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.
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]
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]
^ abcd"Former Boxing Champion Dead". Dundee Courier. 9 January 1950. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Boxing Championships". Leeds Mercury. 13 March 1913. Retrieved 17 December 2021 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Carpentier", The Evening News, 18 May 1914, p. 4. Retrieved 4 October 2014
^"Carpentier to Meet Dick Smith". Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette. 31 July 1914. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Wells Beats Smith". Liverpool Daily Post. 1 June 1915. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"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.
^"Dick Smith Defeats Harry Curzon". Dundee Courier. 6 June 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Billy Wells Out-Boxes Dick Smith". Dundee Courier. 28 August 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Light Heavyweight Boxing Championship". Dundee Courier. 31 October 1916. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^ abc"Beckett Retains Title: Smith Out in Round 17". Aberdeen Journal. 15 May 1923. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Sport-Loving Tommy: Great Boxing Tournament Raided". Liverpool Echo. 12 December 1918. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Dick Smith Defeats George Cook". Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer. 7 November 1922. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Bloomfield Wins Heavy-Weight Bout With Dick Smith". Evening Telegraph. 30 May 1924. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
^"Archie Bell Opens Well". Hull Daily Mail. 3 June 1927. Retrieved 4 October 2014 – via British Newspaper Archive.
External links
Career record at boxrec.com
May 04, 2023
dick, smith, boxer, richard, smith, february, 1886, january, 1950, british, light, heavyweight, heavyweight, boxer, british, light, heavyweight, champion, between, 1914, 1916, again, 1918, fought, under, name, dick, smith, dick, smithstatisticsweight, light, h. 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 Dick SmithStatisticsWeight s Light heavyweight heavyweightNationalityBritishBorn 1886 02 10 10 February 1886Woolwich London EnglandDied8 January 1950 1950 01 08 aged 63 Dartford EnglandBoxing recordTotal fights18Wins6Wins by KO1Losses11Draws1 Contents 1 Career 2 See also 3 References 4 External linksCareer EditBorn 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 EditList of British light heavyweight boxing championsReferences Edit a b c d Former Boxing Champion Dead Dundee Courier 9 January 1950 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Boxing Championships Leeds Mercury 13 March 1913 Retrieved 17 December 2021 via British Newspaper Archive Carpentier The Evening News 18 May 1914 p 4 Retrieved 4 October 2014 Carpentier to Meet Dick Smith Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette 31 July 1914 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Wells Beats Smith Liverpool Daily Post 1 June 1915 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive 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 Dick Smith Defeats Harry Curzon Dundee Courier 6 June 1916 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Billy Wells Out Boxes Dick Smith Dundee Courier 28 August 1916 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Light Heavyweight Boxing Championship Dundee Courier 31 October 1916 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive a b c Beckett Retains Title Smith Out in Round 17 Aberdeen Journal 15 May 1923 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Sport Loving Tommy Great Boxing Tournament Raided Liverpool Echo 12 December 1918 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Dick Smith Defeats George Cook Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer 7 November 1922 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Bloomfield Wins Heavy Weight Bout With Dick Smith Evening Telegraph 30 May 1924 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive Archie Bell Opens Well Hull Daily Mail 3 June 1927 Retrieved 4 October 2014 via British Newspaper Archive External links EditCareer record at boxrec com Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Dick Smith boxer amp oldid 1082621016, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
