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Hall of Famers

Hall of Famer

Richard 'Kid' Howard

Inducted in 1972

Member Details

Date of Birth: October 9, 1928
Place of Birth: Terence Bay, Nova Scotia
Date of Passing: January 4, 1975
Sport: Boxing
Member Category: Athlete

Career Highlights

1949

Maritime Lightweight Champion

1954

Canadian Lightweight Champion - retired as champion in 1960

Hall of Famer Richard 'Kid' Howard
Sport

Story

At five feet two inches tall, Kid Howard was a boxer whose skills and toughness in the ring defied his youthful moniker and small stature. Howard began his professional career in 1945 and became Maritime lightweight champion in 1949. Six years later, he won the Canadian championship in the same weight class, defeating Armand Savoie in front of 6,200 fans at the Halifax Forum, the largest boxing crowd in the Maritimes to that date. He held the title until his retirement in 1960. Throughout the 1950s, Howard fought internationally and was ranked by Ring Magazine as the number six lightweight in the world. He lost close decisions in his two most famous international bouts, the first to Willie Toweel in South Africa for the British Empire championship, and the second in Montreal to the French featherweight champion, Ray Flamechon. Over his 15-year career, Howard fought 108 times, winning 77, losing 26, and drawing five. He was never knocked out and only failed to go the distance in a fight four times. It was for this tenacity that he was best known. His one-time trainer, Charlie Goldman, who also trained undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano, once said, "Kid Howard was a miniature Marciano." Howard died in Halifax in 1975, three years after being inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame. He is also enshrined in the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame and the Canadian Boxing Hall of Fame.