By Joe Chapman

WALTER Smith, aged 64, one of the founder boxers of the Bauxite Bombers Gym which terrorised opposing gyms around the country in the 1970s and 1980s, was buried last Tuesday at the Cypress Hills Cemetery, 833 Jamaica Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11208. Smith had passed away at a New York hospital on Thursday, October 2.
Known for his willingness to take on opponents and not back down, Smith is best remembered for being the first boxer to defeat Terrence Alli when he fought Alli in 1980. However, Alli, who later fought for three world titles, avenged that loss in that very year.

Smith had an impressive amateur boxing career. He last represented Guyana at the Pan American Games in 1979 before turning to professional boxing and migrating to the United States in 1984.
However, he suffered from paralysis in 1986 from a fall while doing construction work in New York.
Walter graced the square jungle with other top class boxers who were national champions of the Linden gym such as Ramesh Best, Terrence Bristol, Mortimer Cornell, Conrad Wilson, Colin Livingstone

He leaves to mourn his children Wayman, Carlos, Tasha and Alicia all residing in the United States.
Speaking to one of his sons, Carlos Smith said his father was in and out of hospital but succumbed last Thursday.
Smith was among the many Linden National amateur boxing champions who brought joy to the fans of the pugilistic sport, especially in Georgetown when the Bauxite Bombers Gym was ranked among the best in the country. He would certainly be remembered among the pantheons of outstanding Linden amateur boxers during the mid-1970s and early 1980s.
Former National boxing coach and Bauxite Bombers official Ashton Angel, who resides in the United States, was shocked at Smith’s passing. He told Chronicle Sport, “He was among the best of my fighters. It is a sad situation about his crippling injury (which was in 1986) when he was a construction worker in New York. He really survived long. He had a lion’s heart, very cunning and never backed down from a fight.”

United States-based former light heavyweight champion Conrad Wilson remembers Smith as one who inspired him because of his courage. Wilson, one of the top boxers from Bauxite Bombers Gym back then, said, “Walter always got a positive thing to say and he was a very good brother in and out of the ring especially when we went to fight in Georgetown.”
He remembers a fight between Smith and another Linden boxer, Sherman Alli, in an amateur final in Georgetown where he (Wilson) listened to the commentary on the local radio after he was injured and had to return to Linden.

He said Walter’s performance in winning (against) that exciting fighter helped him (Wilson) return to the ring after he had suffered an injury to his hand. “It was an exciting final and a tremendous performance by Walter,” Wilson said about the mid-1970s bout.
Wilson said when one speaks about the glory days of Bauxite Bombers Gym from Mackenzie, Linden, the name Walter Smith will be featured among its best gladiators.
He said he worked with Walter in Brooklyn after he arrived there in 1981 but later Walter was injured after falling from a scaffold. He became crippled from the neck down in 1986. It meant that he could not work anymore.

He recalls Walter always was positive when entering the ring and this was a hallmark of his fighting career to the end.
His brother Jeff Smith when contacted yesterday said he remembers with pride the inimitable voice of popular radio sports announcer, the late BL Crombie, the next morning announcing that Walter Smith had knocked out his opponent for a successful defence of his amateur featherweight championship, saying Walter had successfully defended his featherweight championship with a knock-out victory.

Another fond memory was, according to brother Jeff and Wilson, was when there was a controversial decision against Smith at the Mackenzie Sports Club ground where the packed turnout was left stunned that Walter had lost a fight which they home crowd felt was a unanimous win in his favour.
Smith, after he became a professional in 1980 is also credited as the boxer who handed Terrence Alli his first loss as a professional, defeating him in a lightweight clash on his debut March 3, 1980, but Alli later avenged that loss later that same year.

Hinterland boxing coach and the man behind the Pocket Rocket Gym in Linden, Orlan Rogers noted: “This is a real blow for Linden and the boxing fraternity. Walter Smith at one time was managing the Young Lions Gym of Wismar and even gave assistance to the Pocket Rocket Gym over the years. He also gave insights to myself and Lions Gym boxing coach Dirk Alexander, so we feel his loss to boxing.”
Chronicle Sport expresses its condolences to the grieving family of the late Walter Smith as well as to the boxing fraternity.