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| Lincoln, RI – The Big Six Boxing Academy will once again be well represented Friday at CES Boxing’s Summer Splash event at Ballys Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort with three up-and-coming fighters on the undercard looking to remain unbeaten. Lightweight prospect Alejandro Paulino of New London, CT; super welterweight James Maner of Providence, RI; and Stoughton, MA, heavyweight Sean Bey compete in separate bouts at Summer Splash as the legendary boxing academy – home to former U.S. Olympian and heavyweight contender Jason “Big Six” Estrada, among others – continues to produce top-flight talent straight off the assembly line. Summer Splash begins 7 pm ET Friday and streams live on BXNG TV, a new, dynamic platform showcasing emerging boxing prospects to a global audience. Owned and operated by the Jason and his father, Roland Estrada – the longtime trainer and optometrist known affectionally throughout the region as “Doc,” or sometimes “Pops” – Big Six travels anywhere and everyone to keep its fighters busy, even pulling double or triple duty now and then with boxers appearing on shows in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island on the same night. As Roland, who turns 60 next week, begins what he says might be his final run as a full-time trainer, he remains a key figure in the lives of his fighters, passing down the same lessons he taught Jason – the oldest of his four sons – about being a professional in and out of the ring. The fighters competing at Summer Splash are part of a close-knit group of nine pros currently boxing out of Big Six. They represent the “new generation” of fighters that keep Roland as excited and energized about the future of the sport as he was more than 30 years ago when Jason first put on a pair of gloves. “They’re the ones giving me 100 percent,” said Roland, who has operated Big Six out of its Douglas Avenue location in Providence since 2011. “Some guys are lazy and some guys are ready to work.” Roland has worked with everyone from his own son, Jason, who competed at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and won 20 fights as a pro, to world-title challenger Matt Godfrey, WBA and WBO female world champion Kali Reis, and lightweight Michael Valentin, to name a few, and even his own grandson, Jason’s son Lennox, who fought at a recent CES pro-am event. His close relationship with CES president and CEO Jimmy Burchfield Sr. has been instrumental in launching the careers of several Rhode Island-based fighters, including the ones mentioned above. Estrada and Godfrey, specifically, were fixtures on CES fight cards during the first decade of the new millennium and major selling points during the early success of pro boxing at Ballys. To train at Big Six, one must have a thick skin; Roland admits “we talk a lot of shit” behind closed doors, but there’s a method to the madness. Roland’s no-nonsense approach – everything from making sure his fighters show up on time to train to handling their responsibilities outside of the ring – is what prepares them for any and all challenges on fight night. When talking recently with a fighter from another gym, Roland was shocked – and equally proud – to learn that other fighters didn’t want to come to Big Six to spar because his guys “work too hard.” “That’s a good thing,” Roland said, “but apparently a bad thing around here. “We teach guys how to be professional. When you fight, there is a lot of adversity,” he continued. “I lot of people want to see you lose. You’re going to have people in the crowd calling you all kinds of names and trying to get in your head. In the gym, we have the mentality that if you can’t last in here, you won’t last in a fight.” Roland also sets an example for his fighters through his own work ethic. He works full-time as an optometrist during the week – five, six days to be exact – and bounces between various locations in Providence and East Greenwich, RI. Then, after a full day of work, he heads to Big Six to unlock the doors and work with his fighters well past 8 or 9 pm on most nights. The years of holding mitts and doing pad work have certainly taken their toll on his body, specifically his hands and elbows, so he relies mostly on Jason and others, including Godfrey and trainer Ernest “Tuna” Shelton (whose own sons Dahvon, Rameil, and Nasaiah “Bubba” Shelton have all boxed out of Big Six) to handle the bulk of the work in the ring. Last winter, Roland and his four sons – Jason, Eric (a firefighter), Roland (a police officer), and Cameron (a mailman) – finally pulled the trigger on an idea they had for years and launched their own weekly podcast, Four Brothas, to discuss boxing, sports, and pop culture, among other topics. To produce the podcast, Roland bought a custom-made shed for his back yard from Lancaster, PA; insulated it with sheet rock; soundproofed it; installed seating, cameras, and monitors; and officially launched in December. Since then, Four Brothas has produced nearly 30 episodes featuring musicians, trainers, and past and present New England fighters, including Paulino, Godfrey, Shelly Vincent, “Sucra” Ray Oliveira, and Greg Townes. Roland pumped nearly $17,000 of his own money into launching Four Brothas, which has become an important tool in generating interest in regional boxing by allowing former fighters to share their knowledge of the sport and providing a platform for young up-and-comers to promote their brand. The laid-back, conversational approach of Roland’s sons puts guests at ease and helps them connect with the listeners. Weekly episodes are available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube. “The podcast has really been beneficial for some of the fighters who aren’t as good or just aren’t as experienced at public speaking,” Roland says. “Twenty minutes in, and they’re comfortable.” No matter what the future holds beyond 2022, there’s no denying the influence Big Six has had on New England boxing. Attend any show in the region and you’re likely to see a Big Six fighter on the card. This Friday at Ballys, you’ll see three more, all of whom figure to be household names for years to come. That’s the Big Six way: Work hard and you’ll never have to worry about who’s in your corner. Summer Splash details are available online. For more information, follow CES Boxing on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @CESBOXING. |
| INFORMATION |
| CES Boxing is one of the top promotions in the northeast and one of the few to successfully promote both mixed martial arts and professional boxing. Launched in 1992 by longtime boxing judge Jimmy Burchfield Sr., the promotion is the only in professional boxing to boast two reigning WBC Youth world champions in lightweight Jamaine Ortiz and featherweight Irvin Gonzalez. CES Boxing recently teamed with UFC FIGHT PASS, the world’s No. 1 streaming platform for combat sports, to showcase its events to a worldwide audience, and worked as a promotional consultant for the Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. pay-per-view event in November of 2020. Bally’s Twin River Lincoln Casino Resort, located in Lincoln, RI, is the state’s largest gaming and entertainment venue as well as its top tourist and cultural attraction. Formerly known as Lincoln Park and then Twin River Casino Hotel, the renovated facility offers 162,000 square-feet of gaming space with over 5,000 gaming positions. The casino operates over 4,100 slot machines and virtual table games (including blackjack and roulette), as well as 125 live table games including blackjack, roulette, craps, sports betting, and more. This unique gaming facility also hosts simulcasting of the best thoroughbred and greyhound racing from around the country, a 29,000+ square foot Twin River Event Center with headline entertainment, free concerts at the Lighthouse Bar, incredible food and drinks at Fred & Steve’s Steakhouse, and authentic Italian cuisine at Jerry Longo’s Meatballs & Martinis. The hotel at Bally’s Lincoln features 136 rooms and suites. Amenities include an indoor pool with a stone fireplace feature wall, multiple meeting space, a fitness center and an outdoor courtyard off the pool and lobby that is also available for special events. Guests may access the hotel from the casino’s north entrance. VYRE Network is a free streaming platform with worldwide reach through apps on Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Fire Stick, Android, iPhone, Samsung TVs and the web. Focused on Generations X, Y, and Z, VYRE Network sets out to become the most relevant content streaming company for those of all ages, backgrounds and interests. Currently, there’s a selection of 18 channels, including Sports (football, boxing & documentaries), Music (Hip-Hop, R&B, Pop & EDM), Lifestyle (Cooking & Travel), Family, and Comedy. Vasool TV (Hindi) and its Español TV (Spanish) are VYRE’s international-based channels, with Vyre Africa, Vyre Asia, and Vyre Brazil launching shortly. |
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