Yesterday, December 19, as a result of a protracted illness, the legendary referee, winner of the Boxing Hall of Fame, died
Steve Smoger (also known as “Smooger”). He was 79 years old.
He was born on August 15, 1943 in Norfolk, Virginia, USA. Interest in boxing was instilled by his father, with whom they watched broadcasts together.
Steven came to boxing in the early 1970s as a judge and referee for the US Police Athletic League. During the boom of professional boxing in Atlantic City, he continued to work as an inspector (1978-1983) in New Jersey, and in 1984 he began his career as a professional judge.
Two years later, Smoger officiated his first IBF flyweight title fight in South Korea.
One of the most respected referees, he was third in the ring in 1051 fights (nearly 200 title fights) all over the world, including Argentina, Italy, Germany, Thailand, Japan and China. In 2010-2012, Smoger was a referee at fights in Donetsk (Ukraine) four times.
In 2015, his services to the sport were noted: Smoger was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.
Among the fights where he enforced the rules were fights involving almost all the top boxers of his era.
Recently, another referee of the Mills Lane Boxing Hall of Fame passed away: he was 85 years old.