By Ryan Songalia

Jason Estrada is no dummy: He knows when he walks into the Prudential Center in Newark, NJ on Saturday night, it will be to a partisan crowd waving red and white flags in support of local favorite Tomasz Adamek. Estrada might as well wear a German soccer jersey to a Polish soccer game.

The former 2004 US Olympian from Providence, RI says he isn't intimidated, however. Being the outsider isn't something new to him.

"I fought on a bigger stage where there was 21,000 people booing at the Olympic games [in Athens, Greece] just because I was from the United States," said "Big Six", a gold medalist at the 2003 Pan American Games. "It didn't matter what race I was, what nationality. When they booed, it shook. I had five people there to support me."

If that wasn't hostile enough, he's fought in Afghanistan and in Cuba with Fidel Castro sitting ringside during his 300+ fight amateur career.

Estrada, 16-2 (4 KO), loves being the underdog with a point to prove, which Estrada's trainer acknowledges. Few know Estrada better than coach, especially since he is also his father.

"He loves it, the more he's able to try and shut somebody up," said Dr. Roland Estrada. "That's a little bit a part of his problem too, that sometimes he's more focused on shutting everybody up than the task at hand."

Most are viewing Estrada as an afterthought considering that Adamek, a former light-heavyweight and cruiserweight champion, is rumored to be headed towards an April 24 clash with Chris Arreola on HBO.

Kathy Duva, CEO of Main Events whom alongside Ziggy Promotions move Adamek's career, confirmed that there is an offer standing from Arreola's promoter Goossen-Tutor Promotions.

Estrada's promoter Jimmy Burchfield of CES Boxing says the dismissive mindset inadvertently benefits his interests.

"If that's going to help my fighter's head - all it's done is make him work harder - that's great," said Burchfield at the final press conference in North Bergen, NJ through a voice strained by a cold. "We're going to see something as these rounds go on, we're going to see what happens.

"I see some of the media and HBO looking past Jason Estrada. You are all making a big, big, big mistake. Jason�s won every amateur title you can imagine. He�s fought the real fighters, so this is going to be a real fight."

Considering that Adamek, of Jersey City, NJ by way of Zywiec, Poland, has had issues with slick boxers in the past, namely Chad Dawson and Steve Cunningham, perhaps living in the present might be most prudent. Estrada is from that same school of pugilism.

"Just like they gave him problems, I'll give him problems," Estrada said. "On top of that I'm bigger than him. It's not light-heavyweight or cruiserweight, it's heavyweight. It's a whole different ball game besides I can box. I understand he has his confidence and he should but I just don't understand realistically why would I be the next person he picked.

"I'm going to send him back down to cruiserweight."

On the flip side, Estrada's only two losses - to Alexander Povetkin and Travis Walker - came against aggressive brawlers that forced the action. That might be a good way to describe Adamek.

Adamek, 39-1 (27 KO), has one previous fight at heavyweight against Andrew Golota in October. "Goral" weighed 214 for that fight but has recently bulked up to 222 to be able to match up with the bigger heavyweights.

Adamek is confident that he will maintain his hand speed as he climbs the scales; Estrada counters, "What speed?"

"I've watched a lot of stuff on him even before this fight was announced. I had heard he was going to fight [Hasim] Rahman so I basically watched tapes to see how the matchup would be because I'm always curious. I don't see the hand speed they keep talking about."

Contrast that with Estrada who began camp at a fleshy 255 and weighed in last Friday at 239. Though Estrada will never win any bodybuilding competitions, he is confident in his conditioning and ability to go the twelve round distance.

That is, should it go that long.

"I'm predicting victory, any which way I can get it. It can be a knockout or a decision, I'm ready for the long haul but if I get him hurt I'm taking him out of there." -RS

Farrell ready for Step up with "Contender" Schneider

The combined total of fights Patrick Farrell's four previous opponents have had is seven. His next opponent, Jon Schneider of The Contender Season Four fame, has seven wins to go along with 4 defeats and a draw.

Fight fans will find out more about the Jersey City, NJ cruiserweight in this four round battle of ticket-sellers than in all of his combined fights, something "Paddy" acknowledges.

"It's definitely a step up in class and I've prepared for that," said Farrell, 4-0 (3 KO), a former linebacker who started 37 games for the now-defunct LaSalle University football program. "Mentally and physically, I'm prepared."

Schneider, a tough former Marine from Yonkers, NY, says he knows nothing about his opponent, having not watched any tapes. That doesn't stop him from being confident.

"My thoughts are that I'm going to be leaving the winner," said the lefty Schneider, who is trying to end a four fight winless streak dating back to April of 2008.

"I know I'm a big step up for him in class. I think he's going to be shocked. They were the ones that wanted a four round fight, I wanted a six round fight. By the end of the fight he's going to be confused like 'What's this guy doing?,' if it goes the distance."

Farrell has trained seven weeks for this fight at the Passaic PAL, utilizing sparring partners like heavyweight Vinny Maddalone and light-heavyweight southpaw prospect Yathomas Riley.

"I prepare for every single fight the same way," said Farrell, who had only 11 amateur fights before turning pro in February of 2009.

"You never underestimate your opponent in any shape or form. The man standing across from you has trained himself to come in the fight and win. You also have to think about the fact that he has to step between the ropes as well and you have to respect any man that does so.

"What you put into it is what you get out. I know that I've trained my ass off and I put my heart and soul into it and we'll definitely see my hard work pay off."

Ryan Songalia is a member of the Boxing Writers Association of America. An archive of his work can be seen at www.ryansongalia.com . He can be reached at ryan@ryansongalia.com .