Real name Amos Smith Wins by KO 22 Height 1.74 m Draws 27 Wins 34 Role Boxer Total fights 91 | Nationality Canadian Name Mysterious Smith Division Welterweight Rated at Welterweight Losses 25 Martial art Boxing | |
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Born May 15, 1871
Little River, Digby County, Nova Scotia ( 1871-05-15 ) Died October 14, 1937, Portland, Oregon, United States | ||
Amos M. Smith (May 15, 1871 – October 15, 1937), known during his career as Mysterious Billy Smith, was a Canadian boxer. He adopted the name “Billy” before turning professional in 1890. He acquired his nickname when a newspaper reporter questioned, “Who is this mysterious Billy Smith?”
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Biography
Smith turned pro in 1890 and in his ninth fight, he knocked out Danny Needham to win the World welterweight championship in 1892. He held on to it until Tommy Ryan beat him on points in 1894. He won back the vacant title in 1898 by beating Matty Matthews, and lost it again in 1900 to Rube Ferns. Smith bowed out in 1915 when stopped by Jack Root. During his career, Smith scored wins over Young Peter Jackson, Hall of Famers “Barbados” Joe Walcott and George “Kid” Lavigne.
Smith died at the age of 66 in Portland, Oregon, where he ran a saloon called “The Champion's Rest.”
He was posthumously inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2009.
Fighting style
Standing 5' 8 ½”, Smith was a talented two-fisted battler with quick hands who entered the ring ready to wage war. He often displayed a blatant disregard for the rules, resorting to a variety of foul tactics including but not limited to elbows, butts, knees and sometimes even biting. Smith was notorious for having a very roughhouse fighting style in the ring and was disqualified 13 times, more than any other boxer in history. His tactics earned him the label as “The Dirtiest Fighter Who Ever Lived.”