Howard 'Kayo' Smith ~ "Good Fighter - Bad Breaks"

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ November 16, 1972

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Howard 'Kayo' Smith ~ 5-1-0 {4 KO's} ~ 203 lbs. ~ 6' 1/2"
vs.
Dan 'Ronnell' Johnson ~ 10-1-0 {10 KO's} ~ 202 lbs. ~ 6' 1"

This was a 10-Round 'Co-Main Event'

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Dan 'Ronnell' Johnson was labeled a 'sleeper'. Because he had no 'fan fare',
but he could whack hard.

23 year-old - Dan Johnson {Deland, Florida} was coming off a bout which was up
for 'Fight of the Year' in California.

5-Months earlier {June 15, 1972}, Dan took on 'highly-touted' and unbeaten Argentinian
- Pedro Lovell at the Olympic Auditorium.

In that bout, Dan floored Pedro 'twice' in the 1st-Round and nearly scored a 'shocking'
Knockout.

It was a wild bout that was telecast on KCOP-TV.

But Pedro came back, and 'broke' Dan's jaw in the 3rd-Round, and the bout was
quickly stopped by a TKO 3.
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"The Bout"

Howard fought a smart and tactical fight over the big-swinging Floridian.

Round-after-Round, Howard sent out snappy left-jabs into the face of Johnson, who
was attempting to get in close, to sling in his wide-hooks.

By Round 8, Johnson was arm-weary and near exhausted, as well as receiving a
boxing-lesson from Howard.

In Round 10 {Final Round} > Howard opened up on a 'weary' Johnson, and battered
him into the Ropes. There, Howard unleashed a barrage, and dropped Johnson with a
a '7-Punch' combination to the head.

Referee - Rudy Jordan counted out Dan Johnson at 1:13 of Round 10.