GL: I'm sure you've read Sechew's recent interview on Boxingtalk, is there anything you'd like to say in response? "First of all he's bringing up my fight with Randall Bailey and it might not have been exciting but that fight happened three years ago. This guy was in a life or death situaion with Grady Brewer, he got dropped and everyone knows he lost that fight to Grady Brewer they just gave him a gift. Corneilus Bundrage also dropped him G. How many times have you seen me on the canvas? Come on Greg, against Grady Brewer this guy went back to the corner all dumb asking if he got knocked down. Grady Brewer? At least Randall Bailey was a former world champion and I had 13 fights when I fought him. But if he wants to talk about fights let's talk about recent fights like his fight with Kassim Ouma, where Kassim just took his heart."

GL: He also said that on February 17 you can expect the worst beating of your life.

Ishe Smith: "You know what? He could say what he wants to say about that. But Sechew Powell will not go twelve rounds with me on February 17. I'm going to knock him out in spectacular fashion. If he doesn't get knocked out, it shouldn't count. This guy is basic, he's a basic southpaw and we all saw what happened when he finally stepped up to fight Ouma. Kassim Ouma is just a pressure fighter, there's nothing slick or quick about him, he's just a pressure fighter and we all saw what happened, he got his heart taken. It doesn't matter who I'm in there with nobody will ever take my heart and it's like I said, Grady Brewer dropped him. I guarantee you I'm going to put them things on him."

GL: Although you describe him as a basic, do you consider Powell the best fighter you've been matched against?

IS: "I was thinking about that, but to be honest I don't know. Has he done more than Randall Bailey or David Estrada? I don't think so. And you have to remember that I dominated Estrada before he fought Mosley and gave Kermit Cintron all he could handle. I don't think he's the toughest opposition of my career and honestly I don't know if I can say he's better than Ahmed Kaddour. I don't know if he's a fighter or if he's funny because the first thing he told you was he wanted to fight that fair looking dude, that good looking dude. I'm already married Sechew, just please don't try to hug up on me when I put hands on you because I don't know if you're funny like that or not."

"Look Sergio Mora is a good fighter and I know I won that fight but I don't blame it on Sergio, I blame it on the judges. Sergio is a good fighter and when he fought Sergio he got so frustrated in there that he body slammed him. I'm telling you I'm going to his backyard but by the time I'm done putting hands on him New York is going to love me. I'll be walking out of there with Yankee Hats, Ranger Jackets and Knicks Jersey's."

GL: Have you ever looked forward to any of your fights so much?

IS: "This is going to be a war and he was talking smack about me not being a 154 pounder, but I haven't fought at welterweight in three years. What you have to remember is that when I was 16 I went to the Olympic trials at 139. I turned pro and fought 147 so what does he mean? Ask anybody I fought if I can punch."

GL: Is the bottom line, if he views you as a welterweight then he's about to get stopped by a welterweight?

IS: "He's going to get stopped by a welterweight who is now a full blown junior middleweight. I'm hungrier than he is and I'm ready to fight. I respect Lou DiBella for what he does for the sport of boxing. After February 17, he'll be one fighter short. The Iron Horse? Please. He's so soft in his stomach that if you poke him there he makes a he-he noise like the Pillsbury Boy. He's soft and ain't nothing iron on that dude. Sechew is softer than his stomach is."

GL: With that being said how much can we expect to see you work the body?

IS: "That's my bread and butter so you're going to see that all day long. By the time the first round is over he's going to know what he's in there with. I'm going to stop him. I'm not Grady Brewer, when I hurt you, I will stop you."

GL: Is there anything you'd like to say in closing?

A Poem By Ishe Smith:

Sechew, Sechew
Oh how I'm glad that I'm not you
On February 17 you will be through

The Crowd will roar as I bash your face in
At the end of the night I will have the only hand
that the referee's raising

The fight will be go like this
1-2-3, 1-2-3 with a head like that how can I miss?

A right hand will send you crashing to your knees
The next time we hear from you
It'll be at McDonald's saying can I take your order please

M

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