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Through 17 professional fights, Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs has passed all of his tests with flying colors, winning each bout impressively against increasingly tougher opposition.
On Saturday, August 22nd, at Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, Jacobs will face his stiffest challenge to date when he battles veteran contender Ishe “Sugar Shay” Smith in a ten round bout for the NABO Middleweight Championship that will open the highly anticipated HBO Boxing After Dark (BAD) telecast.
“The fight between Jacobs and Smith will truly show us where Jacobs is in his career,” said Oscar de la Hoya, President of Golden Boy Promotions. “Daniel has been spectacular so far, but Smith is the type of crafty veteran who will ask him questions in the ring that he’s never been forced to answer before. This is a true crossroads fight.”
In the August 22nd HBO BAD main event, former Undisputed Lightweight World Champion and Houston hero Juan “Baby Bull” Diaz takes on former 140-pound world titleholder Paulie “Magic Man” Malignaggi of Brooklyn, New York, while the co-featured bout sees heavy-handed Robert “The Ghost” Guerrero challenge for a world title in a second weight class when he takes on IBF Junior Lightweight Champion Malcolm Klassen.
With speed, power and ring smarts, Brooklyn’s Daniel Jacobs (17-0, 15 KO’s) has rightfully earned praise as the top prospect to emerge from New York in the last ten years. A stellar amateur who garnered a seemingly endless list of accolades, Jacobs turned professional in 2007 and hasn’t looked back since.
After tearing through his early opposition, the 22-year-old has upped his game in 2009 with wins over Jose Luis Cruz, Jose Varela, Michael Walker and George Walton. Now “The Golden Child” faces his toughest foe yet in Ishe Smith.
“Ishe Smith is a veteran fighter with a lot of experience at the top levels of the sport,” said Jacobs. “I’m looking forward to testing myself against him and while I think it’s going to be an exciting fight for the fans, I fully intend on leaving the ring with the victory.”
A native of Las Vegas, Nevada, Ishe Smith (21-3, 9 KO’s) first made his name on the boxing scene in 2003-2004 with big wins over Sam Garr, David Estrada and former World Champion Randall Bailey.
But it was during his stint on the first season of NBC’s “The Contender” that the entire world got to see “Sugar Shay” in action. Following the show, Smith had his ups and downs in the ring, but after handing previously unbeaten Pawel Wolak his first professional loss in August of 2008 and shutting out Chris Gray in May of this year, it’s clear that the talented 30-year-old is on the right track towards a world title shot should he get by Jacobs.
“I thank Daniel Jacobs for this opportunity, and I plan on making the most of it,” said Smith. “Jacobs is a talented young fighter who is going to do big things in this sport, but it’s just not his time yet. It’s my time. I want a shot at a world title and I know I will be right on track by beating Jacobs on August 22nd.”
All three bouts, which are presented by Golden Boy Promotions, with Diaz vs. Malignaggi and Jacobs vs. Smith being presented in association with DiBella Entertainment and Guerrero vs. Klassen being presented in association with Branco Sports Productions, will air on HBO Boxing After Dark beginning at 9:45 pm ET/PT (8:45 pm CT).
The evening of boxing is sponsored by Quaker State, Cerveza Tecate and Southwest Airlines. Doors open at 3:30pm CT and the first bout begins at approximately 3:45pm CT.
Tickets, priced at $250, $125, $70, $45 and $25, are on sale now, and may be purchased online at www.ToyotaCenterTix.com, by phone at 1-866-4-HOU-TIX, at the Toyota Center Box Office and select Houston area Randalls locations.
