NEW YORK (May 15, 2009) — Shawn Estrada is seeking a sixth knockout in as many fights when he takes on Cory Jones in a super middleweight bout on the undercard of the Andre Ward-Edison Miranda main event Saturday night on SHOWTIME in Oakland, Calif. Highlights of Estrada’s fight will be shown between the televised John Molina, Jr.-Frankie Archuleta and Ward-Miranda bouts. Also, SHOWTIME boxing historian and commentator Steve Farhood will interview the undefeated Estrada about his fight and his upcoming future plans..
The 12-round fight at the Oracle Arena for Ward’s North American Boxing Organization (NABO) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super middleweight titles will be the featured bout on a special Saturday primetime edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast). Molina Jr.-Archuleta will do battle in an eight-round junior lightweight bout.
The 24-year-old Estrada competed in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, winning his opening fight but losing in his second bout to eventual 165-pound champion James Degale of Great Britain. Since the Olympics, Estrada has turned professional and been flawless, cruising to a 5-0 record with an astonishing five knockouts, four of which came in the first round.
“This is a huge card and I’m so excited to be on it,” Estrada said. He answered six other fast-and-furious questions from SHOWTIME on Wednesday.
SHOWTIME: Tony Hirsch dropped out of your fight because of injury. What do you know about your new opponent Cory Jones?
ESTRADA: “I don’t really know too much. He had a pretty good amateur career. I remember him from some earlier fights. I know he’s well-trained and should be ready to go.”
SHOWTIME: You’ve dominated your first five fights. Has it been too easy so far?
ESTRADA: “Nothing’s ever easy. I’ve put a lot of rounds in preparing for this fight. When you’ve trained as hard as I have it makes the fight that much easier. All the guys I’ve fought had good pro records and solid backgrounds. I haven’t fought any tomato cans. The guy I fought in Las Vegas (Omar Coffi) was really tough. I just happened to get him on one good punch early in the first round and then twice more in the second. He had a good amateur career in Venezuela.”
SHOWTIME: What are some things you like to do outside of the ring?
ESTRADA: “I like being outdoors. I like to surf and go on hikes and golf a little bit. My manager (Arnulfo Bravo) was the one who got me into golf. One thing about me is I’m a very humble person. I’m very approachable. At the Olympic trials no on would talk to me. When I asked a guy later why that was he said, ‘You look like a crazy son of a gun. I don’t want to get close to you.’ But once you get to know me, I’m like a teddy bear. I’m a good guy.”
SHOWTIME: You’ve always been a popular fighter in East L.A. What does it mean to you to represent that area?
ESTRADA: “It’s very important for me to be a role model to those kids. They saw that through hard work a guy like me could make it to the Olympics. For me to make it out of there gives all those kids so much hope that they can do it to.”
SHOWTIME: It’s a rough area. One of your brothers was killed by a gunshot wound five years ago. How did that affect you?
ESTRADA: “It did affect me and it has made me a stronger person. I came from absolutely nothing. My mom had 16 kids, not including me. We were just a poor Mexican family.”
SHOWTIME: You have five knockouts in five fights. How long can you keep the streak going?
ESTRADA: “I prepare for each fight like it’s going the distance. If the knockout comes, it comes. It will be tough to win every fight by knockout. It’s impossible really to go too much longer. We’ll have to just wait and see.”
Six Questions with John Molina Jr
NEW YORK (May 14, 2009) — John Molina, Jr., (16-0, 12 KOs) is fast becoming a familiar face to boxing fans who like to watch weekend televised fights. The young pro from Covina, Calif., will fight for the third consecutive time on TV when he climbs into the ring against Frankie Archuleta (25-6-1, 14 KOs) on a special Saturday primetime edition of ShoBox: The New Generation, live on SHOWTIME (9 p.m. ET/PT, delayed on the west coast)
The Molina-Archuleta fight is an eight-round junior lightweight affair. In the featured telecast, Andre Ward returns to Oakland for a 12-round fight against Edison Miranda at the Oracle Arena for Ward’s North American Boxing Organization (NABO) and North American Boxing Federation (NABF) super middleweight titles.
SHOWTIME caught up with Molina on Wednesday for his thoughts on Saturday’s bout.
SHOWTIME: Do you get more nervous before the TV fights?
MOLINA: “I love fighting on TV and especially SHOWTIME. It’s great to showcase what I’m all about. You always get the butterflies. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t be human.”
SHOWITME: Have you trained differently for this fight?
MOLINA: “No, I don’t think so. I’m in the best shape of my life. Joe (Goossen) has prepared me really well. It’s his history and his track record. He likes action and a lot of output and non-stop fighting. With Joe it’s all about the output.”
SHOWTIME: What do you expect to see early on from your opponent on Saturday, Frankie Archuleta?
MOLINA: He’s a cagey veteran. He’s fought Johnny Tapia twice, Rocky Juarez and Armando Cordova to just name a few he’s been in the ring with. He’s been in there with the best of the best. I know what he brings to the table is experience. I expect him to come forward and be cagey and show me things I’ve never seen before.”
SHOWTIME: Name one thing that people may not know about you?
MOLINA: “That I was a hyper kid back in the day. I had ADHD really bad but I used it to my advantage by channeling all my energy into sports and athletics and here I am today a professional athlete with 12 knockouts. I was on two types of medication but, looking back on it, it was the best thing that ever happened to me.”
SHOWTIME: In you bio you list Oscar De La Hoya as you hero growing up. Is he still someone you look up to?
MOLINA: “I think he’s accomplished so much inside the ring and outside the ring. He never ducked anybody and he always put on a great fight. The last fight he fought you saw a shell of Oscar. I don’t think that was Oscar at his best. He’s still one of my favorites inside and outside the ring.”
SHOWTIME: Name one or two fighters you’d like to face in the future?
MOLINA: “There are a lot of names out there I’d like to have a shot at but I think I’ll wait to give you my answer at the end of 2009. Right now my focus is on Frankie Archuleta and Saturday night.”
Saturday’s event will be being promoted by Goossen Tutor Promotions in association with Leonard Productions. The Ward-Miranda bout will be presented in association with Seminole Warriors Boxing. Tickets, starting at $25 are on sale at the Oracle Box Office and through Ticketmaster. Doors open at 4:30 p.m. PT. The first non-televised fight is at 5 p.m. PT.
Nick Charles and Steve Farhood will call the ShoBox action from ringside. The executive producer of ShoBox is Gordon Hall with Richard Gaughan producing and Rick Phillips directing.