(September 19th) During an brief intermission at Star Boxing’s “Rockin Fights 15” at Long Island’s hottest boxing venue Star Boxing President and CEO Joe Deguardia announced the signing of Shirley, Long Island’s promising light heavyweight Joe “The Irish Bomber” Smith Jr.
The 24 year old Irishman coming with an impressive amateur pedigree including two New York Gold Glove and New York City Metro titles can best be described as a boxing reincarnation combination of Philadelphia’s Jack O’Brien and “Irish” Bob Murphy.
Turning pro October 2009 winning his first six inside the distance, Smith’s KO run came to an abrupt stop August 2010 versus Lawrence, Massachusetts slugger Eddie “Thunder” Caminero.
Dominating the opening three and half minutes of his seventh pro fight at Aviator Sports complex in Brooklyn “The Irish Bomber” fighting with what was later diagnosed as multiple fractures in his jaw the rough and ready Smith battled still controlling the action finally succumbing to the pain in a clinch with two seconds to go in the fourth round of the scheduled six rounder. Most ringside had Smith ahead or even at the time of the stoppage.
Immediately following the bout Smith underwent surgery leading to an extended period out of inactivity, surviving on a liquid diet. After eleven months later clearing all the appropriate medical testing “The Irish Bomber” returned to action and his heavy handed ways July 30th 2011 stopping Santos Martinez with a ripping body shot.
Then going on a four bout KO tear scoring stoppages of Dennis Ogboo, Amador Acevedo, James Denson and Yasin Rashid Smith finding it hard to get fights closed out 2013 with unanimous decision wins over Lamont Williams and Hamid Abdul-Mateen.
Smith began his 2014 campaign scoring a solid six round unanimous decision over Sacramento, California’s cagey veteran Otis “Triple G’ Griffin in February before again returning to his KO ways adding stoppages of Ghana’s heavy handed Michael Gbenga and LA’s Tyrell “Hollywood” Hendrix in his last outing in July.
In the history of boxing there is a long list of Irish / American greats, Mickey Walker, Gene Tunney, Jimmy McLarnin, Tommy Loughran and Billy Conn to name a few. Evaluating the whole package measuring Smith’s aggressive style, offensive skills and tight defense parlayed with his natural punching power working under the tutelage of Gerry and Phil Capobianco and now under the guidance of Joe Deguardia’s Star Boxing all the lights appear “green” on this Irisman’s road to the upper echelon of the light heavyweight division.
The “Irish Bomber” 16-1, 13Ko’s is expected to make his Star boxing debut sometime in November.
