Following an exclusive interview with World Boxing News, former world champion Ishe Smith has been offered a fight opposite Tyler Goodjohn.
Smith discussed a potential return to bare-knuckle boxing after a solid debut, having seen few offers come from a dominant win over Estevan Payan.
Taking to the new code last September, ‘Sugar Shay’ says he wanted to continue his run without success.
“I would love to do bare-knuckle again,” Smith told WBN earlier this week. “I was targeting an April return in that. But the December show got canceled so I don’t know where we stand at the moment.
“They want blood, cuts, and knockouts. But I beat the shit out of those guys minus getting hit. All of those bare-knuckle fighters are easy work for me.
“I reached out to the company in the UK, never heard back. I reached out to the company Paulie (Malignaggi) fought for (BKFC) but never heard back.
“They must not want me beating the shit out of their guys. The guy Paulie fought (Artem Lobov), can’t think his name at the moment, but I would destroy that guy in a bare-knuckle fight.
“The hardest thing about that sport is the pain endured on your hands, other than that it was a cakewalk,” he said.
Minutes on from retweeting the article with WBN, UK BKB star Tyler Goodjohn stepped up to the plate.
“(It) would be a pleasure to share the ring with Ishe,” said ‘El Tornado’. “He’s a boxing legend.
“It’s definitely a fight that could be made in 2020. I have a huge fight in April but after that, I’m 110% down.”
BKB, the company where Goodjohn plies his trade, then stated talks had previously taken place with Smith.
“He’s welcome here to try against the best in the world. I spoke to his manager but demands were ridiculous as to where bare-knuckle is now.”
They were not ridiculous, you never got back, just own it. You never made a solid offer, I’m always open for ideas, I have rarely turned down a offer. negotiations are just that, but when you walk away from the table that’s on you.
— Ishé Oluwa Kamau Ali Smith (@IsheSugarShay) February 7, 2020
Retaliating to the claims he priced himself out, Smith stated: “They were not ridiculous. You never got back, just own it.
“You never made a solid offer. I’m always open for ideas, I have rarely turned down an offer.
“Negotiations are just that, but when you walk away from the table that’s on you.”
The conversation continued with a further BKB response.
“Well, you message me I don’t deal with managers, etc and we set our stall out early every fighter is contracted to us. (We) don’t need any manager extracting money from them.
“We both grown adults. I’m only a message away, mate.
The American and former Mayweather Promotions star replied: “My advisor doesn’t take money from me and he profits 0.
“He just assures I get the best deal. He also happens to be my best friend and he made zero off my deal with Valor BK.
“But I’ve been doing this for 20 years. It’s best to walk into a room with ya best friend than to walk alone.”
It seems a positive conclusion is possible gathering from the back and forth, with Smith firmly open to a return to the bare-knuckle scene this year.
An offers to extend his boxing career would no doubt be of interest to the ex-Contender competitor too for 2020.
