Steve Geffrard will put ‘Cinderella Man’ nickname to the test

Jim Braddock is boxing’s original ‘Cinderella Man,’ Steve Geffrard hopes he can embody the spirit of the nickname against Joe Smith Jr. on Jan. 15. 

Former heavyweight boxing champion Jim Braddock went by the nickname ‘The Cinderella Man,’ which mirrored his career. Light heavyweight Steve Geffrard is being billed as the ‘South Flordia Cinderella Man,’ and he’s hoping that he too can become an unlikely champion.

WBO light heavyweight champion Joe Smith Jr. was supposed to fight the U.K.’s Callum Johnson on Saturday, Jan. 15, but Johnson came down with COVID and had to be quickly replaced to save the event.

Geffrard (18-2, 12 KOs) was the improbable candidate to replace Johnson for the WBO title shot. He’s not a big name, but his experience could be essential in his chances of pulling off an upset victory against Smith.

Braddock, whose legend was extended by the 2005 film Cinderella Man, won the heavyweight title in 1935 after an erratic career. His record resembles a journeyman’s, but he won boxing’s most significant prize against all the odds.

Geffrard is up against similar daunting odds. He’s nearly an 8-1 underdog, according to Wynnbet.com, which isn’t bad considering he took the Smith fight on a little over a week’s notice.

Geffrard was supposed to fight in a small club show on Jan. 8, but two days before his scheduled bout, he received a call that could change his life.

On less than a week’s notice, Steve Geffrard steps in to challenge Joe Smith Jr. for the WBO light heavyweight title on Jan. 15 at Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, NY

“I was in the sauna,” Geffrard told FanSided. “I was preparing to go weigh in. I got the call. Kevin Cunningham called me. My coach. And he said, ‘Hey man, you’re never gonna believe this. They want you to fight Joe Smith,’ and stuff. And I was like, wow, you know. I was kind of shocked and just, you know, excited at the same time. This is the opportunity of a lifetime.”

Just like that, Geffrard, a relative unknown, was offered a title shot out of the blue.

A lot has to go right for a fighter to become a champion or even a title contender. During Geffrard’s amateur career, he looked poised to become a promising professional. He won three different national tournaments in 2010 and established a respectable amateur career.

According to Boxingscene.com, Geffrard signed with Golden Boy Promotions in 2013 as he set out on his professional career. However, things didn’t go as planned for Geffrard.

He lost his first two professional contests. He was stopped due to a cut in his first fight and lost the second by split decision. All of his amateur accolades couldn’t save his reputation after those first two losses.

Even though Geffrard has an 18-fight winning streak and a 60 percent KO rating, he still lacks a promoter and has had to survive mostly on smaller club shows in south Florida.

“Yeah, a lot of people did turn their backs on me and stuff,” said Geffrard. “Obviously, you’re going to be sad for a bit, but I never really dwelled on the situation. I kind of just move forward and, you know, just try to figure out a way.”

Geffrard fought to sway negative perceptions of his talent, but more hard luck came his way. A shoulder injury in 2018 contributed to a three-year absence from boxing.

“Yeah, it was just a torn labrum,” said Geffrard. “I just had to get, like, cleaned out in there. Thank God it wasn’t career-ending or anything crazy serious. It was something that you know just had to just be quickly repaired and did a little rehab, and boom, right back in the mix. But yes, it’s just a blessing to be able to do this. I’m not signed with any promoters or anything. It’s just me and my coach.”

Geffrard has a small team in his corner, but his championship fight against Smith is a second chance. If Geffrard does defeat Smith to earn the WBO title, he would undoubtedly be a ‘Cinderella Man.’

You can watch Joe Smith Jr. vs. Steve Geffrard on Saturday, Jan. 15, on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. Coverage begins at 10 p.m. ET.