Wallace Smith (boxer)

Wallace "Bud" Smith
Wallace "Bud" Smith
Born	April 2, 1924; Cincinnati, Ohio
Died	July 11, 1973 (aged 49)
Nationality	American
	Statistics
Weight(s)	Lightweight
Height	5 ft 6+1⁄2 in (169 cm)
Stance	Orthodox
	Boxing record
Total fights	60
Wins	31
Wins by KO	18
Losses	23
Draws	6
No contests	0

Wallace "Bud" Smith (April 2, 1924 – July 11, 1973) was a world lightweight boxing champion who also competed in the Olympic Games. He was murdered in 1973.

Amateur career

Born in Cincinnati, OH, Smith represented the United States at the 1948 Olympic Games in the lightweight division. Smith defeated Chuck Davey of Michigan State College, to earn a spot on the team. Smith had been the 1948 A.A.U. Lightweight Champion. He reportedly ended his amateur career with a 52-4 record.

Professional career

Smith turned pro in 1948 with a first round knockout over Torpedo Tinsley. Over the next seven years, Smith established himself as one of the world's top lightweights with victories over top-rated Red Top Davis, Orlando Zulueta, and Arthur Persley.

On June 29, 1955, Smith upset the odds and decisioned 3-time world lightweight champion Jimmy Carter to win the title. Four months later successfully defended the title in a rematch with Carter.^[1]

However, In 1956, after losing 3-straight non-title bouts, Smith lost his title in an upset to Joe Brown. Smith went on to fight two more years; ending his career after losing 11 straight fights, half by knockout.

Life after boxing

Smith started hanging out in his neighborhood, wearing a cowboy hat and talking about making a comeback. The years passed by, and Smith dropped out of the public spotlight. His life was far from an easy one, but the good-natured Smith was a popular figure in his neighborhood.

Murder

On July 11, 1973 at 400 Erkenbrecher, Avondale, Smith saw a man beating up a woman and stepped in. The man pulled a gun and shot Smith in the head, killing him.^[2]

References

^ "Bud Smith Wins Confused Decision Over Jimmy Carter," Alubquerque Journal, October 20, 1955, p18. A national TV audience was unable to see the announcement of the final decision, because one of the judges, Joe Blink, had difficulty in adding up his scorecard, in what Sports Illustrated described as "the long, long count" (SI, October 31, 1955, pp12-13).
^ http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=AB&Dato=20110730&Kategori=SPT&Lopenr=107300807&Ref=PH

Achievements
Preceded by Jimmy Carter	World Lightweight Champion 29 Jun 1955–24 Aug 1956	Succeeded by Joe Brown

External links

Career Record

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[1] "Bud Smith Wins Confused Decision Over Jimmy Carter," Alubquerque Journal, October 20, 1955, p18. A national TV audience was unable to see the announcement of the final decision, because one of the judges, Joe Blink, had difficulty in adding up his scorecard, in what Sports Illustrated described as "the long, long count" (SI, October 31, 1955, pp12-13).

[2] ttp://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Avis=AB&Dato=20110730&Kategori=SPT&Lopenr=107300807&Ref=PH

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