With more than 150 fans and media in attendance at the new Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, New Jersey, Tomasz Adamek (39-1, 27 KOs) and Jason Estrada (16-2, 4 KOs) met for the final press conference before their February 6 heavyweight fight at the Prudential Center in Newark. Both speak about their upcoming bout.

Jason Estrada: “Funny thing is when I was playing video games as a light heavyweight I was always playing as Tomasz Adamek. Loved his style and I still love what he did in the light heavy and cruiserweight divisions. But this is different story, he’s among big boys now and it will be over his head to fight people like me. Experience and ring ability – everything is on my side. He’s making a big error thinking that beating aging Golota makes him a good heavyweight. Not at all. I also understand that he has to say things he’s saying – about putting me on canvas, talking about other fights after fighting me. He has to believe it, but believing and doing it are two different things. This was my best training camp ever – by far. More than 8 weeks of very hard work and for the first time ever for me – no injuries, no health problems. I’m in my prime, I have to prove this now and help Adamek to fight Steve Cunningham again – as a cruiserweight. After this fight he will be finished in my division. I will prove that those are not just words coming Saturday.

Adamek was very relaxed but visibly in a darker mood than usual before his most likely defining fight in the new weight class:

“I never underestimate anybody, ever. This is boxing; you have to be prepared every time because you can lose not only a fight but also your health. I know what’s at stake this Saturday – for me and for Jason. I’m always asked if I feel worthy to be in the heavyweight division and my answer always stays the same – just watch me fighting and you know the answer. I don’t expect anybody to respect me because I was champion in two other weight classes – just enjoy what you will see when I’m getting into the ring. I did not lose anything from my strength as a light heavyweight or cruiserweight. On the contrary – fighting in my natural weight helped me to be a better boxer. I expect to weigh around 222 pounds for the fight. 222 pounds of natural weight and power, no wasted energy. It will be a great mix of European and American styles of boxing because of my two trainers – Roger Bloodworth and of course Andrzej Gmitruk.

Jason is a very unorthodox fighter for this weight class, but I always believed that no matter who I’m fighting against it is up to me if I win or lose. I know his strengths; I’m sure he thinks he knows my weaknesses but whatever we are saying now makes no difference whatsoever. You can prove yourself in only one way – by winning. And this is exactly what I want to do on Saturday. Don’t blink, don’t miss a second.”