Shohjahon Ergashev has passed every test so far. Next up is a tough Mexican.
Ergashev, the left-handed junior welterweight contender from Uzbekistan, is scheduled to face Adrian Estrella in a 10-round bout Friday in Sloan, Iowa, on ShoBox: The New Generation.
Ergashev (17-0, 15 KOs) appears to have unusual tools. He was an accomplished amateur — with a reported record of 202-14 — and the punching power suggested by his professional record. He can outbox you, he can knock you out.
Now all the Detroit-based fighter needs is a test against an elite opponent. Estrella isn’t that foe but he’s capable.
“I would like to fight the best possible opponents,” Ergashev said. “I’m coming to fight not simply to collect money and win the fight. Every time I’m in the ring, I want to destroy my opponent.
“I understand that there might be better boxers in my weight class, but I’m ready to fight them.”
Ergashev, 28, said he continues to grow as a fighter under the direction of SugarHill Steward, who has started working with Tyson Fury.
“It has been a big difference for me as professional boxer during the last year,” he said. “I started listening. I was not listening before, I was just stepping in the ring and trying to knock my opponent out.
“Sugarhill didn’t allow me to continue sparring because I was not listening. But after my last fight, I started listening.”
He added that the addition of Fury hasn’t been a problem for him.
“That hasn’t affected me,” he said. “It has only helped me. Theotrice Chambers, Richard Phillips and the entire Kronk Gym team have taken over these past few weeks but Sugarhill is here with me now and will be in my corner on Friday night.”
Estrella (29-4, 24 KOs) will be moving back down to 140 pounds after losing a majority decision to Tony Luis at 147 in his most-recent fight. He has lost three of his past four bouts.
“This is a second chance for me,” Estrella said. “I was once 22-0 and now I’m back. I blew past Christmas and New Year’s and am so focused. I have been disciplined. I have done it before and I will get it done on Friday night.”
In a co-feature featuring unbeaten fighters, super middleweight prospect Vladimir Shishkin (9-0, 6 KOs) faces Ulises Sierra (15-0-2, 9 KOs) in a scheduled 10-round bout.
Shishkin, a Detroit-based Russian, is coming off an eighth-round knockout of DeAndre Ware in August. He also works with Steward, the nephew of the late Emanuel Steward.
“Working with Sugarhill has been incredible for me,” he said. “I’ve been improving my strength and movement especially. He’s the best trainer I’ve ever had.
“I looked at the American stars … Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr. and Floyd Mayweather Jr. growing up and they are who I model myself after.”
Sierra, a 30-year-old from San Diego, has built a reputation as a good sparring partner but wants more than that.
“Andre Ward was my first big camp and I’ve sparred with a lot of champions,” he said. “But I’m not a sparring partner. I don’t have that mentality. I figure if I’m going to spar with someone, it might as well be with the best. I’ve been in three Canelo [Alvarez] camps. And I’ve also sparred with David Benavidez.
“I get to see how they train and what they do and what makes them great. Canelo is the best of them. Just his technique and his preparation. He’s always on point and works on everything he’s told to do. They are all great champions.
“This is a great opportunity for me. I never get the calls for shows like this, and I don’t know why that is. This is my chance to shine and could change everything for me.”