Jack was a professional boxer in his youth, but got his amateur status back so that he could fight for ICI in the early 1930s. He was a welterweight but used to fight Jack Roy, a local heavyweight 
Picture Stockton Archive
A Pictorial History of Stockton-on-Tees
I remember Maxie used to be on the door at the Talbot in Stockton, late 70’s I think
there is a poster for whippet racing in 1932 which said there was open air boxing too. It is on stockton whippet racing site
If you like reading these comments about Jack Thomas, you might be interested in this post too… http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/sparring-with-maxie-smith/
I am Laura, Maxie’s daughter. It’s his 70th birthday in November so we are organising a suprise party for him and I’m looking for some pictures of his boxing career to show people at the party and to blow up for him if anyone can help me please?.
My email address is available through the Picture Stockton website. Thank you.
Hi Laura, Good look on finding pictures of Max, I have had a good search on the web, the only 2 that I have I have posted on this site, there are some out there from his commando days and 1 write up in a paper, I have never been able to find any pictures from when he won the ABA which would have been good. I wish I wasn’t living in Australia as I would have loved to have been there, your Dad was best man at my wedding and we ended up being very close thanks to boxing. Wish him the best from me.
Maxie Smith fought from 1968 to 1975, he made his debut on 28th November 1968 against Ashley Hutchinson at the Town Hall, Shoreditch, London, which he won Tko 3, the nearest Maxie fought to Teesside was Manchester & Blackpool. The other Stockton boxer Gordon Pratt fought from 1982 to 1985 he was fortunate to have a few fights at Sunderland & Newcastle. They were both unlucky that when they boxed their respective divisions were very good, but they both done well and got out as fit men.
Hi guys, please keep the history of maxie smith coming. Alan Wilson I’d just like to say thank you.
When I look back at Maxie Smith’s boxing record, it is really remarkable, I became his trainer and corner man , when he fought Harry Scott. All of the preceding fights we had no sparring partners , only our amateur boxers we were training , just for ring movement, it was just me and home made pads, Max taught me to train him – it now sounds daft but thats how it was, and I loved every minute of it. We both had to work for a living, unpaid time off for fights and very little purse money. I did all the driving in the Uk – Cardif, Stoke- Blackpool-Bournemouth- sometime having to go via Sheffield to pick Brendan Ingle up and Halifax to pick the manager Tommy Millar up. The only time we took a train was to London. When I see the boxers on Tele now with all there pre fight training camps and big money , I think we were 30 years too early!
Just got home from training at Maxie’s gym. He trains as hard as anyone there. Still fast of foot, fist and mind
Reading all the boxing comments lately about Maxie Smith, I looked through my old photos and found two of me and Max in the ring, me with pads – homemade pads. Looking back Max did very well considering he never had any professional sparing partners, even when he fought for the commonwealth title. After the defeat against Axcel at Manchester we were supposed to be booked into the Piccadilly hotel for the night, when we got there no room, so I had to drive straight home – I wonder if the room had been there if we won!
Avenamar Peralta fought from 1965 to 1982, he had 149 fights, won 102(ko64), lost 32(ko7), drawn 14 & one no contest. His second last fight on the 3rd Sept 1982 he boxed a draw with Emilio Garcia (the champion)for the Spanish Light-Heavyweight title. Peralta was born in Trinidad, San Juan, Argentina but he got Spanish citizenship.
I have just been reading some of the comments about Maxie Smith’s fights, I was his brother-in-law and trainer, the fight he lost in Hamburg to Karl Hienz Klen was a farce, Maxie was winning every round until he got a cut – not in a bad place, but the ref stopped the fight, which was why the great Henry Cooper refused to fight in Germany. To be fair the German spectators knew that Max was winning and gave him a great a applause. Another fight he lost in Vienna to Peralta was the fault of his manager Tommy Millar, there were two Peralta brothers one heavywieght and one lightheavy. The manager Tommy got the weights for the fight in Kilo’s and didn’t check the imperial eqivelant, yes Max got the heavywieght boxer, so didn’t stand a chance, but he still went ahead and honoured his fight contract. Yes he was a gentleman, he had time for everyone. The fight with Chris Finnegan again was a set up. We even drove through to Manchester the first time the fight was cancelled – no mobile phones in them days, when we had Steve Aczel we knew nothing at all about him – no Internet in them days, and yes it was a rabbit punch – after a good punch – that Max took and would have recovered from except for a rabbit punch on the way down. Max couldn’t walk up stairs for nearly a week due to bruising around the rear of his neck, but I never once heard him complain.
Maxie Smith’s other four defeats were Roy John, who Maxie beat in a rematch, Durvan Airey, Karl Heinz Klein & Avenamar Peralta – the latter two both fought for the European title. Maxie beat some good fighters, Eddie Duncan an American in 1973, a year after Duncan beat John Conteh. Steve Aczel was born in Budapest, Hungary, he had 40 fights, won 31(ko27), lost 8(ko8) & drawn 1. Jessie Burnett beat Aczel tko 8 on the 19th Feb 1982.
Anon, you’re correct about the date of Maxie’s fight against Steve Aczel, I could have sworn it was 1973. I spoke to him on the phone after Chris Finnegan was forced to pull out of the fight due to injury, Maxie said he would have rather fought Finnegan. Aczel went on fighting until the mid 80s, won most of his fights but was beaten each time he moved up a level in class, Tony Mundine [a blown up middleweight] beat him 3 times, also Stuart Lithgo beat him in Oz in 1984. he was also beaten by Jesse Burnett, known here for his draw with John Conteh.
Stewart Lithgow from Hartlepool stood at 6′-41/2″ & fought a lot as a heavyweight he was beaten by Frank Bruno when he retired with badly cut eyes in the 4th round on the 18-01-83, but he went down to cruiserweight & beat Steve Aczel on a TKO 11th round in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on the 14-05-84.
Maxie Smith of Thornaby had 26 fights,won 20(ko9),lost 6(ko4).On the 19th Feb 1975 he fought for the Commonwealth(British Empire)Light Heavyweight Title at Belle Vue,Manchester against the Australian Steve Aczel and lost TKO 3. Maxie beat Bunny Sterling at Earls Court,London and lost to Bunny Johnson at Wembley.
Anyone else have any more information on Maxie Smith, any information posted is appreciated.. if you have any video’s/pictures please post.
Ian, I am Maxies daughter. Can I help? We are looking for old friends to attend his 70th birthday in November.
Emily – You might find this link useful http://picturestocktonarchive.wordpress.com/2012/09/13/sparring-with-maxie-smith/ it was recently added to Picture Stockton
Len, I would think that the son-in-law would have the same surname Crawford, so I imagine Brian Cook won’t be related. I did mention that the in-law to the Crawfords played for Portrack Shamrocks and was a Portrack lad hoping that there might be a clue there and also thinking that it was the late 50’s.09/03/2012 19:19:39
Len Nicholson
Bob – If Brian Cook is the son-in-law of Edgar Crawford, he can be seen if you put ‘Primrose Hill 1964’ into the search the site. Brian was originally from Portrack & will be the age you mentioned. 09/03/2012 14:52:54
Len – I don’t know the surname of Edgar Crawfords son-in-law but I do know that he was on the books of Primrose Hill. He did also play for Portrack Shamrocks in the Teesside League and he was a Portrack lad.09/03/2012 11:28:37
Carrie – I believe that Edgar died in Australia whilst visiting his daughter and family. Probably his wife stayed on after this.09/03/2012 10:16:23
Bob: Cool! Edgar Crawford was the brother of my Great Granddad Raymond Crawford. My Dad actually still has some of Edgar’s old carpentry tools. Edgar’s wife moved to Australia after his death. That’s all I know though.08/03/2012 21:14:18
Did Brian Cook emigrate to Oz? Today he would be 76ish. The chap I am talking about married the daughter of Edgar Crawford. I realise now that Cassie would not be the offspring as it was her father who was a Crawford.01/09/2011 21:53:27
George Sudron played in goal for Primrose Hill first team from them starting in the forties till the early sixties, he played in both the Durham Cup winning sides in 1953 & 1961. When George retired, Rex Hazelton the ex Stockton F.C. & West End ,then Brian Cook ex Portrack Shamrocks took over, two very good goalkeepers.01/09/2011 14:13:14
Bob Irwin
Carrie Cox. I worked with your g/dad Edgar Crawford as a joiner at Head Wrightsons. In the 1st 3 years I didn’t see him as he was off work ill. Not known now to be so long off work thro’ illness). He was such a character. At the end of the day he would chop up some sticks for the fire at home and would not be looking at where he was aiming the axe to where it would hit the wood). He was so quick at using the axe. Did you know that he had 2 fingers missing on his left hand. He did say that he lost them whilst using the bandsaw but all of said that he had chopped them off with the axe. Are you the daughter of the chap who played in goal at football for Primrose Hill, this would be in the late 50’s and later emigrating to Australia? If so and you wanted to know anything about your g/dad the team at Picture Stockton would pass on my e-mail address to you.31/08/2011 23:34:06
Slight correction to something that was said above. My paternal Granddad (Bruce Crawford) actually only did his doorman job as a weekend gig for a short time, and even then it was after he’d fully retired from boxing. It wasn’t long after my Dad was born that Granddad stopped boxing, since my Grandmother didn’t much care for him getting knocked around so much.30/08/2011 20:10:13
My mother in law is Spike Robsons daughter. Get in touch for more info.
I knew Maxie Smith but my brother David knew him more. From my talking to him he was a gentleman and I’d seen him train – he was amazing. I remember the Steve Aczel fight and Harry Carpenter saying he was karate chopped or what we call rabbit punched in that fight but when I saw Maxie he said he was just getting old, typical of the man I remember.
He still is a gentleman. I’m his daughter, we are looking for old friends to attend his 70th in November. Can anyone help?
Do any of you boxing fans recall a Spike Robson or Robinson who lived at Portrack and used to box? His wife was called Doris.
Thanks Anon that sounds like it was him. I have his boxing licence and a picture of him in a fighters pose.
There is a bantamweight called Tommy (Kid) Scott of Norton whose career was from 1937-46, he had 14 bouts, won 6(ko4), lost 7(ko3) & drawn 1. He had 4 fights after the war 1946, won 3 & his last fight was a draw at Newcastle. Sorry I was looking for a welterweight as mentioned under the photo not a bantamweight.
My uncle Tommy Scott was a pro boxer in the 1930s. He fought by the name of Tommy Kid Scott. I believe he won 6, lost 6 and drew 4 fights. The war interrupted his career, he was called up and was on a beach in France that was bombed by the Germans, he suffered shell shock. After the war he briefly tried to get back into boxing, didn’t work out though.
Maxie Smith also beat Bunny Sterling, another top fighter who won titles & was prepared to fight top men in their own backyards in places like South Africa, Austria, Zambia & Germany.
Maxie Smith, although a Thornaby lad was actually billed as from Stockton. He once held a victory over Eddie Duncan, who, at the time was the only man to beat future World Champ, John Conteh. He was also rated very highly by the ‘Ring’ magazine and if memory serves, was given a ‘Ring progress award’ for vast improvement in the world rankings. I think he was rated as highly as 3 or 4 in the light heavyweight division in 72/73. I was at Manchester in 1973 when he fought Steve Aczel, a sad end to a very good career.
Bruce Crawford worked at Head Wrigtsons Thornaby, at the same time as he was a boxer.
When HW’s closed Bruce Crawford became a Postman. He lived in Leven Road close to the Recreation Ground gates. In fact it was next door to them.
Bruce Crawford was a Blacksmith at the Commercial Street premises of Head Wrightsons in M’bro. I saw him when I was an Apprentice School lad doing my term at the Boro works. He had a helper, forget his name at the moment but he was also handy with his fists. Along with cooking a big bacon breakfast I would also see them sparring with each other. Bruce had an uncle Edgar who was a joiner working at the Teesdale works with me.
Bruce Crawford is my father-in-law but sadly he passed away in 2006 at age 72. I am married to Dr. Tony Crawford and we live in USA.
Two good Thornaby professional boxers were Bruce Crawford, a middleweight & Maxie Smith, a light-heavyweight. Bruce was a doorman (bouncer) at the Maison de Dance about 1960 alongwith Paddy Caygill & Lou Illingworth, he fought the country’s top men at the time Johnny Sullivan, Arthur Howard & Alex Buxton who all fought for the Commonwealth or British titles. Bruce had 50 fights, won 38(with 27 ko), lost 11 & drew 1. Maxie Smith had 26 fights, won 20(with 9 ko) & lost 6, he fought Steve Aczel (Australia) for the Commonwealth title at Kings Hall, Belle Vue, Manchester.
There is no record of any bouts as a professional boxer of this Jack Thomas. Some of the Stockton venues for boxing in the early days were the Belle Vue Ground(1895), Excelsior Gymnasium(1900), Drill Hall(1919), Royal Albert Hall, Stockton (1931-33, Portrack Greyhound Track(1937) & Stockton Football Club(1940). It would be interesting to know where these venues were, apart from the obvious, Belle Vue would have been the dog track at Tilery which also had professional athletics.
Do you have any recollection of a Boxing Club in Suffolk Street Stockton in the 1930’s? My Grandad used to run one there.
Jack Thomas (deceased) was my uncle, he and his two brothers used to tell me stories of his fights when I was a young lad. They used to have me in fits of laughter, I only ever saw him use his fists once when a big fella had him laid on the bonnet of his car trying to choke him! I just saw this large fist rise up and knocked this monster of a man clean out.
Jack was a wonderful man and a hell of a boxer! And the best brother/uncle ever!