Father Dave Smith, known simply as "Father Dave," has led an extraordinary life, blending his deep-rooted faith with an unexpected passion for boxing. Born and raised in the inner-west of Sydney, specifically in the tough streets of Newtown, his early life was marked by hardship. Despite being born between two major boxing gyms, his initial foray into fighting was far from conventional.

 

"My upbringing was difficult," he recalls. "When my family split and my mother died, I went off the rails and got involved in self-destructive behaviour." However, it was his dramatic religious conversion at the age of 18 that changed everything. This pivotal moment set him on a path towards helping others, a mission that has shaped his life ever since.

 

Father Dave attributes his survival to his father, a man he considered his rock and role model. His father's influence guided him through dark times, helping him find purpose and the strength to turn his life around. Father Dave’s faith not only saved him but became the foundation for his future work with troubled youth. For over 40 years, he has worked with difficult kids, many of whom were in situations as dire as his own once was.

 

Father Dave's journey into boxing was almost accidental. After taking up martial arts for the wrong reasons in his youth, he later returned to the discipline for health purposes. By the time he became the Parish Priest of Dulwich Hill in 1990, he had earned two black belts. But it wasn't until 1996 that boxing became central to his life, a moment that came out of sheer necessity. Faced with the closure of his youth drop-in centre due to lack of funds, Father Dave was offered a professional boxing fight with a purse of $1,000—the exact amount he needed to keep the centre open.

 

"I had never had a boxing bout in my life," he admits. "But we raised more than $50,000 through that fight, and that kept the Youth Centre going." His fight generated significant media attention, and he used the publicity to keep the centre alive for the next 25 years.

Over time, boxing became a crucial tool in Father Dave’s outreach work. His program, “Get off the Gear and into the Ring,” started in 1991, targeting young people struggling with heroin addiction and other destructive behaviours. The boxing gym in the church hall became a refuge for troubled teens, offering them a sense of discipline, community, and hope.

"The kids who were boxing tended to be the ones who were making it," Father Dave reflects. "Boxing gave them the strength to say ‘no’ to peer pressure and the self-control to walk away from crime."

 

His dual role as a priest and a boxer has often raised eyebrows, but Father Dave sees a deep connection between the two. "My faith is my identity, and boxing has always been a part of my broader work. The discipline of boxing mirrors the discipline of faith," he explains. "In both, you need to develop self-control, perseverance, and the strength to overcome challenges."

 

Over the years, Father Dave fought in over 60 bouts, many of which were exhibition matches to raise funds for his youth centre. These bouts became legendary in the local community, often involving well-known figures and celebrities. Despite facing danger in both his boxing career and his outreach work—he’s been threatened, robbed, and nearly killed—Father Dave remains committed to his mission.

 

Today, Father Dave continues to be a symbol of hope and resilience in his community. His boxing legacy is not just about the sport itself but the lives it has helped save. “Boxing is more than a physical challenge," he says. "It’s about giving people the strength to fight for themselves and for their futures."

 

Now, at 62 years old, Father Dave is competing in the Pan Pacific Masters Games, entering the ring once more for the inaugural Masters Boxing International (MBI) World Championship. He’s fighting for the prestigious MBI World Championship Perpetual Belt, a symbol of perseverance and dedication for boxers across the globe. It’s an incredible milestone in Father Dave’s boxing career and a testament to his ongoing commitment to the sport and the community he’s spent a lifetime uplifting.

 

In his humble yet powerful way, Father Dave Smith has spent a lifetime in the ring—fighting not just for himself but for the lost and forgotten youth of Sydney. His story is a testament to the transformative power of faith, discipline, and the unyielding belief in the potential of others.