Charles C. Smith (boxer) facts for kids

C.C. Smith (born around May 3, 1860, and died October 1, 1924) was a very important African American boxer. He was also known as Charles C. Smith or Charlie Smith. He was the first boxer to be recognized as the World Colored Heavyweight Champion. People called him "The Black Thunderbolt" because of his powerful boxing style.

About C.C. Smith

Smith was born in Macon, Georgia. He likely grew up during a time when slavery was still common. In 1865, he and his mother moved north. His exact birth year is a bit unclear, but he started boxing when he was quite young.

He began his career as a bareknuckle boxer. This means he fought without gloves, which was common in the early days of boxing. Smith was 5 feet 11 inches tall and fought as a heavyweight. He was based out of Buffalo, New York. His manager, Bill Muldoon, said Smith was a very smart boxer with an amazing punch. It's believed he fought around 225 matches in total!

In 1891, Smith traveled with Muldoon's carnival. There, he boxed with a young fighter named Joe Gans, who was just starting his career. Joe Gans later became the first African American to win a world championship in boxing.

During one of his fights on October 24, 1894, his opponent, Amos Theis, was badly hurt and later passed away from his injuries.

Even when he was older, Smith kept fighting. In 1903, when he was in his forties or fifties, he fought and beat the former British Heavyweight champion, 40-year-old Jem Smith, in England. He won that fight by knockout. He was also said to have fought Jack Johnson, who would become a famous world heavyweight champion, in 1906. However, this was probably just a practice match or might not have happened because C.C. Smith was much older by then.

C.C. Smith's official boxing record shows he won 39 fights, with 33 of those wins coming from knockouts. He lost 14 times and had 5 draws (ties). He also had some fights that were not officially decided.

He passed away on October 1, 1924.

His Important Legacy

C.C. Smith's story is important because he was the first World Colored Heavyweight Champion. This title was very significant during a time when there was a "color line" in sports, meaning Black athletes were often kept separate from white athletes.

For many years, the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a way for Black boxers to show their amazing talent and fight against unfair treatment. It helped challenge the racial barriers that existed both inside and outside the boxing ring.

In 2020, an author named Mark Allen Baker wrote a book about the history of this championship. The book tells the stories of the talented boxers who held the title and explains how it helped challenge racial unfairness.

Boxing Record Summary