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Shawn Estrada has been overcoming odds since the first time he stepped into the ropes and found the sport that probably will one day make him rich.

He made it out of the tough streets of East Los Angeles. He found boxing as an outlet for an aggressive demeanor and sometimes bad temper. He's gone from almost giving up boxing on the eve of flying to the Olympic trials last year, to becoming the surprise and talk of this year's tournament.

When presented with the fact that his 165-pound division will be the toughest and deepest at the Beijing Olympics, Estrada doesn't blink an eye.

He's always been the underdog. He's always had to fight for everything.

So why should a two-time world champion from Russia or the Pan-Am games champion from Cuba scare him?

"No way I'm nervous. I've always had the toughest bracket. My weight class has always been tough," Estrada said. "I'm just a kid from East L.A. that came out of the barrio. I'm there to represent my country."

Estrada, who prior to the Olympic trials trained at Quaker Mountain Ranch just north of Hayden, said his time in Steamboat Springs with boxing coach and Manager Bobby Lee and trainer Arnulfo Bravo helped set things in motion.

"Coming from a big city, it gets you away from all your problems," Estrada said of his training in Routt County. "It gets your mind right. Physically, you can train, but you won't be a good fighter until your mind is right."

Estrada's mental toughness starts with his family.

The family-oriented fighter once almost didn't make a flight because he wanted to spend time with his 1-year-old daughter. His father, Juan, was on Mexico's Olympic boxing team, and his uncle, Adan, was a professional fighter.

Juan Estrada is seriously ill with liver problems, cancer and pacemaker woes.

Lee said in the first two qualifying tournaments, Shawn Estrada's mind wasn't on boxing but on his family. Lee said he told Estrada in his final qualifying tournament - a win or no Olympics - to fight for his family.

"If he doesn't do it for his family, then he won't medal," Lee said. "If he does, he can win the gold medal."

'Sleep when you die'

Recently, Estrada solely has been focused on Beijing. Though he was able to get back to East Los Angeles for a fundraiser to help send some of his family to Beijing to watch him, Estrada's been entrenched in workouts with the team. He said he's never been more prepared or focused in his life.

"I've been able to stay focused and push a little extra," Estrada said. "I'm pushing myself. A lot of the guys get tired and want to go to sleep. You can sleep when you die."

Bravo said Estrada's future probably is better as a professional fighter than an Olympian. In the Olympics, fights are scored by how many punches are registered on a computer system. Bravo said with Estrada's heavy hands and go-at-you style, he has the potential to be a future world champion.

"One thing that stood out is, he could box and he's a puncher. He can knock you out with either hand," Bravo said. "We're looking for him as a professional. In the pro game, he'd be really good. The best amateurs, the Cubans, all they do is train to score points. They're keeping it 1-2-3. They really train for the computers."

Estrada said when he does turn pro, he'll most likely train out of East Los Angeles, but will make the trip and train in Hayden as much as he can.

He's working deals for major promotions and should be the next boxing star out of East Los Angeles, following in the footsteps of fighters such as Oscar De La Hoya and Fernando Vargas, Bravo said.

But all that can wait for Estrada. He's itching to get started and said the money, turning pro and staging a path to a world championship are all out of his mind now.

As he said, he's in it to win it.

"The gold medal - it's the only thing I'm focusing on," Estrada said. "The gold medal, and that's it."

Estrada is set to take to the ring at 11:30 p.m. Saturday. The medal rounds take place Aug. 23 and 24.

- To reach Luke Graham, call 871-4229

or e-mail lgraham@steamboatpilot.com