The fighting Smith brothers are a fantastic advert for boxing.
Four down-to-earth, working class lads who are extremely dedicated, respectful and family orientated and have put the graft in to elevate themselves to better lives through this great sport of ours.
Paul, Stephen, Liam and Callum made history when they became the first family to crown four siblings as British champions
From a young age the Smith brothers grew up with their 2 sisters Chloe, and also their youngest sister, Hollie, who is autistic. Hollie is non-verbal. As soon as Hollie was diagnosed with the condition, it impacted the whole family, especially their parents 24/7 and through this, their own experience, it allowed them not just to help Hollie and themselves, but gave them a drive to help any other person in the community that has also been faced with this challenge.
The waistband of the Smith Brothers’ shorts always has the word “AUTISM” across. This space is traditionally used to publicise a boxer’s name or nickname, but the brothers want to use it to show unity and support for Hollie and others with the condition. By doing this, they honour their sister, Hollie, who was diagnosed with autism at an early age, and to raise awareness of the condition.
“People don’t really understand autism,” says Paul. “Hollie is a lovely girl but she can’t speak or communicate. So in our own way we are fighting for her.”
Callum said that, while the four brothers inevitably draw inspiration from each other, Hollie is a big driving force behind them. “To see her battling through life every day, but to also see her happy, is inspiring,” he says. “We wear ‘Autism’ on our shorts to raise awareness and show support for other families dealing with autism, because for my mum and dad it is a 24/7 job looking after her. When she was first diagnosed we didn’t really know what it was. So when someone asks, I explain it to them. This makes us feel like we’re doing our bit.”
Liam once said “The four of us try and put it out there about autism and raise awareness… Every single day on social media we get messages…my kids got autism and I think it’s unbelievable what you’re doing for autism.”
Stephen also dedicated his British featherweight title fight to Hollie constantly raising awareness about Autism whenever they can.
Paul, Liam, Stephen and Callum have spent their entire life living close to their roots Liverpool. Each of their journeys began as amateur titlists at Liverpool’s Rotunda ABC, which they retain links to, and this is where their passion lies within the city of Liverpool and surrounding areas. This background gave them the idea to use the platform they have, to give back to the community that has given them so much and set up this foundation.
