In his continuing effort to get back to the top of the American heavyweight scene, 2008 U.S. Olympian Jason “Big Six” Estrada won a workmanlike eight-round decision over Puerto Rican-invader Alex Gonzales in the main event on tonight’s “Takeover” card, presented by Big Six Entertainment, at the Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence.
In a toe-to-toe battle between quick-handed Estrada (19-4, 5 KOs) and cagey southpaw Gonzales (20-7, 10 KOs), Providence heavyweight Estrada consistently beat Gonzales, a former world title challenger and 1992 Puerto Rican Olympian, to the punch.
Estrada won all eight rounds on each of the three judges’ scorecards by scores of 80-72.
“I thought it was a good performance,” Estrada said after the fight. “The dude can take a shot. Once I realized that he wouldn’t go, I boxed his head off. I hurt my thumb a little in the second round, so I boxed and used my jab.
“Next? If (Tony) Grano wants to fight, let’s go. I’ve been trying to get him in the ring for a long time.”
The comeback of former USBA and NABO middleweight champion Brian “The Bull” Barbosa (31-6, 23 KOs), now fighting out of Providence, continued on a high note in the co-feature. Barbosa decked light heavyweight John “Rusty” Johnson (13-3, 11 KOs) twice en route his fifth-round TKO victory.
Pawtucket (RI) junior welterweight Diego Pereira (7-0-1, 3 KOs) kept his unbeaten record intact, destroying dangerous William “Chino” Correa (9-6, KOs) by way of a second-round technical knockout.
The long awaited pro debut of junior lightweight Toka Khan-Clary was a monumental success. Liberian-native Kahn-Clary, fighting out of Pawtucket (RI), dropped a game Jonathan Caban with a body shot in the opening round. The young southpaw dropped Caban again in the second and pounded the New Yorker until the referee halted the action later in the same round.
Unbeaten junior welterweight Jair Ramos (3-0, 2 KOs) stopped an overmatched Joel Alarcon in the third round.
Providence junior middleweight Kali Reiss improved her record to 5-1-1, taking a four-round decision from Lyneisha Jefferson in an action-packed fight.
Jesus Cintron (1-1-1) recorded his first win as a professional with a four-round decision over Rameil Shelton.
