Estrada: I expect to win
Walter Estrada claims there is no reason to seek advice from Manuel Medina ahead of his challenge to Scott Harrison’s WBO featherweight title tomorrow night.
Medina snatched the belt from Harrison in the summer following a lacklustre display from the Cambuslang fighter before he defeated the Mexican in the rematch in November.
Medina and Estrada may know each other well but there is a world of difference between the pair.
A five-times world champion of 75 fights when he took on Harrison for the second time, there was no doubting 32-year-old Medina’s calibre.
In contrast, Estrada has fought outside his native Columbia just once and is relatively unknown with just five years professional experience.
But the 29-year-old claims he does not need inside information from his fellow South American – branding Medina an old man compared to himself.
He said: “I know Medina very well after he fought a team-mate of mine. I consider Medina to be an old man whereas I am young and strong and I expect to win. I have not asked for his advice ahead of this fight.”
Estrada was a late replacement to take on Harrison at Glasgow’s Braehead Arena after original opponent William Abelyan withdrew with an injury.
A southpaw like Abelyan, Estrada had already been in training for another fight and has no doubt he is ready to take on Harrison and return to Barranquilla a world champion.
He added: “I am fit for the fight, I’m ready for it and I expect to win and take the title to Columbia.
“I don’t see any difference in the preparation to fight another opponent so I am well prepared to fight.”
But Harrison is just as adamant that his preparation has not been disrupted by the change of opponent.
He said: “Of course I’m confident for the fight – I’ve trained hard and he’s still a southpaw so it won’t make any difference.
“Abelyan was more slick so I won’t have to go looking for this opponent going by what I’ve seen on the tapes.
“I sat through the tape again – he doesn’t like to fight at high pace so I’ll want to hit him right from the very start and I’m going for a career record in throwing punches.”
