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

[Bill Paxtom]

June 2, 1976

~ Howard Smith and Johnny Boudreaux Set For George Foreman - Joe Frazier Undercard ~

California's - Howard 'Kayo' Smith and Houston's - Johnny 'Johnny Be Good' Boudreaux are
set to battle on Tuesday - June 16th at Nassau Coliseum in Long Island, New York.

The bout will be on the undercard of the George Foreman - Joe Frazier long awaited rematch.

Smith, a 29 1/2 year-old Heavyweight from Los Angeles is rated as the #4 WBC Heavyweight
and is ranked #7 by Ring Magazine, and has a record of 22-1-0 {17 KO's}.

Harry Kabakoff, Manager for Howard Smith >

"We've been waiting '2' long years for a bout like this, where Howard can show off his skills
on a big stage. Boudreaux is a good fighter, but he's nowhere in Howard's league."
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Boudreaux {Age; 23 years, 11 months}, a fast-handed boxer from Houston, is a highly-touted
'unbeaten' Heavyweight, and brings in a record of 19-0-1 with {7 KO's}. Boudreaux is ranked as
the #8 WBA Heavyweight and is slotted at #8 by Ring Magazine.

Boudreaux is co-managed by Paddy Flood, who stated that his fighter is the 'Heir Apparent to
the Heavyweight Throne'.

Paddy Flood >

"Johnny has the fastest hands in the Heavyweight Division. He's faster than Ali. After we win
this bout, we'll take on Ron Lyle on the undercard of the Ali - Norton Championship bout in September.
After that, it will the World Championship in early-1977."

Both fighters stand at 6' 2 1/2" and each weigh in at 205 lbs. for their respective fighting weight.

[Bill Paxtom]

Tuesday ~ June 16, 1976

Nassau Coliseum ~ Long Island, New York

Attendance ....... { 10,200 }

~ Howard Smith Defeats Johnny Boudreaux In Spirited Bout ~

Howard Smith {204 lbs.} rallied strongly over the last 2-Rounds to capture a
10-Round Split-Decision over Johnny Boudreaux {206 lbs.} in a spirited and
well contested Heavyweight bout.

Smith, the harder-puncher, scored well during the first 2-Rounds and carried
the fight as Boudreaux was cautious and played it safe on the outside.

But the Houston-based Boudreaux stepped up the pace, and exhibited fast-hands
during Rounds 3, 4 and 5, and took the Rounds as Smith looked perplexed with
Boudreaux's hand-speed.

But in Round 6, Smith was able to stop Boudreaux's momentum as he landed
several jarring right-hand leads over Boudreaux's low-left guard.

Boudreaux came out of Round 6, with a swollen left cheekbone, courtesy of a
Howard Smith right-hand.

In Round 7, the best action of the bout was seen, as both fighters got into several
heated-exchanges, with each landing sharp punches on each other.

Boudreaux landed several 'left-left-right' combinations, and was also able to land
several right-uppercuts underneath each time that Smith ducked low while inside and
close.

The action hit a lull in Round 8, as both fighters took a break from the previous Round's
fast pace.

There was nothing more than 'light-jabbing' thru the first 2-minutes. But just past the
2:00 Mark, Boudreaux opened up with a fast-flurry, and started winging in his hardest
punches of the bout. Boudreaux landed several sharp punches as he caught Smith
napping and off-guard.

But at the {2:40 Mark}, Smith came on with a charge, and landed his own solid punches
to back Boudreaux up, forcing the Houston fighter to grab-and-hold until the Bell.

Coming out for Round 9, the bout was 'up-for-grabs'.

In Round 9, it was Howard Smith who took control, as he started to back up Boudreaux
with solid 'left-right' punches to the head. At the {1:20 Mark}, Smith started to go to
the body with hard-hooks, and Boudreaux looked in pain from the rib-smashes.

Then Smith went back upstairs at the {2:10 Mark} and 'rocked' Boudreaux with a
big right-hand smash to the face. Smith then tore into Boudreaux with a barrage, and
the Houston Heavyweight was on the verge of getting floored.

Boudreaux was just barely able to ride out the storm, as he grabbed-and-clinched
several times over the last 40-Seconds.

In the 10th and Final Round > Howard Smith was the effective aggressor and carried
the fight to Johnny Boudreaux who was forced backwards, where he was on the defensive.

Howard peppered away with solid left-jabs and occasional right-hands as Boudreaux
could not getting anything going.

Scorecards
* Referee ....... 5-4-1 {Howard Smith}
* Judge .......... 5-4-1 {Johnny Boudreaux}
* Judge .......... 6-4-0 {Howard Smith}

The Associated Press score it > 5-4-1 for Howard Smith.

AP Scorecard >
Rounds > 1, 2, 6, 9 and 10 for Howard Smith
Rounds > 3, 4, 5 and 7 for Johnny Boudreaux
Round > 8 'Even'

Fight Purses
* Howard Smith ........... $10,000
* Johnny Boudreaux ..... $15,000

[Bill Paxtom]

June 16, 1976

Howard Smith vs. Johnny Boudreaux

Post Fight Comments >

Howard Smith >

"I hurt my right-hand badly in Round 2. It went 'numb', and it took 3 Rounds before
I could feel it again. I couldn't start using it until Round 6."

"At the end of Round 8, my corner told me that I better get it into gear, as the fight
was too-close-for-comfort. I came out for Round 9 with a charge, and hurt Johnny
pretty bad with some body-punches. Then I caught him in the head with my right.
I had him in trouble, and he was 'out-on-his-feet' over the last 20-Seconds, but
I ran out of time."

"I guess I gave some Rounds away {3, 4 and 5}, but I turned it on when I had to.
I won the last 2-Rounds big."

"Johnny is a good fighter, and he's really fast. The fastest guy that I have ever faced.
He's going to be a tough competitor to get around for a lot of guys. He doesn't have
a lot of power, but he's a sharp puncher. I could see him fighting for a World
Championship in a year or so."