Bill Muldoon, his manager, said he was a great pugilist possessed of cunning and a terrific punch.
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.
Smith's official record is 39 wins (33 by knockout) against 14 losses (he was KO-ed nine times) and five draws.
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.