|
Estrada faces 6-foot-8 veteran boxer in main event of Twin River show |
|
|
Friday, 28 March 2008 |
By ERIC BENEVIDES
Sports writer
LINCOLN --- Big Six, meet Bigger Six.
Jason “Big Six” Estrada will literally face a tall order next Friday night at the Twin River Events Center, as the Providence heavyweight and 2004 U.S. Olympian battles 6-foot-8, 275-pounder Lance “Mount” Whitaker in the 10-round main event of the “Heavy Hitters” show, which will air on ESPN2’s “Friday Night Fights” and is promoted by Classic Entertainment & Sports, Inc.
Whitaker, a product of Van Nuys, Calif. who is 32-4-1 (27 KOs), is a former NABO, NABA, and WBC Continental Americas champion. He boasts victories over ex-world champions Oleg Maskaev and Al “Ice” Cole, previously-undefeated Robert Davis (22-0), and two-time world title challenger Monte Barrett.
He is seven inches taller, 35 pounds heavier, and 8 1/2 years older than the 27-year-old Estrada and boasts an 84-inch reach, but all that means little to Estrada, who is 11-1 (2 KOs) and ninth in the NABO rankings.
“I’m just going to use what I have, regardless of how big he is,” Estrada said during a press conference at Twin River’s Fado Restaurant. “If this was basketball, it may be a problem, but this is boxing, and Mike Tyson proved that it doesn’t really matter how big you are. ... My hand speed is going to make up for (Whitaker’s size advantage). I have pop -- regardless of what anyone says, I have pop -- and if I catch him with something good, this fight’s going to be over.”
Amazingly, Whitaker won’t be the tallest opponent Estrada has ever faced.
“I fought a 6-foot-9 Cuban when I was in the amateurs,” he added, “and I beat him.”
Estrada is two months removed from his last fight, a unanimous 10-round decision over former world title challenger Charles Shufford at Foxwoods Resorts Casino. In that fight, Estrada was the co-main event, sharing top billing with Connecticut featherweight Matt Remillard, but this time, he owns the spotlight.
Estrada’s fight with Whitaker was originally the co-feature, but it got moved to the main event when veteran “Baby” Joe Mesi, Estrada’s CES stablemate and fellow heavyweight, suffered a shoulder injury.
“Unfortunately, Joe had to get hurt for me to be in the main event,” added Estrada. “But this is my first real main event -- my first ESPN headlining card -- and it’s here in Rhode Island. It’s great, it’s a great feeling.”
The new co-feature is a 10-round cruiserweight duel pitting “Awesome” Aaron Williams (16-0-1, 11 KOs) of Las Vegas, Nev. against Andre “Tombston” Purlette (40-2, 35 KOs) of Miami, Fla.
Williams, who is in the CES stable, is a nine-time U.S. amateur champion and currently 10th in the NABO rankings, while Purlette, who won his first 32 matches before falling from the unbeaten ranks, is a former NABO champion.
Providence super middleweight Joey “K.O. Kid” Spina, who holds a 21-1-1 (15 KOs) record and is fourth in the USBA rankings, will fight a six-rounder on the undercard. Spina fought on the last CES card at Twin River on March 14 and claimed a close six-round unanimous decision over Henry Mayes of Baltimore.
Three CES light heavyweights, Providence’s Jarrod Tillinghast (9-0, 3 KOs), “Irish” Joe McCreedy (7-1, 5 KOs) of Lowell, Mass., and Chris Traietti (7-1, 4 KOs) of Quincy, Mass., will take on opponents to be named later in their six-round tests.
During the event, boxing great Rocky Marciano will be posthumously inducted into the CES Ring of Honor in a special ceremony, and the Marciano family will be on hand for the honor.
CES president Jimmy Burchfield established the Ring of Honor three years ago in order to pay respect to inductees for their special accomplishments and contributions to New England boxing, and Marciano, a native of Brockton, Mass. who retired unbeaten and fought 28 of his 49 pro fights in Providence (winning 24 by knockout), will be the ninth member of the ring.
Former Brown University star football player Zak DeOssie, who was a special teams player as a rookie this past season for the Super Bowl winning New York Giants, will also be honored by CES.
Tickets for the event are priced at $35 (ADA stage seating only), $40, $50 (Bronze), $75 (Silver), $100 (Gold) and $150 (Jimmy’s Platinum Club). They will soon be available to purchase by calling CES (401.724.2253/2254), going online at www.cesboxing.com or www.twinriver.com, at the Twin River Event Center, or any TicketMaster location. For more information, call 401-724-2253/2254.
|
|
Last Updated ( Saturday, 29 March 2008 )
|
| | | |  |  |
Saturday night I attended the semi-final girls basketball
game vs Townies Girls team as an aunt of one of the EP players. It was an exciting
all-around game for both teams, and I give credit to my niece and the Townie girls
too for a great season. <br />I just have to say though, that I was
particularly impressed with the talent, poise and unflappable playing style of this
Tolman girls team! It can only speak well of a great coaching staff, and their love
and encouragement of these talented girls. After the game, the low-key humilty that
the Tolman girls displayed, showed real sportsmanship and class. I have a feeling
that this season is the "Year of the Tiger" and hope that they go straight on to
victory in the championship. No matter what the outcome though, they've gained a new
loyal fan in me, and I look forward to following the next seasons with real
interest. This is the way that high school sports should be played! You go Tolman
girls! - Regina Orio
THANK YOU TO THE PAWTUCKET TIMES AND THE WOONSOCKET CALL
FORV THEIR GREAT COVERAGE OF HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING IN YOUR PAPERS IT IS VERY MUCH APPERICATED!! A SPECIAL THANKS TO TERRY NEAU FOR HIS EXCELLENT COVERAGE OF CUMBERLAND CLIPPERS WRESTLING AND FOP ALL THE GREAT PICTURES YOU PUT IN THE CALL THEY ARE AWESOME!!!THANKS AGAIN!!! - Dawn Lariviere
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Horoscope