Dick Smith (boxer)

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Dick Smith
Born(1886-02-10)10 February 1886
Woolwich, London, England
Died8 January 1950(1950-01-08) (aged 63)
Dartford, England
NationalityBritish
Statistics
Weight(s)Light heavyweight, heavyweight
Boxing record
Total fights18
Wins6
Wins by KO1
Losses11
Draws1

Richard Smith (10 February 1886 – 8 January 1950) was a British light heavyweight and heavyweight boxer who was British light heavyweight champion between 1914 and 1916 and again in 1918. He fought under the name Dick Smith.

Career[edit]

Born in Woolwich, London, Dick Smith served in the armed forces in India where he won several services boxing championships, and he also won police boxing titles while a member of the police force.[1]

As an amateur he won successive A.B.A heavyweight titles in 1912 and 1913.[2]

He had his first professional fight in January 1914, a challenge to Dennis Haugh for his British light heavyweight title, which he lost in a controversial points decision. He met Haugh again two months later, this time winning on points over 20 rounds to take the title.[1] He was due to fight French champion Georges Carpentier in May 1914 but the fight was postponed after Carpentier was kicked by a horse.[3] They were due to fight in November 1914 but the fight was cancelled.[4]

Smith, then a sergeant in the British Army gymnastic staff, then moved up to the heavyweight division, challenging Bombardier Billy Wells for the British heavyweight title in May 1915; He lost after being knocked out in the ninth round.[5] He met Wells for the title again in February 1916, losing by a third-round knockout.[6]

He returned to light-heavyweight for a successful defence of his British title against Harry Curzon in June 1916.[7]

He challenged Wells for the heavyweight title for a third time in August 1916 in front of 11,800 people at St James' Park, Newcastle, this time being stopped in the ninth round.[8]

He made the second defence of his light-heavyweight title against Harry Reeve in October 1916, with Reeve taking the title on a points decision after 20 rounds.[9] Reeve relinquished the title and Smith fought Joe Beckett in February 1918 for the vacant title; Smith won a 20-round points decision to reclaim the title.[10] By December 1918 Smith had risen to the rank of company sergeant major.[11]

In July 1919 Smith met Carpentier in Paris with the EBU heavyweight and the IBU light heavyweight titles at stake; Carpentier won by a knockout in the 8th round.

In March 1920 he fought Beckett for the British heavyweight title, Beckett winning by a 5th-round knockout.[10] In November 1922 he beat Australian heavyweight champion George Cook.[12] In May 1923 he fought Beckett again for the heavyweight title but lost again after being knocked out in the 17th round while ahead on points.[10]

Smith retired from boxing in 1924, his last fight a defeat to Jack Bloomfield attended by the Prince of Wales, after which he ran a pub in Dartford where he displayed his trophies and his Lonsdale Belt.[1] Smith was described as "one of the most scientific boxers of the day".[13]

He was a keen golfer and also worked as a boxing referee.[14]

Dick Smith died on 8 January 1950 at his home in Dartford, aged 63.[1]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d "Former Boxing Champion Dead". Dundee Courier. 9 January 1950. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  2. ^ "Boxing Championships". Leeds Mercury. 13 March 1913. Retrieved 17 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  3. ^ "Carpentier", The Evening News, 18 May 1914, p. 4. Retrieved 4 October 2014
  4. ^ "Carpentier to Meet Dick Smith". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 31 July 1914. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  5. ^ "Wells Beats Smith". Liverpool Daily Post. 1 June 1915. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  6. ^ "Billy Wells Knocks Out Dick Smith in Contest for British Boxing Title". Dundee Courier. 22 February 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  7. ^ "Dick Smith Defeats Harry Curzon". Dundee Courier. 6 June 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  8. ^ "Billy Wells Out-Boxes Dick Smith". Dundee Courier. 28 August 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  9. ^ "Light Heavyweight Boxing Championship". Dundee Courier. 31 October 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  10. ^ a b c "Beckett Retains Title: Smith Out in Round 17". Aberdeen Journal. 15 May 1923. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  11. ^ "Sport-Loving Tommy: Great Boxing Tournament Raided". Liverpool Echo. 12 December 1918. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  12. ^ "Dick Smith Defeats George Cook". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 7 November 1922. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  13. ^ "Bloomfield Wins Heavy-Weight Bout With Dick Smith". Evening Telegraph. 30 May 1924. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
  14. ^ "Archie Bell Opens Well". Hull Daily Mail. 3 June 1927. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.

External links[edit]

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