Paul Smith Retires.

Paul Smith Retires.

By Richard Lewis

This week the eldest of the four Smith boxing brothers Paul announced his retirement from the sport. A decorated amateur fighting out of the famous Rotunda Boxing Club in Liverpool, he won ABA titles at Light-Middleweight and represented his country in the 2002 Commonwealth games, winning a silver medal after losing in the final to a future Light-Heavyweight world champion in the professional ranks in Jean Pascal.

After turning pro he racked up an impressive record winning the Central Area Middleweight title in his 17th fight halting Dean Walker in 3 rounds before beating American Jonathan Reid a few fights later, winning by 7th round TKO, as part of the TV series The Contender’s UK v USA challenge tournament. Paul then took part in the third series of the programme during his next fight against another American in the shape of David Banks, winning by split decision in a 5 round fight. But cuts suffered in this fight and the lack of points achieved during this contest meant that he couldn’t progress and was ruled out of the rest of the show.

A return to domestic level fights beckoned and Paul soon after faced the tough Marcello Renda for the vacant English Middleweight title which saw him halt his opponent in the 6th round to win his second domestic title as a pro. He would suffer his first loss as a pro in his next fight though defending the title against Steven Bendall, losing a 10 rounds points decision.

Unperturbed by this Smith would record another four wins on his record before meeting fellow scouser Tony Quigley for the British Super-Middleweight title. Paul would take Quigley’s title winning by a split decision after 12 tough rounds in front of a packed crowd at the Echo Arena in Liverpool. A return to the same venue a few months later against another Merseyside native in Tony Dodson in his first defence of the Lonsdale belt would see him record another points win, this time all three judges scored in his favour. In his next fight Smith would come up against his toughest challenge of his career thus far in the shape of 2008 Olympic Gold medalist James DeGale. It would prove to be a step too far as Paul was halted in the 9th round as DeGale looked to finish the fight with the referee stepping in and saving him from further punishment.

As we went into 2011 Paul recorded two quick first round stoppage victories over Austrian Jozsef Matolcsi and Welshman Paul Samuels before meeting future WBA Super-Middleweight champion George Groves who was then the holder of the British and Commonwealth titles having beaten Smith conqueror James DeGale previously to add the Lonsdale belt to his Commonwealth strap. Smith started the fight well and caught Groves with some good shots late in the first round which appeared to shock Groves into life as come the second he dropped Smith twice forcing the referee to step in and stop the fight as Smith despite rising from a heavy knockdown appeared to be on wobbly legs and unable to continue.

Almost two years later having had just one fight since, a routine 4 round stoppage victory over Tommy Tolan, Smith again was offered a chance to fight for the British Super-Middleweight title that had now become vacant following Kenny Anderson’s decision to vacate the title, in a rematch with Tony Dodson. ‘Smigga’ as his nickname suggests was able to win more emphatically this time, stopping Dodson in the 6th round to become a two-time British Super-Middleweight Champion. As he looked for bigger fights he ticked over with another two wins, though vacated the British title soon after, which was then contested and won by younger brother Callum.

Paul then got his big opportunity, a shot at WBO World Champion Arthur Abraham, with the fight scheduled to take place in Germany. The record books will say that Abraham won by a clear unanimous decision but for anyone who has watched that fight it’s evident it was a lot closer than the judges scorecards suggested and many people including promoter Eddie Hearn thought that Smith had done enough and deserved the victory, later labelling the result ‘disgusting’.

A rematch was agreed for February 2015 again in Germany but this time nobody could have any complaints with the result as the outcome was the same with Abraham winning again by unanimous decision in a fair and non controversial decision. With a record of 36-5 many wondered what was next for Smith until he got the call to face Andre Ward, returning after a 19 month lay off and looking to move up to Light-Heavyweight the fight was agreed at a catchweight of 172ibs. Smith came in 4lbs over the limit and lost a percentage of his fight purse for doing so. The fight itself was very one-sided with Ward dominating from the start and Smith finding it hard to get into the fight or lay a glove on Ward who’s excellent footwork and punch selection made it difficult for Smith. Behind on all the judges scorecards and taking a beating, trainer Joe Gallagher threw in the towel in the 9th round giving Smith his sixth career loss and one step closer to retirement.

After almost a year out of the ring Smith did return with three wins in 2016 against average European opponents who didn’t really test him or prove anything. He got another crack at the world title again in June of 2017 in what would prove to be his final fight, against WBA regular Super-Middleweight Champion Tyron Zeuge. The tough undefeated German proved too much for Smith and won nearly every round and felled Smith in the final round too for a routine victory.

A year to the day of that loss and with no other fights planned or in the pipeline Paul announced via his Instagram page that he was retiring, citing the fact that he could see things in his head but his body wouldn’t react too and suggesting that Father Time had caught up with him.

He also stated that he ruptured a ligament in his right hand which required an operation, the fifth of his career which further helped to make his mind up that now was a good time to bow out of the sport. He leaves aged 35 with a record of 38(22)-7 which he can be proud of, but the fact that he couldn’t win a world title and perhaps often struggled against the top-level Boxers of the sport, despite having an impressive amateur career and twice winning the British title maybe suggests that he can look back with a few regrets.

I’m sure there will be plenty of media work coming his way in the future though as we’ve often heard his commentary on Sky in the past, of which personally I’ve enjoyed listening to. I wish him all the best in his retirement but I can’t help think what might have been, could he have won the world title with a little more luck.

But with Paul now leaving the sport it leaves his younger brothers Stephen, Callum and Liam to fly the flag for the Smith family.