Wallace Bud Smith

Wallace "Bud" Smith, Champion:  by Brian Zelley

*  Wallace is one of the many 

obscure champions that very

seldom is considered by fans

of boxing when they discuss

champions.

In many ways, it was not

until he became a tragic

boxer that he got his 

picture on the front of a 

boxing magazine.

That happened after his  
death he received  front
page notice and an article
by Jack Welsh that appeared
in the October 1973 issue of
"Boxing Illustrated".
The title read: "Obscure champ 'Bud' Smith Takes Final Count
In Cincy Shooting".  Mr. Welsh said it all in his opening line:
"Wallace 'Bud' Smith held the world's lightweight title 16 years
ago, and when it was gone, the Cincinnati-born fighter was the
epitome of a non-person."  Then Jack hit the readers between 
the eyes and hearts with the following comment:
"Bud's post-fighting activities found him wrapped in obscurity
as perhaps no man before him."

BEYOND 1973

Well, it was great that Wallace would get recognized, but it

was short lived as his name, his great amateur journey, and

his pro journey to a world championship was quickly forgotten

and he would continue to remain the lost obscure champion.

For 38 years he would remain an obscure champion,
but it was another error that would result in a major
discussion about him again in November 2011.  
It was a real "kick in the head" for the memory of 
Wallace Smith, when there was an HBO remembrance

of champions from Cincinnati, and the name                                         Wallace "Bud" Smith was nowhere to be found, 
so he was mentioned in some boxing site with 
a brief summary of his amateur and pro boxing story.

THE NEUTRAL CORNER LINK: About

About

1981 BOXING moments

the pages of "The RING" magazine: by brian zelley

Introduction:

Throughout the eighties there was a lot of action in the ring.  the following

is a look back at the magazine in 1981:

Champions listed by "The RING"

LARRY HOLMES,
MATHEW SAAD
MUHAMMAD,
MARVIN HAGLER,
AYUB KALULE,
RAY LEONARD,
AARON PRYOR,
Y.  UEHARA,
S. SANCHEZ,
W. GOMEZ, 
JEFF CHANDLER,
S. OGUMA.

California Moments:

California based boxers in the top ten:

Mike Weaver, Marty Monroe, Ken Norton,
Yaqui Lopez, Randy Shields, Pete Ranzany,
Bruce Curry, Monroe Brooks, Johnny Sato,
Frankie Baltazar, Ruben Castillo, Juan Meza,
Albert Davila, and  Oscar Muniz.

Canadians in the Commonwealth Ratings:

Trevor Berbick, Conroy Nelson, Eddie Melo,  
Gary Summerhayes, Wayne Caplette,
Fernand Marcotte, Chris Clarke,
Gaetan Hart, John Summerhayes, 
Nicky Furlano, Thomas Gourley, 
 and Leonard Pennock, 

Boxing results:
Of interest to Canadian fans and friends of
NICKY FURLANO, he is mentioned in the 
"Rings Around The World" section.

Nicky headlined a card in Niagara Falls.
* "Nicky Furlano won a unanimous decision
after a good action fight."
Also, on the card was Bobby Bland who 
stopped one Preston Jones in the 4th rd.

Ajax's Brandon Cook

DurhamRegion Article: Ajax's Brandon Cook ready for eighth professional fight

BRANDON COOK on the move:

GEORGE CHUVALO recognized in Toronto

http://www.680news.com/2013/03/25/mayor-ford-to-give-canadian-boxing-legend-george-chuvalo-key-to-the-city/

GEORGE CHUVALO, gets the key to the city

1980 to 1989 World Boxing Champions

THE CHAMPIONS 1980 to 1989: 

 By Brian Zelley

Introduction:

A brief look at the world champions

and some of the top title bouts in

the Eighties.

There were plenty of names to go 

around from heavyweights such as

Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson,  to many

others with some of the best being

Marvin Hagler, Roberto Duran, 

Ray Leonard and Thomas Hearns.

But, there would be many other greats

or near greats such as:

Aaron Pryor, Salvador Sanchez,

Wilfredo Benitez, Alexis Arguello,Wilfredo Gomez, Michael Spinks,      Ray Mancini,  Barry McGuigan,and Julio Cesar Chavez.

Mike Tyson:

Of all the champions in the eighties, it was MIKE TYSON that appeare

to be the most controversial for some of his antics, but one would have

to look long and hard to find a fighting force like Tyson.  Mike began

his pro journey under the guidance of Cus D'Amato who had previously

guided Floyd Patterson and Jose Torres.

It would be November 22, 1986 when the power punching
Mike Tyson would fight for a piece of the world 
heavyweight title against  Trevor Berbick.  Well,

it came as no shock to many when Tyson stopped
Berbick early in the fight. After two knockdowns 
by power left hooks, referee Mills Lane  stopped the

slaughter to save Berbick and now Tyson was a partial
champion.  But, it  would be his March 7, 1987 12-round
 decision over "Bonecrusher" Smith that would make him
 an almost complete world  champion with the WBA and WBC

versions of the world heavyweight title but he would need
 to defeat the IBF title holder Tony Tucker  to become the
real deal in heavyweight history.  

And, once again Mike proved that he was not just a quick
knockout king but could also go the distance when he defeated 
Tucker in the 12-rounds on August 1, 1987.  

Throughout the rest of the eighties, "Mighty" Mike 
continued to win over various boxers such as
Tyrell Biggs,  Larry Holmes, Tony Tubbd,  
Michael Spinks, Frank Bruno and Carl Williams./

Other Names in the Eighties: 
*  Aside from the names previously mentioned there were
 some interesting  bouts by others. One was British  middleweight
Alan Minter who would win the title from Vito Antuofermo 
by a split decision in  Las Vegas.  

But, in a rematch with Vito later in the year in London, Minter would
eliminate any controversial decisions by stopping Antuofermo in 9 rds.
Before the year ended, Alan would lose the title to one of the best in 
the eighties by the name of Marvin Hagler.

* In 1980, tragedy would rear it's ugly head on September 19, 1980
when bantamweight champion Lupe Pintor  stopped Welsh boxer
Johnny Owen in Los Angeles.  

1920 to 1929, The Golden Age of Boxing

THE FORGOTTEN YEARS of BOXING: by Brian Zelley

The Roaring Twenties was a time of some of the greatest boxing,
but in the here and now of the 21st Century many boxing fans
minimize and overlook the greats of the Roaring Twenties.

One only has to look at the various polls of the modern age and
those champions  hare often overlooked in the listings or choices.
But, then again look at some of the champions of that era.

The Champions:
Heavyweight:  Jack Dempsey and Gene Tunney. 

Light Heavy:  George Carpentier, Battling Siki, Mike McTighe,
Paul Berlenback, Jimmy Slattery, Tommy Loughran.

Middleweight: Mike O'Dowd, Johnny Wilson, Harry Greb, 
and Mickey Walker,

Welterweight: Jack Britton, Mickey Walker, Joe Dundee, 
 and Jackie Fields

Lightweights:  Benny Leonard, Rocky Kansas, Jimmy Goodrich,
and Sammy Mandell,.

Featherweight: Johnny Kilbane, Johnyy Dundee, Eugene Crique,
Steve Sullivan, Kid Kaplan, Benny Bass, Tony Canzoneri, 
Andre Routis and Bat Battalino.

Bantamweight: Joe Lynch, Pete Herman, Johnny Buff, Abe Goldstein,
Cannonball Martin, Charlie Rosenberg, Bud Taylor, Bushy Graham
and Panama Al Brown.

Flyweight:  Jimmy Wilde, Pncho Villa and others.

There were also a number of Jr. welterweight and lightweight 
champions many of which also won other titles such as:
Johnny Dundeek and Barney Ross,   But, one of the active 
champions was Todd Morgan  from the Pacific Northwest
who fought the likes of Vic Foley in Vancouver and Joe Glick
in New York.