Wallace ‘Bud’ Smith
| Wallace "Bud" Smith | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Rated at | Lightweight |
| Height | 5 ft 6 1⁄2 in (169 cm) |
| Nationality | American |
| Born |
April 2, 1924 Cincinnati, Ohio |
| Died | July 10, 1973 (aged 49) Cincinnati, Ohio |
| 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 10, 1973) was a world lightweight boxing champion in 1955, who also competed in the 1948 Olympic Games. His trainer was John Joiner of Cincinnati, and his manager was Vic Marsillo. Smith was murdered in 1973.
Born in Cincinnati, Ohio, Smith was the 1947 A.A.U. Featherweight Champion. He won Chicago's 1948 lightweight Golden Gloves inter-city tournament with a furious attack against Luis Ortiz, achieving a knockout in 2:45 of the second round. He represented the United States at the 1948 Olympic Games in the lightweight division. Smith defeated Chuck Davey of Michigan State University, to earn a spot on the team.
On August 24, 1949, in a little remembered bout, he defeated Joe Discepoli in a ten round unanimous decision in Cincinnati to take the USA Ohio State Lightweight Championship. He reportedly ended his amateur career with a 52-4 record.
Smith turned pro on November 29, 1948 with a first round knockout of Torpedo Tinsley at the Music Hall in Cincinnati. 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 May 5, 1953, Smith first defeated Cuban prodigy Orlando Zulueta in a ten round unanimous decision at Cincinnati Gardens. On December 11, 1953, Smith defeated Zulueta again in a ten round Unanimous Decision at Madison Square Garden. The win helped Smith earn his much desired title bout against Jimmy Carter, as Zuleta was the number two contender for the lightweight crown at the time. In a somewhat close match before a small crowd of only 2,991, Smith's aggresiveness and solid punching won him the match, though Zulueta scored frequently with quick left jabs to the head and rights to the body.
On June 29, 1955, Smith beat the 4-1 odds against him and defeated 3-time world lightweight champion Jimmy Carter in a fifteen round split decision at Boston Garden to take the title. The fight was fierce and bloody and only 1,983 fans turned out for the contest between the black contestants who were not especially well known. Carter needed fifteen stitches over his eyes to mend from the rough bout, in which he likely took the worst damage of his career. Even Smith needed three stitches to recover from the bout.
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