills that he’s used to compile a professional record of 10-10 with seven knockouts.
His record is deceptive, though: Self-managed, he’s fought such tigers as Peter Quillin (15-0 with 12 knockouts), James Kirkland (20-0, 17 KO’s), Renan St. Juste (15-1, 10 KO’s), Michael Walker (17-0, 11 KO’s), Elvin Ayala (18-2, 8 KO’s), and Louis Turner (11-1, 7 KO’s).
“I’ve been on ESPN twice and Telefutura three times,” says Estrada, who at times looks brilliant, but at others, struggles in not letting his fists go enough. That's something that he wants to change.
His last bout, against Peter Quillin, was one of those times. Knocked down twice, he slipped into a defensive shell and the referee waved it off. He lost by first round technical knockout.
"You know, I was fine," says Estrada.
Now, a little over a year later, this Friday, David Estrada will face local veteran Bruce Rumbolz (21-14-2, 15 KO’s) at the Ho Chunk Sports and Expo Center in Lynwood, Illinois.
Born the youngest of four in 1976, Estrada went on to graduate from Lincoln Park High School in Chicago in 1995. He attended Triton College for three semesters, took some time off, started working and went back to school at Wilber Wright College.
Estrada participated in an underground fight club called Tropicana de Cache. It was there that he realized he wanted to box. In fact, heavyweight contender Fres Oquendo said to him, “If you’re serious about boxing, you can go to Hamlin Park and train with Bill Heglin,” who was Oquendo’s amateur trainer. Estrada did just that and compiled an amateur record of 57-16 and was a Chicago Golden Gloves finalist in 1999, 2000 and 2001. He turned pro in 2002.
To support himself, Estrada works at the Great Lakes Naval base in Great Lakes, Illinois as a security officer. With aspirations to eventually become a police officer, Estrada is taking two classes a semester at Wright College in Chicago and maintaining a very hectic schedule long on activity and short on sleep.
In addition to all this, Estrada does a little personal training on the side, which is where I come in. He’s trained me in the past and is currently helping me get back in shape this winter. I also had the distinct pleasure of serving as DJ when he married his longtime sweetheart, Francie, this last September.
David Estrada spoke to me via phone about his life, his career, and his fight tomorrow.
On his current schedule:
It’s going all right. It’s a little tiresome because I work the graveyard shift, but I’ve got to do what I’ve got to do. I’m still going to school. I’ve one more semester for me to finish my Associates in Liberal Arts. It’s a step closer for me to hopefully become a police officer. That’s what you need—an associates [degree]. I’m almost there.
I’m doing a lot of sacrificing going to school, training and working, but it is what it is and I’m doing it. So, I’m not going to let no one tell me that I can’t do it, ‘cause I’m doing it.
[On his sleep] It varies. On Mondays and Wednesdays, I only get an hour and a half of sleep because I get off at five o’clock in the morning. I don’t get home ‘till like around six o’clock. [At] 6:15, I take the dogs out, feed them, I’m probably in bed by—depending—6:35, and I have to be at school at 8:30 in the morning. And I’m at school from 8:30 till 12:30. You know, I take two classes. And, on my days off from school, I probably get about five hours of sleep.
On facing Bruce Rumbolz:
The guy’s got some wins, and he’s got some knockout power and…who’s got a pretty decent record and he’s been around the game for a while.
This is going to be my first fight in a year. I’m ready to get back in it. I have not fought because of work and school—it’s been very hard. This fight, I made time and I made it happen.
On what keeps him coming back:
Well, I love the game, I love the sport—you know what I mean—I love to keep myself in shape and I love the competitiveness. And I’m very competitive, believe it or not. I love the sport. Boxing’s like a drug, I think. It’s very addicting. I don’t want to quit, ‘cause I don’t want to get fat and out of shape! (He laughs.) At the same time, I enjoy the excitement, the thrill: I’m going in there fighting, in front of a lot of people, and do what I do best. And, I love the attention.
What brings me back is I love the sport, I’m very competitive, and that’s why I joined boxing, ‘cause it’s a self-individual sport; I don’t have to depend on no one, like basketball. I don’t have to depend on somebody giving me a pick, or a football, running a pass pattern. This is one-on-one. You know what I mean? The only person I can depend on is myself. There’s no “I’s” in teams, but in this sport, there is! It’s just me.
Of course, I have my coaches, personal trainers and all them helping me out, getting me strong and getting my skills for boxing and stuff like that. But, when I’m in the ring, it’s just me. You’re not fighting for me. I’m fighting for myself. So, I can’t use a pick, I can’t use a pass pattern; I have to go in there and do what I’ve got to do.
On what he’s been doing this last year:
First of all, I got this job working out here at the Navy base and pretty much I work with Great Lakes Police Department. I’m not a police officer, but I work with them; we’re subcontracted, we’re at the Navy base, and I’m a security officer.
I’ve been doing that, I’ve actually had a few fights, but they fell out. I was going to fight Wayne Johnson, who was at “The Contender,” but that fell out because supposedly he busted his appendix back in like March, if I’m not mistaken. In June, was supposed to get a rematch with Alberto Mercedes—the guy that I lost to because I broke my hand in that fight. Everything was set and ready to go, but I guess he wanted more money. So, that fight fell out after they told him they weren’t going to give him any more money.
I was actually supposed to fight Ronald Hearns, Tommy “The Hitman” Hearns’ son, like away. We wanted to go, but my job would not let me go. I had to give them [notice] at least [several] weeks in advance. Of course, that fight was a couple days’ notice. They wanted me to get up and go the same day, but I couldn’t do that ‘cause of my job. There’s another fight, so…
Now, there’s another opportunity here to get another shot. I’m excited. It’s been a year, and I’m not getting any younger, like I said. I’ve got to make a move now!
And, of course, I got married. That was another priority. I didn’t want to do anything for the month of September and October because of my marriage.
On his being married:
Ah, it’s going great. You know, everyone tells me, ‘So, how’s the married life?’ It’s pretty much the same thing. It’s just now she’s “Mrs. Estrada.” You know, it’s the same thing; we were living together. Nothing’s changed—just the only thing is her last name.
In my mind, I’m Mr. Estrada and she’s Mrs. Estrada. I tell you, things are going great. I’m still shocked—not shocked, but surprised—saying the word, “wife.” You know what I mean? W-I-F-E—wife! Back then, she used to be my girl, or my girlfriend, and now, it’s like, my wife. I’m still trying to eat those words. It’s hard, but I’m getting used to it—I’m happy, I’m excited, and I’m thrilled, and I never thought I’d be in the position where I’m at, and I’m doing it. Next is, I’ve got to start working on the family now! (Laughs.) I’ve got to start poppin’ something in the microwave, put something in the oven. That’s next, hopefully.
On his loss against rising undefeated prospect, Peter Quillin:
My thoughts on that fight was he put me down twice in that first round, and both times, I got up. The second time he put me down, and I got up again, and the referee stopped the fight. And I said, ‘Why did you stop the fight?’ And he’s like, ‘Don’t worry about it; you’ll live to fight,’ which is true. I will. But, you know, I was fine.
A lot of people don’t know my strategy of fighting: I like to cover up a lot and from there, I come out of my shell, I let my barrages—my punches—go, after I’ve covered up. But, you know, sometimes that can hurt you, and that fight, it hurt me; I covered up and the referee saw that I was not answering [Quillin’s blows with punches of his own], and he stopped the fight.
In all of my fights that I’ve lost or got stopped, I always got up. Thank God, I’ve never been knocked out.
It was the referee’s discretion to stop the fight, he thought that I had enough, and he’s just looking out for the safety of the fighters.
On making weight for tomorrow’s fight:
I just made weight: I came in at 159. The contract weight was at 160. He came in at 168. So, he was eight pounds over. Me and my coach said, “No." We made him sweat it off and he came in at 166. They set a new contract weight at 165. We made him pay for being overweight. I’m not happy with it, but the show must go on. I’ll make him pay [in the ring] for being overweight.
His prediction:
My prediction is to come out victorious; the rest I’ll leave up to God. My mentality is to win. I don’t like to make predictions. If you go out looking for the knockout, you get knocked out. I just want to go out there, have fun, win, and give my fans a nice show. And once this fight is over, I’m looking forward to fighting again next month. But first things first. He’s a barrier. Go out there, do my job, and then look for bigger and better things. If a knockout happens, it happens.
Last thoughts:
Thank you, Juan, for your support. Thank you, Chicago, for supporting me! I’m going to get back on a winning streak and hopefully look for bigger and better things. And a special thank you to my wife, family and friends!
Now, what time is it? It’s Weezel Time! Thank you and hope to see you all there!
* * *
David Estrada also wanted to "give props" to his trainer, Jorge Hernandez, his personal trainer, Glen Peavey of Glen and Julie Peavey's "Real Exercise" gym in Wadsworth, Illinois, and his chiropractor, Dr. David C. Smith of Chiro-Systems.
