By Donald “Braveheart” Stewart
“And the third man in the ring…”
Like in dramas of yore, when the servants were present but not noticed, we often ignore those who have contributed, in what we mistakenly believe is, in a lesser way to the boxing spectacle. That is, until, of course, there is something wrong with their performance, in our opinion. Then all hell breaks loose, and we are all upset by them. We notice them then.
But officials are not just a necessary part of the program, without them there is no program.
And when one of the very best, at only 72 years of age is lost to us, that upset should be magnified.
On the 19th of December 2022, Steve “Double S” Smoger passed away and has left an enduring legacy of respect, fond memories and, being a Hall of Famer, a name writ large upon the history of boxing. His nickname, “Double S”, was apparently down to ring announcer, Ed Derian, who first used it and it stuck with him thereafter. Like much of his career it was an unassuming nod to the man who was an unassuming titan of officialdom.
Born at the advent of the 1950’s in Virginia, he settled in New Jersey and was an official in the ring for over 1,000 fights – at least 200 of them, title bouts. He travelled the world, managing to bring his experience to more states and countries, it is believed, than any other referee in boxing history: he worked in Germany, Argentina, Thailand, Japan, China, and Italy. Smoger had a reputation of being an old school kinda guy. He would let fighters play out their fights and intervene where necessary rather than trying to be the star of the show. People got a fair fight as Smoger would respect who was in the ring alongside him. It made him popular but also the barometer of fairness.
Having graduated from the George Washington Law School, Smoger brought his legal acumen, and experience to bear on the square courtroom from 1982 onwards. It was not his only service. Colonel Smoger of the United States Air Force Reserve put in 30 years between them and the New Jersey Air National Guard.
He was first licensed for the ring by another great – Jersey Joe Walcott – and served with distinction becoming co-chair of the IBA Boxing Officials Committee in 2017. His achievements are of the highest-ranking including being named world’s best referee by Ring Magazine in 2001, then referee of the year by the WBA in 2010 which was followed in 2013, by the same accolade from the IBA. His pathway to the International Boxing Hall of Fame was charted through being inducted into the Halls of Fame in New Jersey (class of 1997), Pennsylvania (class of 2013) and Philadelphia (class of 2014) before, in 2015 becoming an inductee to the international equivalent. In 2017 he even became one of the first to be inducted into the Atlantic City Hall of Fame!
The list of names and fights he officiated is a lengthy and impressive number of stars of the last 40 years and includes Tyson, Lewis, Camacho, Hopkins, Ward, Cotto, Golovkin – the list goes on like the index of a history book. Fights he was in the ring for included world title bouts such as the first Pavlik-Taylor, Forrest-Mosley as well as for Ward and Augustus, Trinidad and Hopkins, and the final of the World Super Six between Froch and Ward. Smoger was also a judge from 1986 to 2021 and became a supervisor in 2021.
In 2014 he also became an international kickboxing referee and was a regular television contributor for ESPN, Eurosport, HBO and served as the official rules’ consultant for the Premier Boxing Champions program on NBC.
But the best accolades come from those who knew him and Carl Sharp-Polis, boxing’s first female judge commented, “sorry to hear about Steve, and he was as straight as an arrow and a good judge, too.”
But, of course, I turn to my own editor in chief, “Bad” Brad Berkwitt, who sent the following “IBHOF Referee Steve “Double S” Smoger was not only my friend and a supporter of my boxing writing career, but he was also a class act. I will miss our talks from time to time. His infectious New Jersey personality when he would answer the phone with a big Hey “Bad” Brad! Sleep well my friend. Say hello to the many greats you are now with in the boxing ring in the sky we both knew from me.”
And so form all of us at RSR, “Double S”, we salute you.
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