Charles C. Smith (boxer)
# Charles C. Smith (boxer)

C.C. Smith (May 3, 1860? – October 1, 1924), a.k.a. Charles C. Smith, Charles A.C. Smith, and Charlie Smith, was an African American boxer who claimed the status of being the World Colored Heavyweight Champ and was the first boxer recognized as such.

## Biography

Smith was born in Macon, Georgia, likely into slavery, and he and his mother moved north in 1865. His birth date is given as May 3, 1860, but since he supposedly did not begin boxing until he was 19 and claimed the title in 1876, the birth year likely is spurious. Some sources cite 1869 as the year his boxing career began, and others 1879, which would have been three years after he claimed the championship.

He began fighting as a bareknuckle boxer. The 5'11" Smith, whose moniker was "The Black Thunderbolt", fought as a heavyweight out of Buffalo, New York. Bill Muldoon, his manager, said he was a great pugilist possessed of cunning and a terrific punch. He reportedly fought 225 bouts.

In 1891, he traveled with Muldoon's traveling carnival, where he boxed with future lightweight champ Joe Gans, who was beginning his career. Gans would become the first African American to hold a world's championship boxing title.

Smith killed a man in the ring. On October 24, 1894, Amos Theis died of injuries inflicted by Smith during a bout in Louisville, Kentucky.

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. He reportedly fought Colored Heavyweight Champ (and future world heavyweight champ) Jack Johnson in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1906, but it was likely an exhibition or never occurred due to Smith's age.

Smith's official record is 39 wins (33 by knockout) against 14 losses (he was KO-ed nine times) and five draws. He also recorded one newspaper decision win.

He died on October 1, 1924.

## Legacy

In 2020 award-winning author Mark Allen Baker published the first comprehensive account of The World Colored Heavyweight Championship, 1876-1937, with McFarland & Company, a leading independent publisher of academic & nonfiction books. 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.

For decades the World Colored Heavyweight Championship was a useful tool to combat racial oppression-the existence of the title as a leverage mechanism, or tool, used as a technique to counter a social element known as “drawing the color line.”

## Professional boxing record

| 66 fights | 40 wins | 14 losses |
| - | - | - |
| By knockout | 32 | 9 |
| By decision | 6 | 2 |
| By disqualification | 2 | 3 |
| Draws | 5 | 5 |
| No contests | 7 | 7 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 66 | Win | 40–14–5 (7) | Contaden | KO | ? | Jul 15, 1903 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 65 | Win | 39–14–5 (7) | Jem Smith | KO | ? | Jun 15, 1903 | Manchester, England | Date uncertain |
| 64 | ND | 38–14–5 (7) | Billy Rhodes | ND | 4 | Aug 15, 1901 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 63 | Loss | 38–14–5 (6) | Jim Fitzpatrick | TKO | 7 (20) | Oct 25, 1899 | Olympic A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |
| 62 | Win | 38–13–5 (6) | Tom McCarthy | DQ | 3 (20) | Mar 6, 1899 | Olympic A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |
| 61 | Loss | 37–13–5 (6) | George Gardiner | KO | 7 (?) | Dec 25, 1898 | Montreal, Quebec, Canada | |
| 60 | Loss | 37–12–5 (6) | Ed Dunkhorst | PTS | 20 | Nov 24, 1898 | Maple Avenue A.C., Elmira, New York, U.S. | |
| 59 | Win | 37–11–5 (6) | Johnny Ruhlin | PTS | 4 | Oct 15, 1898 | Buffalo, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 58 | Loss | 36–11–5 (6) | Peter Maher | KO | 3 (6) | Feb 15, 1898 | Arena A.C., Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 57 | Win | 36–10–5 (6) | Jim Delaney | KO | 2 (?), 0:30 | May 31, 1897 | Maple Avenue A.C., Elmira, New York, U.S. | |
| 56 | Win | 35–10–5 (6) | Fred Taylor | KO | 1 (?) | May 10, 1897 | Erie, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 55 | Win | 34–10–5 (6) | George Watson | KO | 1 (20), 2:05 | Mar 26, 1897 | Walden A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |
| 54 | Loss | 33–10–5 (6) | Peter Maher | PTS | 6 | Feb 15, 1897 | Empire A.C., Buffalo, New York, U.S. | |
| 53 | Win | 33–9–5 (6) | Al Murphy | PTS | 3 | Nov 20, 1896 | Music Hall, Niagara Falls, New York, U.S. | |
| 52 | Win | 32–9–5 (6) | Mike Queenan | TKO | 2 (20) | Aug 6, 1896 | Park Theater, Niagara Falls, New York, U.S. | |
| 51 | Win | 31–9–5 (6) | Amos Thesis | KO | ? | Oct 24, 1894 | Louisville, Kentucky, U.S. | Thesis died of injuries sustained from the fight. |
| 50 | Loss | 30–9–5 (6) | Jack Slattery | DQ | 5 (?) | Jan 11, 1894 | Dolgeville, New York, U.S. | |
| 49 | ND | 30–8–5 (6) | John Hughes | ND | 4 | Sep 5, 1893 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 48 | Draw | 30–8–5 (5) | Con Riordon | PTS | 4 | Jul 4, 1893 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 47 | Win | 30–8–4 (5) | Jerry Slattery | KO | 1 (?) | Jun 15, 1893 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 46 | Loss | 29–8–4 (5) | Con Coughlin | DQ | 3 (?) | Apr 15, 1893 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 45 | Win | 29–7–4 (5) | John Jackson | KO | 1 (?) | Apr 14, 1893 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 44 | Win | 28–7–4 (5) | Con Coughlin | KO | 1 (?) | Apr 13, 1893 | New York City, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 43 | Win | 27–7–4 (5) | Mike Brennan | DQ | 3 (6) | Nov 26, 1892 | New York A.C., New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 42 | Loss | 26–7–4 (5) | Joe Choynski | KO | 4 (?) | Nov 21, 1892 | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 41 | Win | 26–6–4 (5) | Mike Brennan | KO | 3 (?) | Nov 5, 1892 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 40 | Loss | 25–6–4 (5) | Joe Butler | KO | 3 (?) | Oct 5, 1892 | Washington, D.C., U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 39 | Win | 25–5–4 (5) | Frank Craig | KO | 2 (?) | Sep 12, 1892 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 38 | ND | 24–5–4 (5) | Frank Craig | ND | 4 | Aug 29, 1892 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 37 | Loss | 24–5–4 (4) | George Godfrey | KO | 4 (?) | Aug 15, 1892 | New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 36 | Win | 24–4–4 (4) | Bill Gabig | TKO | 2 (4) | Apr 25, 1892 | Niblo's Theatre, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 35 | Win | 23–4–4 (4) | Billy Baker | KO | 9 (?) | Sep 1, 1891 | New York City, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 34 | Loss | 22–4–4 (4) | Billy Baker | PTS | 9 | Jul 1, 1891 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 33 | ND | 22–3–4 (4) | Fred Morris | ND | 6 | May 15, 1891 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 32 | Draw | 22–3–4 (3) | George Godfrey | PTS | 6 | Jan 15, 1885 | Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 31 | Win | 22–3–3 (3) | Edward McKeown | KO | 2 (?) | Nov 20, 1884 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
| 30 | NC | 21–3–3 (3) | Big Sullivan | NC | 1 (?) | Oct 27, 1884 | Market Hall, Saint Paul, Minnesota, U.S. | |
| 29 | Loss | 21–3–3 (2) | Tom Robinson | KO | 1 (?) | Mar 18, 1884 | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | |
| 28 | Loss | 21–2–3 (2) | Mervine Thompson | KO | 8 (?) | Mar 10, 1884 | Central Armory, Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | |
| 27 | Win | 21–1–3 (2) | Charles Hadley | DQ | 2 (?) | Feb 2, 1884 | East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | |
| 26 | ND | 20–1–3 (2) | Charles Hadley | ND | 4 | Dec 15, 1883 | East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 25 | Draw | 20–1–3 (1) | Tommy Cleary | PTS | 6 | Nov 15, 1883 | Amsterdam, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 24 | Draw | 20–1–2 (1) | Jack Stewart | PTS | 6 | Oct 5, 1883 | London, Ontario, Canada | |
| 23 | Loss | 20–1–1 (1) | Jack Stewart | TKO | 2 (6), 2:25 | Aug 16, 1883 | Harry Hill's, New York City, New York, U.S. | |
| 22 | ND | 20–0–1 (1) | Harry Woodson | ND | 3 | Jul 16, 1883 | Troy, New York, U.S. | |
| 21 | Win | 20–0–1 | Thomas McAlpine | PTS | 4 | Apr 18, 1883 | Schenectady, New York, U.S. | |
| 20 | Win | 19–0–1 | W. Shipman | KO | ? | Apr 17, 1883 | Albany, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 19 | Win | 18–0–1 | Professor Corlin | KO | ? | Apr 16, 1883 | Albany, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 18 | Win | 17–0–1 | Amos Lavender | KO | ? | Apr 15, 1883 | Albany, New York, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 17 | Draw | 16–0–1 | Professor John Donaldson | PTS | 4 | Nov 14, 1882 | Port Huron, Michigan, U.S. | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Dan Carr | KO | 8 (?) | Jan 15, 1882 | East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Dan Carr | KO | 4 (?) | Nov 11, 1881 | Bay City, Michigan, U.S. | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Bill Johnson | KO | 2 (?) | Aug 15, 1881 | East Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Professor John Donaldson | KO | 4 (?) | Jun 15, 1881 | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Maurice Casey | PTS | 4 | Mar 15, 1881 | Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Joseph Massie | KO | 8 (?) | Nov 16, 1879 | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Jack Chapel | KO | 12 (?) | Aug 15, 1879 | Bedford, Ohio, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Jim Whalen | KO | 23 (?) | Jul 12, 1879 | Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, U.S. | |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Jack Silver Bill Driscoll | KO | 3 (?) | Jun 29, 1879 | Saginaw, Michigan, U.S. | Date uncertain |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Steve Taylor | KO | 14 (?) | Jun 22, 1879 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Mike Green | KO | 29 (?) | Jun 15, 1879 | Boston A.A., Boston, Massachusetts | Date uncertain |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Mervine Thompson | PTS | 3 | May 15, 1879 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | William Spillings | KO | ? | Apr 15, 1879 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Battler Stevenson | KO | ? | Mar 15, 1879 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Ed Gray | KO | ? | Feb 15, 1879 | United States of America | Date & venue uncertain |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Welsh | KO | ? | Jan 15, 1879 | United States of America | Professional debut; Date & venue uncertain |
