Former WBC super flyweight champion Carlos ‘Principe’ Cuadras 39-3-1 (27) is looking to regain his old title when he takes on current WBC 115-pound champion Juan Francisco ‘El Gallo’ Estrada 40-3 (27) in their rematch at the TV Azteca Studios in Mexico City, Mexico, this Friday night.
The 32-year-old Mexican lost a unanimous decision to countryman Estrada by a single point on all three judges’ scorecards in Carson, California three years ago after finding himself on the canvas in the 10th.
“I’ve been looking for this fight for a while,” Cuadras told The Ring through Noe Alvarez. “I’m much more prepared this time than the last time. This time, I only have two options: Win or knock him out.
“It’s going to be an honour to win The Ring magazine and WBC belt as well. It’s been a dream of mine to win The Ring and WBC belts. I’m going to pluck that chicken; I have his medicine.”
“He takes a while to warm up, but once he gets going, he gets more difficult,” said Cuadras. “He’s got a good liver shot and he has a good right hand, that’s the one he knocked me down (with) in our previous fight.
“The first fight, I gave it my all in the first rounds. In the late rounds, I lost all of my energy. I went too hard in the early rounds. This time I’m going to use my resources to go at Estrada, but strategically.”
“I am much faster than he is. I will use my speed so that Estrada becomes impatient and use that to attack him.”
Cuadras claimed the green belt against Srisaket Sor Rungvisai in 2014 and made six successful title defences before losing his belt to Roman ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez two years later.
If Estrada wins on Friday night there are plans in place for him to face Gonzalez, but Cuadras is ready to rip that opportunity away from him.
“(Estrada’s) not going to have the opportunity to fight ‘Chocolatito,’ because I am going to take that opportunity,” Cuadras said. “I want that rematch with Chocolatito as well. Everybody knows I beat Chocolatito.
“I want everyone to know, I’m here for a while. I’m going after Chocolatito, Jerwin Ancajas, Kazuto Ioka. I want to unify.”
Trainer Rudy Hernandez says he has put together a comprehensive gameplan for Cuadras – who will enter the fight as a substantial underdog – to defeat the 30-year-old Estrada.
“Cuadras understands this is his last shot at becoming champion,” Hernandez said. “After watching the first fight, I came up with four different game plans that if he’s able to execute, he will have a night to remember.
“Of course, I’m not underestimating Estrada, he’s a solid champion. One of Mexico’s top fighters at the moment.
“Cuadras is training hard, giving his all. There will be no excuses. He’s trained at the Mexican Olympic facility, away from all distractions. I like what I have seen in training.
“One thing I can tell you, we’re too dumb to understand that we can’t win.”