Official Website of Sugar Shay Smith

By Ed Ludwig

30.07 - Tomorrow night Welterweight prospect Ishe Smith (12-0 7 KO’s) will challenge David Estrada (15-0 7 KO’s) in a battle of the undefeated. The bout coming to you from Sault St. Marie, Michigan will headline the card that will be televised on Showtime’s ShoBox series. You can tune into the action at 11pm EST and 11pm PST this Thursday night. Ishe Smith is very confident that he will come out victorious and shows no real concern for the possibility of a defeat to the Angelo Dundee protégé. Kermit Cintron is the fighter on Smith’s radar screen and he hopes a victory over Estrada will bring him one step closer to Cintron. I would like to thank Ishe Smith for taking the time to speak with Eastside Boxing.

Ed Ludwig: Not often do we see two undefeated prospects meet. Are you ready for David Estrada?

Ishe Smith: I am very confident and willing to take chances that other prospects don’t take. Even though he is with Angelo Dundee I don’t see that becoming a factor in this fight as it comes down to Estrada and me.

EL: How long were you in training for Estrada following your knockout victory over Sal Lopez?

IS: I took a week off following the Lopez fight. I fought him on a Friday then I got the call for the Estrada fight four days later and a week after the Lopez fight I was back in the gym so I really didn’t get much of a break. It’s been not stop training for 8 to 10 weeks with about a week off during that period.

EL: You have been very busy so do you plan on taking some time off and rest?

IS: Right now I just have to sacrifice, my body permitting to get where I want to be and that is to win a championship. I won’t have to do this much longer if I keep busy and stay on course.

EL: Any nerves at all with headlining your first televised card?

IS: No, I am very excited. My wife was at the last fight and I wanted her at this one because this is the biggest fight of my career. This is what makes great fighters great. It’s what makes guys like Oscar De La Hoya and Roy Jones Jr. great. They were willing to take chances and if I don’t take these chances I won’t be a great fighter and I want to consider myself great and leave my legacy in the sport.

EL: You have any concerns heading into your big clash with Estrada Tomorrow?

IS: I don’t like to put pressure on myself but I am very confident for this fight. When I go into a fight I never worry about what my opponent will do, I’m my own worst critic so I’m always more concerned with what I’m going to do and make sure we execute our game plan. I’m not overlooking Estrada but he is not going to beat me and that is how I feel with every fight.

EL: Any predictions or you just going to roll with it and see what happens?

IS: I’m just going to roll with it and see what happens and that’s it. If everything works out right he won’t be in there long but if he is in there then I can’t do anything about that but I’m just here to impress and give the fans what they want to see. I made no predictions with Sal Lopez and I went in there and executed my game plan and stopped him.

EL: That was a great body shot that you stopped Lopez with. Is that something you work on in the gym often?

IS: Body punches have been the key. I have been hurting sparring partners in the gym with body shots and headshots. A lot of guys are so scared of my power up top because they don’t like to get hit so my coaches and I execute different ways to get my punches flowing better. Sam Garr taught me a lot, not only going the distance. I have become a boxer puncher and not a brawler. It has really paid off and with Sal Lopez it really showed and with Sam Garr if I didn’t make the fight like I did it would have been a bore because Garr was not there to fight but to survive. I had to fight like that and from now on I am going to be a boxer puncher because that is what I am.

EL: Are you able to adapt to any style without getting confused or caught in a lull?

IS: Any style I can pretty much adapt too. David Estrada has to bring his best. We are ready for everything that he has to bring. We know he switches I know everything about this guy. I was in camp with Estrada for three weeks as we sparred with Fernando Vargas. There is nothing he can do different and I don’t care what Angelo tells him but Estrada knows deep down what kind of skills I possess and what kind of skills he possesses. At this level he knows I am better then him, period! I’m looking very forward to putting a good show on for the fans and Gary Shaw.

EL: Regardless of the outcome will the loser be able to rebound being that you both are still in the infancy of your careers?

IS: I don’t know if Estrada will be able to rebound after this loss. It depends on how he loses. Nobody really takes him serious anyway because he has not fought anyone. All eyes are on me right now with what I’m going to do and accomplish. I just broke into the WBC top 20 so this fight is about me and people don’t expect me to lose. I always give it one hundred percent and after this it might hurt Estrada’s ego but he might be able to come back.

EL: Now that fight time is drawing near what will you be doing prior to entering the ring?

IS: I’m going to relax and get mentally prepared and psyched up. I remind myself how important this fight is and I write motivational stuff down and ask god to be with me. It’s a war and I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I don’t talk to many people while I’m getting ready because I want to be very focused.

EL: Is Kermit Cintron still in your sights?

IS: I think Chris Smith and Kermit Cintron, more so Cintron would be a great fight. I don’t really think much of Smith so hopefully Cintron keeps winning and we can do it.

EL: Closing comments for you fans?

IS: Tune in for a great fight and a great show. I am ready to show the fans quality and quantity boxing and to thank everyone for their continued support.

EL: Thanks for your time.

IS: Your welcome and thank you.

BOUT SHEET

SHOBOX
GARY SHAW PRODUCTIONS, LLC
JULY 31, 2003
KEWADIN CASINO
SAULT STE. MARIE, MI

(10 Rds. Welterweight Championship)

ISHE SMITH VS. DAVID ESTRADA
Las Vegas, NV Chicago. IL
(12-0, 7 KOs) (15-0, 7 KOs)


(10 Rds. Lightweight Bout)

KOBA GOGOLADZE VS. MIGUEL TORRESILLAS
Philadelphia, PA Mexico
(9-0, 4 KOs) (13-3, 6 KOs)

(6 Rds. Lightweight Bout)

RAMAZIN PALIANI VS. MIKE HAMMOND
Philadelphia, PA Akron, Ohio
(6-0, 3 KOs) (1-4, 1 KOs)

(6 Rds. Super Lightweight Bout)

JUSTO SENSION VS. ABDUL BLACKBURN
The Bronx, NY Cleveland, OH
(20-3, 12 KOs) (7-21-3, 3 KOs)

(4 Rds. Women's Super Lightweight Bout)

MARY JO SANDERS VS. TERRY BLAIR
Detroit, MI Louisville, KY.
(5-0, 1 KO) (2-4, 1 KO)

(4 Rds. Lightweight Bout)

ARMAND HORN VS. MATT HORNING
St. Igance, MI Travers City, MI
(6-0, 6 KOs) (0-1, 0 KOs)

(Card Subject To Change)