Sometimes on your way to the ring, life gets in the way. For Chula Vista, CA’s Angel Estrada (3-0-1, 2KO), the
obstacle of life kept him out of the squared circle for over two years but Estrada feels its all part of the master plan.
“I am trying to beat the stereotype, you know, of a boxer not having anything to fall back on,” the reserved but eloquent Estrada stated. “I have been attending UCSD. I began with a major in structural engineering but had a change of heart and decided I want to be a doctor so I switched to psychology. I’m graduating next year.”
Anybody who might have witnessed Estrada as an amateur would have never of guessed that the boy who began to fight at seven years old and had his first amateur fight a year later at age eight would have done anything else but box. As a highly decorated amateur, Estrada amassed more than 125 bouts with only twelve defeats within them on his way to capturing multiple titles including the Silver Gloves three times and the Ringside National Tournament twice.
“My dad was an amateur boxer and he taught me little things here and there,” the 22-year-old Estrada reminisces. “The summer of ’94 is when I decided to go to a gym and stick with it.”
Estrada made his pro debut at eighteen years old in 2005 by defeating Alex Ariza with a unanimous decision. In February of 2006, Estrada was in a barn burner where tasted the canvas in the first only to drop Jesus Rivas twice in the second to win by TKO and five months later he fought to a draw in Tijuana against Reyes Velazquez. In May of ’07 he stopped Filberto Nieto in Las Vegas in the third of a scheduled four round bout which turned out to be his last bout.
“I have not stopped going to the gym, I have been in the gym everyday,” Estrada explains. “I remember in my first pro fight the the pro style was different than the amateur one of darting in and out. You need to settle down and make every punch count. We have been working in developing my style more into a pro fighter.”
“I haven’t him my peak yet. I expect it at 25 or 26 but I feel stronger and much quicker now. I still see myself as a world champion, and undisputed world champion. I think I needed to met my body mature.”
Now Estrada will be facing tough Ray Ortega (1-5, 1KO) at “Havoc at the Hard Rock II: No Mercy” in a four round bout on Friday, July 10th at the Woodstock Terrace of the beautiful Hard Rock Hotel in downtown San Diego, CA.
“It feels good to be able to fight in front of family and friends but there is an added pressure,” Estrada says. “I want to show everybody my boxing ability.”
“Rogue Boxing Promotions is more than happy to give Angel the opportunity to fight again and especially in his hometown,” Vince Parra, Director of Fighter Relations and matchmaker for Rogue Boxing, stated. “I think this will be a reintroduction that many local fight fans will be interested in seeing.”
“I learned that you don’t have to go toe to toe in there but to use strategy,” the studious father of one states. “It’s a chess game.”