Heavyweight contender Jason Estrada talks about his upcoming clash with Charles Shufford on January 25th. Check out what he had to say about the fight, his future plans and much more.
AC: I understand you'll be fighting in late January. How is training camp coming along?
JE: I've been in camp. I took a week off since my last fight with James Northey because I didn't want to get out of shape. I've just stayed in the gym ever since. I didn't have any injuries.
AC: You'll be facing Charles Shufford on January 25th. What do you think about him as an opponent and how do you see your fight playing out?
JE: To be honest, I've only seen Charles Shufford fight maybe two times. I don't know anything about Charles Sufford except that he's an old veteran and he comes to fight. I'm prepared for whatever he may bring.
AC: What is your prediction? Are you looking to get him out of there like James Northey?
JE: Most definitely. I'm trying to get everybody out of there from now on. After the Northey fight, I learned a lot about myself as far as pressuring people and I like pressure. I can box, but I have to go back to my roots before the Olympics and everything and that's pressuring people and stopping them. That's probably going to be the outcome of this fight. I think it'll be a good fight until the third or fourth round where he'll start holding and maybe I'll stop him earlier. It all depends on how he comes.
AC: Do you feel that knocking Charles Shufford out would make a statement being that he went the distance with Sam Peter who's considered a big puncher?
JE: Definitely. I mean, he fought Sam Peter a couple of years ago and Sam Peter didn't knock him out and now he's a couple of years older. You know what you're going to get when you face Sam Peter. He's going to come at you and try and knock you out. I put the pressure on, but I have the hand speed and it's never a punch that you see that knocks you out. It's the punch you don't see coming and that's what I plan to do, hit him with something he doesn't see coming.
AC: You fought three times last year. Are you looking to be busier this year?
JE: Way more! For me, three fights in a year is not busy. That's the type of fighter I am and I want to stay busy. When you're sitting around doing nothing and then have a fight come up and start to train real hard, that's when you get an injury. I want to be active the whole year. If I'm not fighting, I want to be training for an upcoming fight.
AC: What would you like to see happen for your career in 2008?
JE: My expectations are very normal. I just want to fight more fights. I turned pro in 2004 and I feel that I should've had more fights and hopefully it's going to be a better year for me. I was supposed to fight Dominick Guinn in the show last Friday and I felt good, but I don't know if Dominick didn't want to fight me or his promoter, but there was some foul play going on and I missed a great opportunity on Dominick Guinn and he ended up losing to somebody that I already beat. I just have to take it for what it is and I definitely want to have more fights in 2008 and 2009.
AC: Did you see the fight with Travis Walker on ShoBox and if so, what were your thoughts?
JE: Yes, I caught that fight. I'm good friends with TJ Wilson and I had talked to TJ before that fight. My fight with Travis Walker was just an unlucky, bad night. I tore my shoulder and I was winning that fight from round one to three and after I tore my shoulder, I didn't know what to do and it was still a close fight under his promotional company in a place that he fights a lot. To me, that was nothing and I would love to fight Travis Walker again, but I doubt that it will happen. That was just a learning experience for me and it just made me hungrier.
AC: Well Jason, is there anything you'd like to say to the fans in closing?
JE: I just want to say to everybody to keep their eyes open. I think 2008 is going to be a good year for me and I love all the support they give me.
