Charles C. Smith (boxer)

C.C. Smith (May 3, 1860? – October 1, 1924), a.k.a. Charles C. Smith, Charles A.C. Smith, and Charlie Smith, was an African American boxer who claimed the status of being the World Colored Heavyweight Champ and was the first boxer recognized as such.

C. C. Smith
Statistics
Real nameCharles C. Smith
Nickname(s)The Black Thunderbolt
Weight(s)Heavyweight
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
NationalityAmerican
Born(1860-05-03)May 3, 1860
Macon, Georgia
Died(1924-10-01)October 1, 1924
Boxing record
Total fights66
Wins40
Wins by KO32
Losses14
Draws5
No contests7

Biography

Smith was born in Macon, Georgia, likely into slavery, and he and his mother moved north in 1865. His birth date is given as May 3, 1860, but since he supposedly did not begin boxing until he was 19 and claimed the title in 1876, the birth year likely is spurious. Some sources cite 1869 as the year his boxing career began, and others 1879, which would have been three years after he claimed the championship.

He began fighting as a bareknuckle boxer. The 5'11" Smith, whose moniker was "The Black Thunderbolt", fought as a heavyweight out of Buffalo, New York. Bill Muldoon, his manager, said he was a great pugilist possessed of cunning and a terrific punch. He reportedly fought 225 bouts.[1]

In 1891, he traveled with Muldoon's traveling carnival, where he boxed with future lightweight champ Joe Gans, who was beginning his career. Gans would become the first African American to hold a world's championship boxing title.[2]

Smith killed a man in the ring. On October 24, 1894, Amos Theis died of injuries inflicted by Smith during a bout in Louisville, Kentucky.[3]

In 1903, when he was in his forties or fifties, he fought and defeated the former British Heavyweight champ, 40-year-old Jem Smith,in Manchester, Lancashire, England via a knockout. He reportedly fought Colored Heavyweight Champ (and future world heavyweight champ) Jack Johnson in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1906, but it was likely an exhibition or never occurred due to Smith's age.

Smith's official record is 39 wins (33 by knockout) against 14 losses (he was KO-ed nine times) and five draws. He also recorded one newspaper decision win.[4]

He died on October 1, 1924.

Legacy

In 2020 award-winning author Mark Allen Baker published the first comprehensive account of The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937, with McFarland & Company, a leading independent publisher of academic & nonfiction books. This history traces the advent and demise of the Championship, the stories of the talented professional athletes who won it, and the demarcation of the color line both in and out of the ring.

For decades the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a useful tool to combat racial oppression-the existence of the title as a leverage mechanism, or tool, used as a technique to counter a social element known as “drawing the color line.”

Professional boxing record
66 fights 40 wins 14 losses
By knockout 32 9
By decision 6 2
By disqualification 2 3
Draws 5
No contests 7
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
66 Win 40–14–5 (7) Contaden KO ? Jul 15, 1903 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
65 Win 39–14–5 (7) Jem Smith KO ? Jun 15, 1903 Manchester, England Date uncertain
64 ND 38–14–5 (7) Billy Rhodes ND 4 Aug 15, 1901 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. Date uncertain
63 Loss 38–14–5 (6) Jim Fitzpatrick TKO 7 (20) Oct 25, 1899 Olympic A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S.
62 Win 38–13–5 (6) Tom McCarthy DQ 3 (20) Mar 6, 1899 Olympic A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S.
61 Loss 37–13–5 (6) George Gardiner KO 7 (?) Dec 25, 1898 Montreal, Quebec, Canada
60 Loss 37–12–5 (6) Ed Dunkhorst PTS 20 Nov 24, 1898 Maple Avenue A.C., Elmira, New York, U.S.
59 Win 37–11–5 (6) Johnny Ruhlin PTS 4 Oct 15, 1898 Buffalo, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
58 Loss 36–11–5 (6) Peter Maher KO 3 (6) Feb 15, 1898 Arena A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
57 Win 36–10–5 (6) Jim Delaney KO 2 (?), 0:30 May 31, 1897 Maple Avenue A.C., Elmira, New York, U.S.
56 Win 35–10–5 (6) Fred Taylor KO 1 (?) May 10, 1897 Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S.
55 Win 34–10–5 (6) George Watson KO 1 (20), 2:05 Mar 26, 1897 Walden A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S.
54 Loss 33–10–5 (6) Peter Maher PTS 6 Feb 15, 1897 Empire A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S.
53 Win 33–9–5 (6) Al Murphy PTS 3 Nov 20, 1896 Music Hall, Niagara Falls, New York, U.S.
52 Win 32–9–5 (6) Mike Queenan TKO 2 (20) Aug 6, 1896 Park Theater, Niagara Falls, New York, U.S.
51 Win 31–9–5 (6) Amos Thesis KO ? Oct 24, 1894 Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. Thesis died of injuries sustained from the fight.[5]
50 Loss 30–9–5 (6) Jack Slattery DQ 5 (?) Jan 11, 1894 Dolgeville, New York, U.S.
49 ND 30–8–5 (6) John Hughes ND 4 Sep 5, 1893 New York City, New York, U.S.
48 Draw 30–8–5 (5) Con Riordon PTS 4 Jul 4, 1893 New York City, New York, U.S.
47 Win 30–8–4 (5) Jerry Slattery KO 1 (?) Jun 15, 1893 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
46 Loss 29–8–4 (5) Con Coughlin DQ 3 (?) Apr 15, 1893 New York City, New York, U.S.
45 Win 29–7–4 (5) John Jackson KO 1 (?) Apr 14, 1893 New York City, New York, U.S.
44 Win 28–7–4 (5) Con Coughlin KO 1 (?) Apr 13, 1893 New York City, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
43 Win 27–7–4 (5) Mike Brennan DQ 3 (6) Nov 26, 1892 New York A.C., New York City, New York, U.S.
42 Loss 26–7–4 (5) Joe Choynski KO 4 (?) Nov 21, 1892 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
41 Win 26–6–4 (5) Mike Brennan KO 3 (?) Nov 5, 1892 New York City, New York, U.S.
40 Loss 25–6–4 (5) Joe Butler KO 3 (?) Oct 5, 1892 Washington, D.C., U.S. Date uncertain
39 Win 25–5–4 (5) Frank Craig KO 2 (?) Sep 12, 1892 New York City, New York, U.S.
38 ND 24–5–4 (5) Frank Craig ND 4 Aug 29, 1892 New York City, New York, U.S.
37 Loss 24–5–4 (4) George Godfrey KO 4 (?) Aug 15, 1892 New York City, New York, U.S.
36 Win 24–4–4 (4) Bill Gabig TKO 2 (4) Apr 25, 1892 Niblo's Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S.
35 Win 23–4–4 (4) Billy Baker KO 9 (?) Sep 1, 1891 New York City, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
34 Loss 22–4–4 (4) Billy Baker PTS 9 Jul 1, 1891 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
33 ND 22–3–4 (4) Fred Morris ND 6 May 15, 1891 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
32 Draw 22–3–4 (3) George Godfrey PTS 6 Jan 15, 1885 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Date uncertain
31 Win 22–3–3 (3) Edward McKeown KO 2 (?) Nov 20, 1884 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
30 NC 21–3–3 (3) Big Sullivan NC 1 (?) Oct 27, 1884 Market Hall, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S.
29 Loss 21–3–3 (2) Tom Robinson KO 1 (?) Mar 18, 1884 Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
28 Loss 21–2–3 (2) Mervine Thompson KO 8 (?) Mar 10, 1884 Central Armory, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
27 Win 21–1–3 (2) Charles Hadley DQ 2 (?) Feb 2, 1884 East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S.
26 ND 20–1–3 (2) Charles Hadley ND 4 Dec 15, 1883 East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. Date uncertain
25 Draw 20–1–3 (1) Tommy Cleary PTS 6 Nov 15, 1883 Amsterdam, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
24 Draw 20–1–2 (1) Jack Stewart PTS 6 Oct 5, 1883 London, Ontario, Canada
23 Loss 20–1–1 (1) Jack Stewart TKO 2 (6), 2:25 Aug 16, 1883 Harry Hill's, New York City, New York, U.S.
22 ND 20–0–1 (1) Harry Woodson ND 3 Jul 16, 1883 Troy, New York, U.S.
21 Win 20–0–1 Thomas McAlpine PTS 4 Apr 18, 1883 Schenectady, New York, U.S.
20 Win 19–0–1 W. Shipman KO ? Apr 17, 1883 Albany, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
19 Win 18–0–1 Professor Corlin KO ? Apr 16, 1883 Albany, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
18 Win 17–0–1 Amos Lavender KO ? Apr 15, 1883 Albany, New York, U.S. Date uncertain
17 Draw 16–0–1 Professor John Donaldson PTS 4 Nov 14, 1882 Port Huron, Michigan, U.S.
16 Win 16–0 Dan Carr KO 8 (?) Jan 15, 1882 East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. Date uncertain
15 Win 15–0 Dan Carr KO 4 (?) Nov 11, 1881 Bay City, Michigan, U.S.
14 Win 14–0 Bill Johnson KO 2 (?) Aug 15, 1881 East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. Date uncertain
13 Win 13–0 Professor John Donaldson KO 4 (?) Jun 15, 1881 Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. Date uncertain
12 Win 12–0 Maurice Casey PTS 4 Mar 15, 1881 Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. Date uncertain
11 Win 11–0 Joseph Massie KO 8 (?) Nov 16, 1879 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S.
10 Win 10–0 Jack Chapel KO 12 (?) Aug 15, 1879 Bedford, Ohio, U.S. Date uncertain
9 Win 9–0 Jim Whalen KO 23 (?) Jul 12, 1879 Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, U.S.
8 Win 8–0 Jack Silver Bill Driscoll KO 3 (?) Jun 29, 1879 Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. Date uncertain
7 Win 7–0 Steve Taylor KO 14 (?) Jun 22, 1879 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
6 Win 6–0 Mike Green KO 29 (?) Jun 15, 1879 Boston A.A., Boston, Massachusetts Date uncertain
5 Win 5–0 Mervine Thompson PTS 3 May 15, 1879 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
4 Win 4–0 William Spillings KO ? Apr 15, 1879 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
3 Win 3–0 Battler Stevenson KO ? Mar 15, 1879 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
2 Win 2–0 Ed Gray KO ? Feb 15, 1879 United States of America Date & venue uncertain
1 Win 1–0 Welsh KO ? Jan 15, 1879 United States of America Professional debut;
Date & venue uncertain

References
  1. "Charles A.C. Smith (the "Black Thunderbolt"". Cyber Boxing Zone. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  2. Aycock, Colleen (2011). The First Black Boxing Champions: Essays on Fighters of the 1800s to The 1920s. McFarland. p. 83. ISBN 978-0786449910.
  3. "Boxing Fatalities: Amos Theis". BoxRec. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  4. "C.C. Smith)". BoxRec. Retrieved May 19, 2012.
  5. "Please login".
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