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

[Bill Paxtom]

General Information

Howard 'Kayo' Smith

In 1968,

Howard was the Fifth Army Heavyweight Champion and was stationed in
Fort Carson, Colorado.

The Army Boxing Team visited the Canon City, Colorado Prison to face their
Boxing Team.

Howard {Age; 21} was pitted against the 'vicious punching' Ron Lyle, who was
a 27 year-old hardened Felon.

In their 1st-Bout, Ron Lyle used his strength to out-muscle the boxer Howard Smith
over 3-Rounds, as Lyle was awarded the Decision.

In their rematch, Howard got right on top of Ron, and never let him get off his
big punches. It was a one-sided bout, with Howard stopping Ron in Round 3.

Howard Smith >

"In our 1st-bout, I let Ron dictate the flow of the bout, and he out-muscled me. He
was very strong, but wasn't all that skilled at the time."

"In the rematch, I jumped all over him and kept punching. I really nailed him in
Round 2, and dropped him for a 3-Count. The Prison Inmates were in shock, as
nobody ever did that to Ron before."

"In Round 3, I smothered him with a barrage, because he really didn't know how to
roll with the punches or slide from the incoming right-hands. I had him out on his
feet and hanging over the Top Rope strand. The Referee jumped in and stopped it."

"After the bout, they handed me a big '3-Foot' Trophy for the 'Best Performance' at
the event."

"I told Ron that he was very good and had a hard punch. But he needed to work on
his speed, because he was kind of slow."

"He thanked me, and then told me that nobody ever hit him that hard before, even
with a Baseball Bat."

[brocktonblockbust]

howard got a bum deal becaise ali was fighting ~bums~

[Bill Paxtom]

howard got a bum deal becaise ali was fighting ~bums~

Can you just imagine saying "Jean-Pierre Coopman" with a straight face.

[Bill Paxtom]

Thursday ~ May 27, 1976

Olympic Auditorium ~ Los Angeles, California

Television Broadcast > Channel 13

Howard 'Kayo' Smith ~ 21-1-0 {16 KO's} ~ 203 lbs.
vs.
Dan 'Ronnell' Johnson ~ 19-4-0 {17 KO's} ~ 208 lbs.
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~ World-Ranked Howard Smith Unimpressive In Win Over Dan Johnson ~

Howard Smith was lackluster and unimpressive thru the first 8-Rounds of his bout with
hard-punching Dan Johnson of Atlanta, Georgia.

Smith used an occasional left-jab, and a less frequent right-hand during a dull and
uneventful 8 Rounds. Only a minor flurry in Round 4, and a hard combination in
Round 6 was the most action dished out from the 'highly-regarded' California
Heavyweight.

During Rounds 7 and 8, a disinterested Smith moved back the Ropes, and let the
strong-punching Atlanta Heavyweight hit him with left-hooks and right-hands,
without offering a quality return punch.

But in Round 9, a re-charged Smith came out with a 'flash-bang', and hammered a
game Dan Johnson around the Ring. Smith poured it on, as he 'stunned' Johnson
several times with right-hand crosses.

With only {3 Seconds} left in the Round, Smith unloaded a vicious right-hand to the
head, dropping Johnson to the canvas.

As Referee - Dick Young tolled off the Count, Johnson rose and was 'saved-by-the-bell'.

Coming out for Round 10, a 'still groggy' but game Dan Johnson hustled out to Center-Ring
and tried to make a fight out of it.

Johnson started winging in wide-hooks, as Howard stayed outside and used measuring
left-jabs in an attempt to set up Johnson for a right-hand.

The action was 'even' for the first 50-Seconds. Then Johnson attempted a wide right-hook,
but Howard beat him to the punch and caught Johnson on the chin with a 'hard' right-cross
at the {1:02 Mark}.

Johnson was 'stunned'. Then Howard fired off a fast 'left-right-left', sending Johnson backwards
to the left-side Ropes.

With a 'stunned fighter' in front of him, Howard unleashed a tremendous overhand-right that
landed on Johnson's head, sending him crashing to the canvas.

Referee - Dick Young counted out Dan Johnson at 1:21 of Round 10.

[brocktonblockbust]

everybody ducking Smith for the entire 70s. He coulda blew Jimmy Young and Ken Norton away. for starters.

[Bill Paxtom]

everybody ducking Smith for the entire 70s. He coulda blew Jimmy Young and Ken Norton away. for starters.

Howard 'Kayo' Smith knew that 'styles' make fights.

* Howard would have out-boxed Jimmy Young. The same thing with 'slow-footed' Ron Lyle.

* Ken Norton would have been a more difficult task, but it would have been a close fight.

* Howard would have been 'too' quick for Muhammad Ali in 1976 and 1977.

* The only fighters that Howard was worried about > Earnie Shavers and George Foreman.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Howard Smith >

"With Earnie Shavers, you have to survive the first 3-Rounds. That's easier said than done.
He has so much power, that even his 'misses' hurt."

"George Foreman is the strongest man in Boxing. But he exhausts himself trying to kill you.
You have to box him, and stay away from him. You have to be patient, as the openings are
there. But you cannot make a 'single' mistake with him, or he'll take you out."

[Bill Paxtom]

Saturday ~ May 27, 1976

~ Howard Smith Turns Down Offer To Be On 'Muhammad Ali - Antonio Inoki' Card ~

Harry Kabakoff, Manager for #4 WBC Heavyweight Howard Smith has turned down an
offer to be on the fight card in the 'War of the Worlds' Martial Arts bout between
Muhammad Ali vs. Antonio Inoki that is to be held in Tokyo, Japan on June 26, 1976.

Harry Kabakoff >

"Bob Arum offered us $20,000 to be on the Fight Card, and for Howard to fight a 'wrestler'
on the undercard."

"We're not into 'gimmicks'. This is an 'Oddball Bout' and serves no purpose, other than
ripping off the Public."

"This thing in Japan will be a 'sham', and can only hurt Boxing. I can't believe that
Muhammad Ali and his Manager - Herbert Muhammad are doing this. Yes, there is
a lot of money to be made, but that doesn't make it right. This thing will be a 'farce'.