Steve Smoger Cause of Death

Hall of Fame referee Steve Smoger died of a “undisclosed illness” at age 72 on December 19, 2022.

During his 34-year career, Smoger officiated over 1000 professional fights, including over 200 title fights.

Smoger was inducted into the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2001, he was designated the World’s Best Professional Boxing Referee by The Ring magazine.

In 2013 he was recognized by the International Boxing Association as the Referee of the Year.  Smoger is also a member of the Pennsylvania Boxing Hall of Fame, Class of 2013, and the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame, Class of 2014.

Smoger received the highest honor in professional boxing on June 14, 2015, when he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall Of Fame, Class of 2015, in Canastota, New York.

On May 27, 2017, in Atlantic City, Smoger became the first professional boxing referee to be inducted into the newly created Atlantic City Boxing Hall of Fame, joining Don King and Michael Spinks among other inductees

Outside of the ring, he was a city prosecutor and a longtime member of the Air Force National Reserve, and he appeared on boxing broadcasts on a semi-regular basis, including as the unofficial scorer for Ring City USA’s unfortunately brief run.