Edward "Gunboat" Smith (February 17, 1887 â€" August 6, 1974) was an
Irish American boxer, film actor and later a boxing referee. Smith's
career record reads like a veritable Who's Who of the early 20th
century boxing scene, facing 12 different Hall of Famers a combined
total of 23 times. Among the all-time greats he faced were the
legendary Jack Dempsey, Harry Greb, Sam Langford, and Georges
Carpentier.Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent much
of his youth in orphanages, working on farms and on the railroads. He
joined the U.S. Navy, where he began boxing and won the heavyweight
championship of the Pacific Fleet.In 1910, Smith became known in the
Oakland and San Francisco areas by serving as a sparring partner for
Jack Johnson and Stanley Ketchel before their heavyweight title fight
there. Author Jack London knew Smith and helped fund his training.From
1912â€"1915, Smith established himself as a leading candidate for the
heavyweight title, beating, among others, British and British Empire
champion Bombadier Billy Wells and future world champion Jess Willard,
and beating and losing to Sam Langford in two fights. He fought many
other ranked fighters, but before his death, Smith was asked to name
the greatest fighter he ever met. His response: Langford, in his
words, “The best of all of them.â€
Irish American boxer, film actor and later a boxing referee. Smith's
career record reads like a veritable Who's Who of the early 20th
century boxing scene, facing 12 different Hall of Famers a combined
total of 23 times. Among the all-time greats he faced were the
legendary Jack Dempsey, Harry Greb, Sam Langford, and Georges
Carpentier.Smith was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He spent much
of his youth in orphanages, working on farms and on the railroads. He
joined the U.S. Navy, where he began boxing and won the heavyweight
championship of the Pacific Fleet.In 1910, Smith became known in the
Oakland and San Francisco areas by serving as a sparring partner for
Jack Johnson and Stanley Ketchel before their heavyweight title fight
there. Author Jack London knew Smith and helped fund his training.From
1912â€"1915, Smith established himself as a leading candidate for the
heavyweight title, beating, among others, British and British Empire
champion Bombadier Billy Wells and future world champion Jess Willard,
and beating and losing to Sam Langford in two fights. He fought many
other ranked fighters, but before his death, Smith was asked to name
the greatest fighter he ever met. His response: Langford, in his
words, “The best of all of them.â€
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