Aus-Boxing.com

Aus-Boxing
Aus-Boxing

Vale Braydon Smith: A Tribute

 
IT has been almost two long weeks since the tragic passing of one of Australia’s brightest prospects, Braydon “The Great White” Smith.

 
Since this time, the loyal and proud Australian boxing community has come together to pay their respects to a young man who was larger than life.

 
A talented boxer who represented the sport with the upmost integrity and respect.

 
A young man who in his last year of his law degree, hoped to join the ranks of the legal fraternity. A loving son, boyfriend, relative and loyal friend to many.

 
We have a look back on his tragic death, and the effect his death has had on the boxing community worldwide. We also discuss an issue that has many inside the sport shaking their heads, the calls to ban the sport.

 
Eight months prior to his death, I had the privilege of interviewing one Australia’s brightest prospects, Braydon “The Great White” Smith.

 
Since that interview, we had kept in contact and a friendship was formed albeit via social media. Many conversations were had about fighters past and present, his experiences of fighting in front of 100,000 people in Thailand, and the excitement of moving up through the ranks to achieve the ultimate success, a world title.

 
On Thursday evening, March 12th, I tweet a message of good luck to Braydon Smith.

 

 
“Good luck buddy, big fight, all the best”. He replies, “Thanks mate, appreciate it! hope your well”. Little did I know it would be the last time I would correspond with him.

 
It was a usual Sunday morning. I sleep in, grab a morning newspaper to read from the corner store, and have some coffee and toast. During a sip of that flat white, a message came through from a respected boxing insider.

 
The iPhone goes off. It reads “I don’t know whether you’ve heard the bad news mate, but Brayd Smith was airlifted to hospital in Brisbane after collapsing last night after his bout”. I reacted the way most did when hearing the news, with disbelief, confusion, and a sick feeling in my stomach.

 
I contacted someone close to Braydon, who replied by saying he had been put into a coma. He goes on to say that he was outpointed over ten hard rounds against undefeated Filipino, John Vincent Moralde for the WBC Asian Boxing Council Continental featherweight title.

 
My point of contact explained that he had emerged from the dressing room afterwards disappointed and a little marked up around the eyes, but smiling with his friends and even posing for a photo with his opponent.

 
He then went on to say that approximately forty-five minutes later, Smith complained of headaches whilst in the dressing room. He was there to console his stablemate, Will Young, who had just lost his Australian featherweight title to Tasmanian young gun, Luke Jackson.

 

 
What was about to happen, no-one saw coming, and to everyone’s horror, he collapsed to the floor. He was transported to hospital in Toowoomba where he was then airlifted to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, where he was in a critical condition.

 
The news spread through the Australian boxing community like wildfire. Everyone in great shock at what had transpired.

 
A hashtag was created and later trended on twitter #prayforbrayd. The next twenty four hours had everyone praying and hoping for the best. I checked on Brayd’s progress with my contact, only to be told “we need a miracle here bro,”

 
In typical Braydon Smith fashion, he fought hard to stay.

 
Then on Monday afternoon, March 16th, I get the message I was dreading, the heartbreaking decision to switch his life support off had been made. Braydon Smith had passed away, aged just twenty-three.

 
Tributes from around the world had flooded in from the likes of pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather, former world champion Ricky Hatton, British heavyweight David Price, and famed American promotor Lou Di Bella, just to name a few.

 

 
A wave of our very own stars payed tribute as well including, Danny Green, Anthony Mundine, Daniel Geale and Daniel Dawson.

 
Soon after Braydon Smith left us, the ill-timed calls for banning the sport were once again raised in mainstream media. It came as no surprise.

 
The insensitivity of such was to the disgust of many in the industry, especially given the fact that a son, brother, nephew, cousin and boyfriend had just been lost to loved ones.

 
Boxing is a dangerous sport. Those that choose to test themselves against other likeminded warriors know the risks, and are prepared to take them. Why? Only those that are born with the courage to do so, can explain it.

 
Not unlike Rugby League, Rugby Union, or Australian Rules, it is a contact sport. The naysayers will say the sports mentioned don’t have the same objectives as boxing, one being to render someone unconscious to win.

 
They’d be correct, strictly in that sense only. However, they should also note, that although the objectives of victory are different, intentional or not, people get knocked out in football codes on a weekly basis on fields all over the country.

 
Some also lose their lives.

 
One particular man, years ago, had his heart explode on an Australian Rules field after simply being involved in chasing an opponent. Another died in a reserve grade game in the South West Victorian farming community of Balmoral after colliding with an opponent in the 1990s.

 
Just because they have different ways of winning, does it make these football codes any more or less dangerous? Of course not.

 

 
What disappoints many is the way this great sport is crucified whenever tragedy strikes. How about telling the good stories. The stories of how boxing has saved thousands from incarceration, poverty, drug addiction, and crime.

 
Or the way it has shaped and moulded teenagers into law abiding productive adults through discipline, work ethic, and respect, all the while helping to maintain healthy minds and bodies.

 
Never mind reporting stories like these though, they’re too positive for the mainstream papers. Negativity and controversy sells newspapers, at anyone’s expense.

 
Upon researching deaths in sport, boxing was not even rated in the top ten. Motor Sport was the number one killer last year, followed by cycling and surfing. Three of the top ten aren’t even contact sports.

 
Phillip Hughes tragically lost his life last year after being hit by a cricket ball. A week later a cricket umpire in Israel lost his life after being struck by a ball. Accidents will sadly happen in a lot of sports, whether we like it or not.

 
Boxing must go on. More chapters must be written, more history to be made, and more champions to be crowned. Braydon Smith wouldn’t want it any other way.

 
He was determined on helping change the misguided perceptions of the sport.

 
Do we forget about the sport’s tragedies? Never. Do we forget about Braydon Smith? Never.

 
In a true testament to his character, Braydon donated his organs after his death. He has given others the greatest gift of all, life.

 
Rest in Peace, Brayd.

 
 
Words: Dan Smart (Follow Dan Smart on Twitter @dansmart76)
Photo: Damian Brierty/Visual Delight

 

 

TOP