After hearing the news that Contender Star Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith is a free agent and free to sign with any promoter he’d like. Boxingtalk.com contacted him to get his thoughts. “I am happy! I have to say it’s a blessing” stated Smith stated the highly regarded Jr. Middleweight prospect. “I am looking forward to big fights in 2006” he added. Read one, as he talk to us about his free agent status (Promotional & Managerial) his future plans and much more.

RC: Ishe, this past weekend, Boxingtalk.com received the good news that you are currently a free agent, what can you tell us?
IS: I am happy! I have to say it’s a blessing, I’m just happy to get a chance to move on with my career, and I am looking forward to big fights in 2006.

RC: We all know you went through a three month long arbitration, on what grounds were you actually released?
IS: (Starts stuttering) you know I really don’t want to speak about it; I am just happy that it is all over with and I can just move forward with my career. I enjoyed my time in that part of my life, but I really just want to focus on the future and move forward. It was great being a part of it all, but honestly I really just want to focus on my career, I really just want to focus on becoming a world champion.

RC: I’m sure before the show you probably would have sparked lots of interest, but after the exposure you received on the show, I doubt it would be hard to find your new promoter. Have you had and serious discussion with any promoters yet?
IS: Well, we have been pretty much taking it easy. My advisors Keith Jackson and Jamaal Lesane did a great job with the arbitration, and I want to thank them for that. I haven’t really done much since I found out on Friday (11/18/05). This past weekend, I basically just chilled and kicked it with the family.

RC: After months of back and forth between you and the people over at the contender how does it feel to actually be free?
IS: You know what it has been crazy… because it has been so long, that when it finally happened that I was free, I was shocked. It didn’t actually set in until today and it actually feels good.

RC: Any promoters in particular you have in mind on signing with?
IS: No one in particular in mind, I don’t know what is out there, and I don’t know who is interested.

RC: Well whoever it is. (Jokingly) Is it safe to say they are going to have to get the special account check books open and ready when you’ll sit down and talk?
IS: (Starts to laugh) I mean... (Starts to laugh again) I mean man, all I want to do is become a world champion. That is all I have thought about since I was a little kid. Making money is great, and it is always good to make money to be able to take care of your family especially being that I have a kid due in March. But that (Money) is not the most important to me, I just want to win fights. I know as long as you are winning, no matter what promoter you are with, you are going to make good money. So hopefully I can get with a promoter that is going to get me good fights. I am looking forward to doing my job, and hopefully the promoter I sign with does his. I already have a good support team; actually I have a great team and we are ready to make it happen in ‘06.

RC: So basically your management team is set, now all you need is a good promoter that can make it happen on his end?
IS: Yes, I have a great team of people, I think Jamaal Lesane and Keith Jackson are great people to have advising me. I mean they have done a great job advising me on countless things. But as far as a manager? I don’t have a manager. Now if someone was to come up that interested me, and they were talking right, then we will move forward. But we will just see what happens; right now sky is the limit. They (Advisors) are going to listen to everything and see what is out there. You know like I said we don’t know who is out there, we don’t know who is interested. We just don’t know. We do know that I have a lot of notoriety, a lot of people know who I am and in boxing that is huge. A lot of people are anxious to see what I can do. You can check my website and look on my forum. That is all they talk about on there, fans from all over the world are excited and they can’t wait for me to fight. I have so much love for all of my fans that have stuck with me throughout the whole process, and the ones that believed in me  and supported me.

RC: Many feel that despite not winning the million dollars on the show, you are the best, and most talent fighter, with the most potential. That can along with the exposure, should really help your stock when looking for a promoter which can be a long negotiating process. With that said, how long would you say before you are actually back in action?
IS: I don’t know. I will be ready once we work everything out. …… I have a great team that’s ready from my coach to my advisors. So it depends on how everything works out. I have Joe Goossen the best trainer in boxing, along with my right hand man Cam ready to go to camp. But it really depends on what’s out there, we will see.

RC: Last question before I let you go. Do you feel that by severing your ties with the contender people, you kissed your only chance of revenging your, lone career loss (Controversial) loss to Sergio Mora, Goodbye?
IS: I am not mad man, I have a lot of respect for Sergio Mora, and I wish him nothing but the best in his career. I am not worried about it, you can’t cry over spilled milk. As a fighter I have to move forward and advance in my career. And he has to advance in his career, we will see, maybe in the future we can still do it. Who knows… if he is champion and I am champion then who knows. But I wish him nothing but the best; I wish them all of them the best.

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