Ishe Smith vs. Cecil McCalla: Fight Time, Date, Live Stream and TV Info

The biggest boxing weekend in a generation gets off to an early start on Thursday night, as Mayweather Promotion will present a card on ESPN2 from the Palms Casino in Las Vegas. In the Main Event, former IBF junior middleweight champion Ishe Smith returns to action against Cecil McCalla. 

Smith first came to widespread attention as a contestant on the reality television show The Contender. With a record of 26-7 and 12 KOs, he's had an up-and-down career. But he briefly held the IBF strap in 2013. 

Cecil McCalla, 20-1 with seven KOs, is coming off from the first loss of his career, by split decision, to Chris Heerden last January. Here's the viewing information for the bout:

When:	Thursday, April 30 at 9 p.m.
Where:	Palms Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada
Television:	ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes
Live Stream:	WatchESPN

A History Making Champion

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When Ishe Smith took the IBF belt from Cornelius Bundrage in 2013, it made him the first world champion ever who was born in Las Vegas. Smith turned professional in 2000 and caught a big break early when he appeared on the reality television show The Contender.

His career often floundered in the years after and in September 2013, he detailed to Yahoo Sport's Kevin Iole how he had nearly committed suicide. Ultimately, it was his current promoter, Floyd Mayweather Jr., who reached out to him and helped him get his career back on track. 

Mayweather hired Smith as a sparring partner and took over the promotion of his career. Ultimately, he lost his long-awaited world title in his first defense. But he has remained a contender in the ultra-competitive junior middleweight division. 

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Smith told BoxingScene on April 17 that he views this fight as "my first step toward another great opportunity."

Coming to Vegas

For Cecil McCalla, this will be his first trip to the boxing capital of Las Vegas. The Baltimore native had a nice amateur career and won his first 20 professional bouts before losing for the first time in Madison Square Garden last January.

McCalla is still on the bubble in terms of being viewed as a true contender. A win over Smith might not launch him immediately into a title fight, but it would very much put him on the radar.

At 30, McCalla needs to start making things happen quickly in his career, so expect him to approach this high-profile opportunity with a sense of urgency.

Ultimately, this is not a fight that casual fans are likely to get excited about. Smith's time as a true contender may have passed and McCalla may ultimately never even reach that kind of status. Smith's defensive style has never been what can be viewed as "fan friendly."

But for hardcore fans warming up for the kind of boxing weekend they have spent a generation waiting for, this is a decent appetizer to start building enthusiasm.