Sam Steward

{{Short description|English boxer (1906–??)}} {{For|the writer|Samuel Steward}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox boxer | name = Sam Steward | image = Steward (CNews) - btv1b53204634f.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | realname = | nickname = | weight = Lightweight | height =  | reach =  | nationality = British | birth_date = {{birth year}} | birth_place = Lewisham, London, England | death_date =  | death_place = | style = | total = 126 | wins = 86 | KO = 12 | losses = 19 | draws = 21 | no contests = | medaltemplates = | show-medals = }}

'''Sam Steward''' (born 1906)<ref>Reports from his fight with Lucien Vinez state that Vinez (born July 1895) was nearly 10 years older.</ref> was a British boxer who was British lightweight champion between 1928 and 1929.

==Career== Born in Lewisham, London, Sam Steward made his professional boxing debut in January 1922 with a decision over Rube Painter. After winning most of his first 24 fights he was stopped in the tenth round by Billy Bird in July 1924.

He had a significant win in December 1925 when he stopped former British featherweight champion Mike Honeyman in the seventh round. In March 1927 he beat lightweight champion of the Netherlands Battling van Dijk and later that year beat both Ernie Izzard and Jack Hyams.<ref>{{cite news |title=Lightweights at N.S.C. |work=Western Daily Press |date=6 December 1927 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000264/19271206/006/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

He started 1928 with wins over George Rose, Auguste Gyde, and another defeat of Hyams in a title eliminator, before facing Ernie Rice in September for the British lightweight title vacated by Harry Mason, with Steward's ''Sporting Life'' belt also at stake.<ref>{{cite news |title=News item |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=24 August 1928 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19280824/086/0010| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> Steward knocked Rice out in the twelfth round to become British champion.<ref>{{cite news |title=Boxing: Rice Knocked Out |work=Gloucester Journal |date=22 September 1928 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000532/19280922/018/0002| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Ernie Rice Well Beaten: Sam Steward's K.O. Win in Twelfth Round |work=Dundee Courier |date=18 September 1928 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19280918/145/0008| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> He rounded off the year with a draw against former French champion Lucien Vinez and a win over future Dutch champion Jan Scheffers.<ref>{{cite news |title=Scene at the N.S.C. |work=Hull Daily Mail |date=13 November 1928 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19281113/011/0002| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Scene at the N.S.C.: Steward and Vinez in a Draw |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=13 November 1928 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19281113/458/0019| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Light-Weight Champion Wins |work=Yorkshire Post and Leeds Intelligencer |date=18 December 1928 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19281218/435/0021| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

He started 1929 with two wins, including a points decision over Irish champion Billy Gilmore, but suffered a defeat at the end of January to former amateur champion Fred Webster in what was the latter's third professional fight.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Minor Bouts |work=Derby Daily Telegraph |date=1 February 1929 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000327/19290201/085/0010| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In May, Webster got a shot at Steward's British title at the Royal Albert Hall and again won on points to take the title in what was only his fifth pro fight.<ref>{{cite news |title=British Champion Unconvincing |work=Dundee Evening Telegraph |date=3 May 1929 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000563/19290503/129/0011| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

Steward was undefeated during the next two years, which included two further wins over Gyde and a draw with Johnny Curley. A fight with Rose in 1930 was agreed as an eliminator for the British title but fell through after failure between their managers to agree on a venue, leading to the BBBofC no longer considering Steward an official title contender.<ref>{{cite news |title=George Rose Fight Deadlock |work=Western Daily Press |date=25 February 1930 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000264/19300225/010/0003| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=B.B.B.C. Eliminate Steward |work=Dundee Courier |date=10 March 1930 |accessdate=15 August 2015 |url=http://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000564/19300310/161/0009| via = British Newspaper Archive|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In September 1931 he lost a decision to Dick Stubbings. The two met again two months later, the fight this time ending in a draw. Steward lost to Jack Hudson in December and was then out of the ring for almost four years before making a comeback in October 1935 against Bert Francis, retiring in the sixth round. He beat Billy Reynolds in January 1936 before losing his final fight in March that year to Fred Bullions.

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== *[http://www.boxinghistory.org.uk/records/15490-Sam-Steward-Lewisham.pdf Career record], boxinghistory.org.uk *{{BoxRec|94533}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Steward, Sam}} Category:1906 births Category:Year of death missing Category:Boxers from the London Borough of Lewisham Category:English male boxers Category:Lightweight boxers Category:People from Lewisham