Steve Smoger
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Name: Steve Smoger
Hometown: Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA
Died: 2022-12-19 (Age:79)
Promoter: Record
Judge: Record
Referee: Record
Supervisor: Record
Steve Smoger was a well known American boxing referee. His active participation in boxing began in the early 1970s when he served as a timekeeper, judge, and referee for the Police Athletic League. "One afternoon," Smoger recalls, "I was at the PAL center, and Jersey Joe Walcott called. He was chairman of the New Jersey State Boxing Commission, which was what they called it back then. There were fights scheduled for that night and Walcott said, 'We're shorthanded. Is there anyone at PAL who can help out as an inspector?'" Smoger volunteered and, for the next five years, worked as an inspector. In 1983, he was granted a provisional referee license. [1]
Smoger worked primarily on the East Coast, and was often featured as the referee in world title or major fights taking place at East Coast venues. One of the more well-traveled of his profession, he has also refereed bouts in Panama, Bermuda, Russia, Dubai, the Ukraine, Australia, Argentina, Uruguay, Germany, Thailand, Israel, the Virgin Islands, Kazakhstan, Mexico, Sweden, the Cayman Islands, Japan, Saint Lucia, Italy, China, Denmark, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Poland, France, Spain, South Korea, and Switzerland.
In 1995, he placed second to Mills Lane in a poll conducted by Boxing Illustrated to designate the world's "best referee." In 2010, he was recognized by the WBA as Referee of the Year. When Smoger is not refereeing fights, he serves as a Municipal Court Judge in Atlantic City, as well as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.
In boxing circles, Smoger was known as being one of the most lenient referees in the sport. This liberal attitude often resulted in exciting fights as the action is only broken up when it is absolutely necessary.
Aside from his vast experience as a referee, Smoger was also known for being the victim in the "chair incident" which took place during the first Oleg Maskaev vs. Hasim Rahman fight. Smoger, the backup referee at the fight, was sitting just outside of the ring when Rahman was knocked out of it by Maskaev. Shortly after Rahman hit the ringside floor, Smoger was struck in the head by a chair which had been thrown from the crowd by a fan who was soon arrested.
Notable Fights Refereed
2013
- Danny Garcia vs. Zab Judah for WBA and WBC Light Welterweight Titles.
- Gennady Golovkin vs. Gabriel Rosado for the WBA and IBO Middleweight Titles.
2012
- Andre Ward vs. Chad Dawson for the WBA and WBC Super Middleweight Titles.
- Devon Alexander vs. Marcos Maidana
2011
- Andre Ward vs. Carl Froch for the WBA, WBC, The Ring Magazine Super Middleweight Titles. - Bout was the final of Showtime's Super Six Boxing Classic.
- Miguel Angel Cotto vs. Antonio Margarito (2nd meeting) for the WBA Super World Light Middleweight Title.
- Pawel Wolak vs. Delvin Rodriguez - Bout was named the Fight of the Year by the BWAA
2010
- Tavoris Cloud vs. Glen Johnson for the IBF Light Heavyweight Title
- Amir Khan vs. Paul Malignaggi for the WBA Light Welterweight Title
2007
- Jermain Taylor vs. Kelly Pavlik (1st meeting) for the WBC and WBO Middleweight Titles. - Bout was named the Fight of the Year by the BWAA
2005
- John Ruiz vs. James Toney for the WBA and IBA Heavyweight Titles - Toney defeated Ruiz by unanimous decision, but the result was changed to a no contest when Toney tested positive for a banned substance.
2004
- Diego Corrales vs. Joel Casamayor (2nd meeting) for the WBO and IBA Super Featherweight Titles.
2002
- Shane Mosley vs. Vernon Forrest (1st meeting) for the WBC Welterweight Title.
2001
- John Ruiz vs. Evander Holyfield (3rd meeting) for the WBA Heavyweight Title.
- Brian Nielsen vs. Mike Tyson
- Bernard Hopkins vs. Felix Trinidad for the WBC, WBA, and IBF Middleweight Titles.
1997
- James Toney vs. Mike McCallum (3rd meeting) for the WBU Cruiserweight Title.
1995
- Vinny Pazienza vs. Roberto Duran (2nd meeting) for the IBC Super Middleweight Title.
1993
- Roy Jones Jr. vs. Bernard Hopkins (1st meeting) for the IBF Middleweight Title - It was the first world title for Jones. Jr.
1992
- Welcome Ncita vs. Kennedy McKinney (1st meeting) for the IBF Super Bantamweight Title - The Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year
- Larry Holmes vs. Ray Mercer
1991
- James Toney vs. Mike McCallum (1st meeting) for the IBF Middleweight Title
1989
- Lennox Lewis vs. Bruce Johnson - U.S. debut for Lewis
1986
- Jong-Kwan Chung vs. Bi-Won Jung (3rd meeting) for the IBF Flyweight Title - Smoger's first known world-title bout