Las Vegas native Ishe Smith looks for big win on Shobox

By Brett Okamoto

Thursday, July 15, 2010 | 12:05 p.m.

Las Vegas native and boxer Ishe Smith admits that over the last few years, he allowed himself to become more focused on the fights he wasn't getting than the love that brought him to the sport in the first place.

Helping an old acquaintance prepare for a major bout changed that.

Earlier this year, Smith served as a sparring partner to Floyd Mayweather Jr. in his preparations for a May 1 fight against Shane Mosley.

The experience of working with a fighter as dedicated as Mayweather gave Smith an entirely new outlook on his own career.

"The last time me and Floyd sparred was probably around 1998," Smith said. "This time, he needed help in his last few weeks of camp. It rejuvenated my career. It put me in a better mental state.

"I was at a point where I wasn't able to get any of the fights I wanted. To be around that environment, it helped me not worry about what was going on in my career. It helped me reconnect myself to the sport."

After years of watching fights fall apart for various reasons, Smith (21-4, 9 KO) will look to take advantage of a big opportunity Friday when he takes on undefeated middleweight Fernando Guerrero (18-0, 15 KO) in Southaven, Miss. The fight will be televised on the Showtime Network.

It will be the second time in as many fights that Smith will look to put the breaks on a rising prospect's career.

In a bout last August, he dropped a unanimous decision to 23-year-old Daniel Jacobs.

Once a valued prospect himself, Smith says he's not underestimating his next opponent — but anyone calling Guerrero a future world champ might want to hold off.

"I think people are too quick to anoint guys as prospects," Smith said. "When I was a prospect I had fought very tough fighters. I had fought David Estrada, Randall Bailey, Sam Garr. I didn't get fed a lot of bums.

"My road was never an easy one. I don't know if he's fought the opposition that I've faced. We'll see what the young man can do."

Although he approaches every fight as a must-win, Smith admits he has little room for error at this stage of his career.

Since leaving the nationally televised reality series "The Contender" in 2005, he's fought just nine times, two of which were six-round contests.

To prepare for Guerrero, Smith has worked with world-class sparring partners. In addition to Mayweather, he's also been in the ring with former welterweight world champion Zab Judah and current interim WBC light heavyweight champ Chad Dawson.

"Unless you've already built your name like a Miguel Cotto or Manny Pacquiao, you can't afford to lose," Smith said. "That's what we're doing right now, is building my brand, and we can't afford any setbacks.

"Before the fight with Jacobs I had four weeks to prepare. This time I've had a full two months to get the necessary things done and I know we're going to be successful."

As for what lies ahead for the Durango graduate, Smith says he's done worrying about it. Whatever fights are meant to happen will happen.

For now, he's back to simply enjoying the sport as much as he did when he was a 10-time Nevada Golden Gloves champion.

"My dream is to still be the first native-born son of Las Vegas to become a world champion," Smith said. "I loved living here and going to high school here. Other than that, I'm focused on being a good father and a good man."

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com. Follow him on Twitter at LVSunFighting