The Pugilist and the Hercules: Seattle’s ‘Denver Ed’ Sets Sights on Giant Tom Costello
Local fighter 'Denver Ed' Smith prepares to step into the ring with a massive gunner from the USS Iowa, promising a fifteen-round bout that has the city buzzing.
The story, cleaned up
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UP AGAINST A BIG MAN 'Denver Ed' Smith to Fight Sailor Costello.
What promises to be a most interesting event in local pugilistic circles will take place between July 11 and 13 when "Denver Ed" Smith, of this city, will meet Tom Costello, a gigantic gunner on the Iowa, in probably a fifteen-round bout.
The men have been matched to fight for one side, the winner to take the gate receipts. Costello is to be very clever, and is a perfect Hercules. At present he weighs about 240 pounds, but will probably train down to 215.
Smith will go into training for the final match Monday. He has been in fine form of his life.
In an era before professional boxing commissions regulated weight classes and safety standards, local fighters often matched themselves against sailors or travelers for gate receipts. The allure of a 'David vs. Goliath' matchup—here, a local boxer against a 240-pound naval gunner—mirrors the modern fascination with underdog sports narratives and the commercialization of combat sports.
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