Middleweight Ishe Smith is lining up his maiden bout after signing a promotional deal with Prizefight last week. He admits that inactivity had made him angry at the sport he loves, as he found it hard to stay active within boxing.
Smith, at 33, still has plenty of fights left in the tank but had a blank 2011 and, in all has fought just four times in almost three years. ‘Sugar Shay’ is planning a busy coming year with his new contract and intends to seek opportunities from 154lb to 160lbs in the coming months.
“I am hoping to fight three times this year, and I will be campaigning at 160, although I can still make 154, and whatever brings me the best opportunity will be where I start,” Smith told World Boxing News.
“I think the sky’s the limit with Prizefight Promotions. We could get a title shot this year, and the fact that I can fight 160lb or 154lb makes the options a lot better for us.
“I am just really blessed. God has watched out for me, and I had no idea this would happen. 2012 has been great thus far with having a son due next month, and then I’m returning to the ring.
“I’m excited and glad God touched this whole situation, and to Brian Young and the entire Prizefight staff – I’m grateful for all of them. I won’t let them down or myself. I have to fight mad and fight hard. I deserve better out of this game, and I am angry at her right now.
“All my opponents will feel my anger, and I know my fights have to be great. I’ve challenged myself to put the best Ishe out there for the fans, and I promise I will do it,” he added.
Ishe Smith signs with Prizefight
The American hopes to fight sometime in the spring on the back of his last bout in November 2010, in which he stopped Alexander Quiroz in the second round, and a win over a named opponent could get the former Contender star back into a decent placing in the middleweight ranks.
The Las Vegas-based fighter has never been stopped in his 27 contests in meeting some of the bigger names both in the light-middleweight and middleweight divisions, with recent standout contests against Daniel Jacobs, Fernando Guerrero, and Pawel Wolak, to name three.
Smith had been involved in a war of words with up-and-comer Peter ‘Kid Chocolate’ Quillin in 2011, and it will be interesting to see if he can position himself in with a chance of fighting a 26-0 prospect, who seems only one or two fights away from a world title shot.
