NEW YORK (Jan. 7, 2005) – Blue-collar boxer Christopher “The Mechanic” Smith will attempt to dismantle David Estrada in an IBF elimination bout for the No. 2 ranking Friday, Jan. 21, on the SHOWTIME boxing series, “ShoBox: The New Generation.” In the eight-round co-feature, unbeaten junior middleweight contender Sechew “Iron Horse” Powell will make his second SHOWTIME and “ShoBox” appearances as he takes on Patrick “One-Punch” Thompson, a replacement for Aslanbek Kodzoev..
SHOWTIME will televise the DiBella Entertainment doubleheader from the Mohegan Sun Casino in Uncasville, Conn., at 11 p.m. ET/PT (tape delayed on West Coast). The telecast represents the 55th in the popular “ShoBox” series, which debuted on SHOWTIME in July 2001.
Smith (19-0-1, 12 KOs), originally of Mandeville, Jamaica, received his nickname “The Mechanic” because he takes people apart in the ring. The high-energy fighter made his professional debut nine days after his 23rd birthday on Feb. 24, 1998, and scored an opening-round TKO over Leon Rouse in Ledyard, Conn. The unbeaten and well traveled boxer has fought in 10 different states in just 20 bouts.
The native Jamaican, now residing in Queens, N.Y., utilized a crushing body attack to score a ninth-round TKO over Marlon Haynes on Sept. 12, 2002, to win the interim North American Boxing Association (NABA) welterweight title.
In his initial title defense, Smith controlled the early going before eventually tallying a 10th-round TKO over veteran Sam Garr on Feb. 14, 2003, in Louisville, Ky. After Smith rocked his opponent with a lead right hand to the jaw in the 10th, Garr retreated. Moments later, Smith nailed the veteran with a long right cross that landed square on Garr’s jaw. Garr’s legs wobbled as he bent forward and then slid down the ropes coming to rest on one knee.
The former New York Golden Gloves Champion has successfully defended his NABA title three additional times. Following a non-title victory over Grover Wiley in May 2003, the hard-hitting Jamaican erupted for an eighth-round TKO over Frankie Sanchez on Aug. 23, 2003, in Biloxi, Miss.
In his next title defense nine months later, Smith engaged in a wild slugfest with Luis Hernandez on June 4, 2004, in Poughkeepsie, N.Y.
Smith floored Hernandez in the second, ninth and 12th rounds before a ringside doctor waved the fight off with 29 seconds remaining. The final knockdown sent Hernandez to the canvas, and his momentum carried him under the bottom rope and out of the ring. The exhausted fighter landed on the scorer’s table and climbed back into the ring.
Most recently, Smith stopped his sixth opponent in seven outings when he recorded a 10th-round TKO over Dillon Carew on Oct. 14, 2004, in New York.
“I am an action fighter,” Smith says. “I give fans what they want to see. If that means throwing 100 punches a round, then that is what I will do.”
Estrada (17-1, 8 KOs), of Chicago, compiled a 50-10 amateur record, while winning several local Chicago-area titles and the 1998 Texas State Golden Gloves. After making his mark in the amateur ranks, Estrada made his pro debut and registered a four-round decision over Tyrone Handy on Oct. 28, 1999.
In his second SHOWTIME and “ShoBox” appearance, Estrada dealt previously undefeated Nurhan Suleymanoglu his first defeat and captured the vacant United States Boxing Association (USBA) welterweight crown with an impressive 12-round unanimous decision by the scores 120-108 and 117-111 twice July 15, 2004, in Santa Ynez, Calif.
Estrada’s, only loss came in his “ShoBox’’ debut when he dropped a 10-round decision to undefeated Ishe Smith on July 31, 2003, in Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. Estrada is trained by the world-renowned Angelo Dundee. When he is not punching for pay, Estrada teaches individual and group boxing classes as an instructor at the South Florida Boxing Gym.
Powell (14-0, 9 KOs), of Brooklyn, N.Y., got floored and was nearly knocked out in the fifth round by Grady Brewer in his SHOWTIME and “ShoBox” debuts on June 17, 2004, in Laughlin, Nev., but managed to survive the round and record an eight-round split decision by the scores 76-75 twice and 75-76 after the eighth.
In Powell’s last outing on Sept. 30, 2004, in New York, N.Y., he scored a unanimous decision over George Armenta, outboxing his aggressive opponent. Powell fought most of the fight backing up and fighting off the ropes. He was a very effective counter puncher against the orthodox Armenta.
At Brooklyn’s Prospect High School, Powell excelled in both basketball and swimming while capturing three “Under 19’’ national titles, the Junior World Championship in Russia, the Everlast U.S. Championship, and both the New York and the National Golden Gloves. During a nine-year amateur career, Powell compiled a 147-9 record, but suffered a heartbreaking disqualification loss in the 2000 Olympic Trials.
In his pro debut, Powell registered a second-round TKO over Aundalen Sloan on Aug. 17, 2002, in Atlantic City, N.J. Powell dominated by utilizing a stiff jab and quick, hard combinations. After a hard left hand sent Sloan stumbling to the ropes later in the first round, Powell dazzled the crowd with an eight-punch combination. Late in the second, he continued the onslaught by landing a six-punch combination that staggered Sloan. Moments later, the referee halted the bout.
Thompson (8-3-1, 4 KOs), of Lincoln, Neb. by way of Chicago, is a substitute for Kodzoev who withdrew to remain in Russia. Thompson got a late start in boxing. After winning the majority of his 14 amateur fights, he turned pro at the age of 29 with a third-round TKO over Gary Moore in Lincoln, Neb., on Aug. 11, 2002.
Since his debut, Thompson has fought almost all of his fights in his opponent’s backyard.
“I am accustomed to fighting on the road,” Thompson said. “In some ways, it gives me motivation. Starting as late I as did, I am always the underdog, but that does not bother me at all. I always give my best and I always come to win. I feel that I am better than my record and maybe could still be undefeated. What does that tell you when you lose spilt or majority decisions in the other guy’s hometown? And that has happened to me twice.”
In his last outing, Thompson lost an eight-round split-decision to local hero Matt Vanda (31-1) in his hometown of St. Paul, Minn.
Nick Charles will call the action from ringside, with Steve Farhood serving as expert analyst. The executive producer of the telecast is Gordon Hall, with Richard Gaughan producing.
For information on “ShoBox: The New Generation” and SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecasts, including complete fighter bios, records, related stories and more, please go the SHOWTIME website at http://www.sho.com/boxing