"I always knew what I was capable of but the thing was, nobody knew me," Smith said to Maxboxing last week. "Like anything in life, you’ve got to roll the dice, take a chance, time and time again and I just thank the Lord I came out the best every time."
Smith, who has a mark of 18-1-1 (10), is now a known commodity. No longer is the native of Miami, Florida an unknown spoiler.
"I don’t let any of that get to me," he states. "I remain grounded. It takes a long time for you to get it but it can be taken away so quickly. But I just remain grounded and treat everything like it’s my first." When asked if he still possesses the same hunger as he did in the past, the respectful Smith answers, "Honestly, believe it or not, I’m more hungry now because my prize is right there. I’m on the right track. Before, nobody really knew me, didn’t know what I was capable of. So if I lost, that’s what I was supposed to do. But now, I’m really right there. I think I’m more hungry than I’ve ever been."
If prospects like Daniel Jacobs are boxing’s version of John Wall or Evan Turner, then Smith is that guy who goes undrafted and has to make a squad the hard way by earning a few 10-day contracts. Even to those in the know, Smith seemingly came out of nowhere.
"I really didn’t have much of an accomplished amateur career," the 23-year-old admitted. "But based on my financial situation, I wasn’t allowed to do things I wanted to do as an amateur and my style was more of a professional style. I’m a slow starter so that’s another big thing that I had to deal with in the amateurs. It was mostly about hand speed and getting off your punches. And basically [with] my financial situation, I had no choice; I was basically forced to turn pro and deal with my financial problems. So if I was going to do something, I had to turn pro, see what I can do. Whatever I do, I do. In a million years, I never thought I’d be at where I’m at now. Life is crazy man. I always stay hard working and determined and continue to work hard."
In looking at Smith, his style and ring temperament is very similar to another boxer who fights out of the 305, Glen Johnson, another blue-collar fighter who simply puts on his hard hat and gets to the arduous task at hand. There are no frills to what Smith does; he applies steady pressure and slowly breaks you down with a heavy-handed, two-fisted attack. You could call him an athletic grinder.
His promoter Lou DiBella says, "He can fight his ass off; he’s a throwback fighter. He’s got tremendous skills; he’s got a lot of grit and he’s one of those guys that didn’t get any acclaim, particularly after he lost a stupid, hometown controversial decision to Eddie Paredes in a six-round fight. People just started throwing him to wolves and every time that they expected him to lose, he won."
While he might have been brought in as cannon fodder last year, he never thought of himself as the B-side of the equation. "A lot of people didn’t believe I could win those fights. Of course, me and my team, we thought otherwise," Smith stated. "The first couple of fights, basically, we were taking a chance because, at that time, we didn’t know where we really were. But now, we know where we are, no doubts, no questions about what we’re capable of and what we’re capable of doing. Now, I just enter each fight with that mentality. I didn’t look at it as an opponent or favorite. The bell rings; all that stuff goes out the window. It’s just you and him."
Nothing that has transpired in the ring that previous 18 months has surprised him.
"No, most of the guys that I’ve beaten already, it’s just that I felt like I was on the same level as them. I just didn’t have the same accomplished amateur career or the same highlights they had as an amateur. Not saying that I’m the best, I just believe I can compete with anyone," said Smith, who is more talkative than you’re led to believe.
DiBella, like everyone else, discovered Smith while he made his run last year on "Friday Night Fights.”
"It was really Paulie Malignaggi who turned me on to the kid because it was the first opponent through his run on ESPN that he wasn’t supposed to win. And Paulie called me, ’Are you watching ESPN?’ and I said, ’No’. He said, ’Turn it on because I never heard of this kid and he can fight his ass off.’ I turned it on and then it became like a running joke; every time the kid fought on ESPN, Paulie would call me up. I was like, ’I gotta sign this kid,’ and then after that, he fought Richard Gutierrez and he beat him up and when I signed him, I knew I had found a diamond in the coal mine. The kid is a tremendous talent.
"I think he has the ability to beat anybody. I have no doubt in my mind that Antwone Smith can be welterweight champion of the world," added DiBella.
Before he gets a title shot, he might be paired up with fellow welterweight hopeful Mike Jones, who fights in the main event in this “ShoBox” broadcast against Irving Garcia. While it may be unusual to throw in two such highly-regarded prospects before they fight for major world titles because these fighters are not with a Top Rank, Golden Boy or Al Haymon, they really don’t have the option of letting this match-up marinate into the future.
"Boxing has become so insular, with certain promoters only putting their guys with their own guys, that it’s become very, very difficult to move talent and it’s very difficult- much more difficult- for a young fighter to get the exposure he needs," explained DiBella, of the problem he and J. Russell Peltz (who has Jones) face currently. "So I think that there’s a very, very good chance that Mike Jones and Antwone Smith are on a collision course sooner, rather than later, because frankly, they both need the opportunity. The winner of a fight between them will clearly be regarded as the top young welterweight in the country, one of the top young welterweights in the world."
When asked about that possibility, Smith says, "The only thing I really know is that they compare us as the two best United States-based prospects. I think that fight, right there, will take me from prospect to contender." As far as MJ as a fighter? "I respect any man that lace ’em up; I respect him. He has good technique. I respect him the same way I respect anybody else. But at the end of the day, business must be handled."
But the journey is just beginning for “The Truth.” In 2009, he made himself known. In 2010 and beyond, he wants to make himself a mainstay.
"I’m going to take my time and I’m going to let my team, DiBella Entertainment, and my manager handle that because I believe you can’t ever have too much experience," are the words of Smith, who has maturity beyond his years. "So I’m just going to continue to try to fight solid competition and continue to win. When my time comes, I will be very, very ready and prepared."
NSAC
On Friday, Antonio Margarito will go up for re-licensing before the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Just a few thoughts on that issue...
- I have a hard time believing that Top Rank/Bob Arum would do this without having some sort of inkling from that jurisdiction that his plight would be looked upon in a favorable light. Arum is very connected in Las Vegas and also very influential. I don’t think they made this decision on a lark.
- I learned long ago that the NSAC, like almost everything there in that state, is there to protect the interest of the casinos and the gaming industry who, right now, are struggling. Bottom line, they need events like a potential rematch between Margarito and Miguel Cotto in “Sin City” or anything else that can bring them revenue.
- The fact that Keith Kizer, the executive director of the NSAC, has been so vehement in his claims that there were no improprieties when Margarito fought Cotto in 2008 does help the cause.
- It’s funny, but I have no problems with anyone who believes Margarito deserves a lifetime banishment. But what I find interesting is the free pass given to those who use steroids, EPO or any other illegal performance-enhancing drugs in a prizefight. It’s very simple; they are both gaining an illicit advantage and, no matter what anyone says, the intent is the same- to be able to inflict more damage on your opponent.
So why the double-standard?
PROSPECTUS
Manager Cameron Dunkin can recruit like Urban Meyer or Nick Saban and, this week, he added to his already deep roster of young talent by inking Manuel “Tino” Avila.
"He’s about 5’7”, right-handed kid from Fairfield, California. He fights out of the Vacaville PAL," Dunkin told Maxboxing. "This kid, I think is special, just like Randy Caballero or Gabino Saenz. I think he’s going to be a special guy. I’ll think he’ll grow into a full-fledged ’30-pounder one day. He was ranked number three in the world as an amateur in the junior rankings and he was ranked number six in the world as a junior, which is under 19, and beat some really good kids. He just turned 18 on July 4th.
Dunkin added, "He wanted to go pro and could’ve stayed and certainly could be at the U.S. Championships. I just really see a bright future for this guy."
Dunkin says he is in the process of situating him with a promoter and then scheduling his pro debut.
LEBRON FLURRIES
The “ShoBox” telecast airs on Showtime at 11 PM ET/PT...Busy weekend of boxing. You have ESPN2 with Johnny Molina facing Henry Lundy and Telefutura with Erislandy Lara as the headliner...On Saturday night, Showtime has “JuanMa” Lopez-Bernabe Concepcion and Nonito Donaire-Hernan Marquez...I understand that a fight between WBC lightweight champion Humberto Soto and Urbano Antillon is being discussed for Sept. 4th...Just wondering, if the Klitschko brothers were advised by Al Haymon, would they be made persona non grata at HBO? Just wondering...Speaking of heavyweights, Kathy Duva of Main Events says that after Tommy Adamek fights Michael Grant on August 21st, he is scheduled again for November 6th in Atlantic City...Great threesome at Miami with Wade, Bosh and LeBron, but do they have enough complimentary parts surrounding them? Or do they even need them at all?...I think Chicago would have been a better fit for ‘Bron. Me? I would’ve chosen the Harlem Globetrotters. If he wanted world-wide branding and a winning tradition, who better than this organization?...Still can’t believe the Padres are in first place...So basically the New York Knicks waited three years to get Amare Stoudemire? That’s kind of a letdown, don’t ya’ think?...I can be reached at k9kim@yahoo.com and you can follow me at www.twitter.com/stevemaxboxing. You can also become a Facebook fan of Maxboxing at www.facebook.com/MaxBoxing.
