William Smith (boxer)

William Walker Smith (b. 1920 in Belfast, Ireland), 'Fighting Bill Smith' was born in Belfast Ireland in 1920. He was later to immigrate to Canada, and presently resides in Wawa Ontario He had a nine year amateur career which began in 1936, and he took his first national championship in 1941. He won four National Championships and a myriad of other titles in his career record 147 bouts with only 27 losses. An amazing feat for even this day. In 1943 he was the first man to hold both the Northern and Southern Irish Championships. He was a south paw and started his career as a welter weight 145 lb. He joined the Navy in 1945 and saw through the last six months of the war. He worked as an engineer aboard a tanker, and took his decommission and an honourable discharge in 1954. After the Navy he began a career in mining with the Algoma Ore as a 'underground mechanic.' After a number of difficult accidents he retired in 1986, and took his 'stationary engineering papers'. In 1988 he won $233,000.00 with the Canadian 649 lottery. Bill established the first pugilist club in Wawa, the "Wawa Amateur Boxing Club". He was married to his wife Edith in 1954 whereupon they had four children(son,William Wayne, a daughter Kathleen Gayle, then twins "Glynis Mary & Jeffrey James." His family became his sole purpose in life! William W. Smith also has 9 grandchildren Regan, Demitria, Kelsey, Wade, Cody, Rikki-Lee, Teela, Tyson and Taara.