Eddie McGoorty vs Jeff Smith / March 14, 1914

[D. Bergin]

When I was doing some research on this fight I found that you have this fight listed as a Win for Eddie McGoorty. All the T.S. Andrews and Everlast Record books I could find from this period list it as a Win for Smith. Some have a notation mentioning that the original referees decision was later reversed. Does anybody know the real story regarding this fight and who actually got the decision? It took place in Sydney, Australia.

Also to add, I have a couple promotional items from this fight which is billing it as being for the "World's Middleweight Championship". I know this is not mentioned in any of the records I have found for this fight.

[lamphey]

I have a report from a Boxing paper of the time which says "before a ten thousand gate, Eddie McGoorty was awarded an unpopular decision at the end of 20 hard rds of fighting over his fellow countryman, Jeff Smith".

Don't know about any subsequent reversal though.

[klompton]

The Australian title was not legitimate. It was created by Harald and Snowy Baker specifically to sell this fight. Their logic behind this idea was that McGoorty was the best MW in the America (he wasn't) and Smith was the best MW in Australia. The problem with this was that McGoorty was coming off a loss and a draw to Frank Klaus (the real champion) and also a loss to Jimmy Clabby. This title was nothing more than promoters attempt selling tickets. The McGoorty who is posting on this forum is so adamant that this title was legitimate because his hero Les Darcy cant be called a champion if anyone thinks this title was what it was, a gimmick. Hes over here now trying to argue this point because he got argued out of Eastside after attempting to say this title derived its lineage from Dave Smith beating Papke in 1910. When I produced articles from the local newspapers stating categorically that the title was not on the line and that both fighters had weighed in over the accepted MW limits of both America and Oz he suddenly went quiet. Now hes here trying to build support for his case because he found none there. Ignore him, nothing to see here, move along.

[delisa]

I would refer to it as for the "World's Middleweight Championship" as recognized in Australia OR

Promoted by Snowy as for "World's Middleweight Championship"

Based on Kompton's post the latter seems better.