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

[brocktonblockbust]

where do you get your store house of info? Amazing facts and details. Takes me back in time.

[Bill Paxtom]

where do you get your store house of info? Amazing facts and details. Takes me back in time.

Thanks for the compliment 'Triple B'

My Database is loaded with 'tid-bits'.

[Bill Paxtom]

Saturday ~ May 5, 1973

Phoenix Union's Montgomery Stadium ~ Phoenix, Arizona

Attendance....... { 1890 }

Main Event ....... Jimmy Ellis vs. Rico Brooks

-----------------------------------------------------------

Semi-Main Event

Howard 'Kayo' Smith - 6-1-0 {5 KO's} ~ 204 lbs.
vs.
Allen 'Evil' Evans ~ 13-6-0 {9 KO's} ~ 199 lbs.

Howard Smith has been 'idle' for 5 1/2 months. But in late-April 1973, he
gets a call to be a sparring-partner for former WBA Heavyweight Champion
- Jimmy Ellis who is training for an upcoming bout in Phoenix.

Howard takes the sparring-partner job, and also gets put on the Fight Card as
a 'Semi-Main Event' 8-Rounder.

Allen Evans, a 27 year-old Milwaukee Heavyweight who has several monikers >
of 'Evil', 'Big Al' and 'The Black Destroyer' is his opponent.

Evans was no easy fighter to handle. In his last bout {March 26, 1973}, he gave
World-Rated {#17} - 'Irish' Pat Duncan fits for 10-Rounds, only to lose a Split-Decision
in Duncan's backyard in Eugene, Oregon.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Bout"

Rounds 1 and 2 were 'non-action' sessions, as both fighters pawed and
lightly jabbed.

But in Round 3, Howard came out jabbing faster, and scored fairly easy on
the now even 'less-active' Milwaukee Heavyweight.

By Round 4, Allen Evans realized that he didn't have the skills to box with
Howard, so he turned the bout into a 'comical show', and went to the Ropes
and let Howard hit him.

During the Round, every time that Howard landed a punch, Allen would turn
to the crowd and 'blow kisses' and 'wink' to the females at Ringside.

Then, starting in Round 5, each time that Allen got hit, he would yell to
Howard > "Come on big fellow".

This pattern stayed the course in Rounds 5 and 6.

By Round 7, Howard was pitching a near shut-out, as Allen Evans offered
up little other than a 'shove' or looping right-hand over Howard's left shoulder.

Round 8, was a more of the same.

Howard Smith was awarded the 'one-sided' Unanimous 8-Round Decision.

Scorecards ......... 80-73 / 80-74 / 80-74

[Bill Paxtom]

May 23, 1973

Howard 'Kayo' Smith was now a 'Heavyweight Boxer on the Rise'.

Fight Promoter - Mickey Davies then signed up California State Heavyweight
Champion - 'Giant' Jack O'Halloran to defend his Title on June 8, 1973
in San Diego.

Howard Smith {Age; 26 years, 5 months} and with a record of 7-1-0 {5 KO's}
was excited about the opportunity.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Howard Smith >

"I've finally got a chance to prove myself. This is my opportunity."

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ June 3, 1973

Coliseum ~ San Diego, California

Promoter .... Mickey Davies
Attendance... { 2630 }

'California State Heavyweight Championship'

Jack O'Halloran ~ 32-16-2 {16 KO's} ~ 6' 6" ~ 247 lbs. ~ {Age; 30 years, 2 months}
vs.
Howard Smith ~ 7-1-0- {5 KO's} ~ 6' 2 1/2" ~ 202 lbs. ~ {Age; 26 years, 5 months}
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jack 'The Giant' O'Halloran is coming into this bout on a good streak,
where he has won 8-of-9 since July 1972.

The California State Heavyweight Champion is the #24 World-ranked
Heavyweight, and has been mentioned as a possible opponent for several
of the Top 10 Heavyweights.

"The Bout"

Howard Smith, giving up 4" in height and 45 lbs. in weight, stays on the
outside during the early Rounds, and O'Halloran presses during the first
4-Rounds.

But Howard changes the flow, and carries the fight to 'The Giant' in Rounds
5, 6 and 7, and out-speeds him with lefts-and-rights to the mid-section.

The action slows in Round 8, as both fighters maul-and-grab.

Howard who has slight-lead after 8-Rounds, tries to step up the pace in
Round 9 over the slow-footed O'Halloran.

But, Howard gets caught by a big right-hand, and suffers a bad {1" cut} on
the right eye-brow.

Jack sensing an opportunity, slams away at Howard, causing the cut to ooze
blood.

Jack keeps up the pressure on Howard in Round 10, and has his best Round
as he scores with clubbing right-hands, but he tires himself out in the process.

But Howard re-groups in Round 11, and presses the fight over the last 2-Rounds
by snapping off several 'left-right combinations to edge out a 12-Round Split-Decision.

Scorecards
* Referee - Frank Rustich ..... 6-5 {Howard Smith}
* Judge - Hal Rickards ......... 5-4 {Jack O'Halloran}
* Judge - Fred Hayes ........... 6-4 {Howard Smith}

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ November 9, 1973

Coliseum ~ San Diego, California

Howard 'Kayo' Smith ~ 8-1-0 {5 KO's} ~ 200 lbs.
vs.
Steve 'Iceman' Carter ~ 21-6-0 {10 KO's} ~ 203 lbs.

Howard Smith {missing in action for 5-Months} fills in as a 1-Week
replacement for #4 World-Ranked Jerry Quarry.

Note; Jerry Quarry had signed to face Steve 'Iceman' Carter for this bout
on September 23, 1973. But Jerry pulled out claiming an 'alleged' cut on
the jaw that he suffered in Training Camp 1-week before this bout.

Howard {Age; 26 years, 10 months} will engage in a 10-Rounder, but his
California State Heavyweight Championship will 'not' be on the line.

Steve Carter {Age; 24 years, 6 months} has said that he had been looking
to fight Howard Smith for the past year, and that he would accept Howard
as a replacement opponent.

'The Iceman' who is from Oakland and is Managed by Alan Moore, predicts
a victory by stating .... "I'll outbox the boxer."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"The Bout"

Easy pickings here for Howard Smith, as he piled up the points by scoring with
light but continuous 'lefts-and-rights' on the surprisingly 'sluggish' Steve Carter.

Howard won '8' of the Rounds handily, other than Rounds 4 and 7, which were
fought competitively.

[Bill Paxtom]

January 1974

"Nobody Wants to Fight Howard Smith'

Howard 'Kayo' Smith, is the California Heavyweight Champion.
But nobody knows him, and nobody wants to fight him either.

The now 27 year-old is waiting for an opportunity to fight anybody
in the Top 15, but he continues to wait.

Though Howard sits with an 'undistinguished' record of 9-1-0 {5 KO's},
he is a very capable > 6' 2 1/2" @ 205 lb. boxer-puncher.

Howard Smith >

"I have sparred with Earnie Shavers, Ken Norton, Jerry Quarry and Jimmy Ellis.
Those fellows know what I can do in the Ring. That's why they won't fight me
in a real bout."