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For the baseball player, see Archie Moore (baseball).
A Book on Archie Moore
Career Snapshot
Born December 13, 1913
Died December 9, 1998
Total Fights 221* (1 No Decision)
Won 194*
Lost 26*
Draw 8*
Knockouts 145* (* Varied figures)
Titles Won Light Heavyweight

Archie Moore, Born Archibald Wright (December 13, 1913 – December 9, 1998), was light heavyweight world boxing champion between 1952 and 1959 (and again in 1961) and had one of the longest professional careers in the history of his sport. Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Events 1294 - Saint Celestine V abdicates the papacy after only five months Celestine hoped to return to his previous life Year 1913 ( MCMXIII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common Events 536 - Byzantine General Belisarius enters Rome while the Ostrogothic garrison peacefully leaves the city Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) In boxing the light heavyweight (above 168 pounds up to 175 pounds division is the weight division between Cruiserweight and Super middleweight. Boxing (sometimes also known as English boxing or pugilism) is a Combat sport in which two participants generally of similar weight, A native of Benoit, Mississippi, raised in St. Louis, Mo., he died four days short of his 85th (or 82nd) birthday, in his adopted home of San Diego, California. Benoit is a town in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. He was an important community figure, and became involved in African American causes once his days as a fighter were over. African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Nicknamed "The Old Mongoose", Moore still holds the record for the most career knockouts by any boxer, at 145. He also became a successful character actor in television and film.

Contents

Before Boxing

Moore often found himself in trouble as a youngster, and was in a reformatory until 1934. In 1935, he began his boxing career with nine fights as a boxer, winning 5 and losing 4. (He also claimed to have boxed some under the name "Fourth of July Kid," so he may have had even more fights. )

Professional Boxing Career

He turned professional in 1938 and boxed all but one of his 12 bouts that year in San Diego. Moore had eight bouts in 1939, going 5-2 during that span, with one "no contest". He lost to fringe contender Teddy Yarosz during that time, and his no contest was against Jack Coggins, in eight rounds. Teddy Yarosz ( June 24, 1910 &ndash March 29, 1974) was Middleweight boxing champion of the world Jack Banham Coggins (July 10 1911 &ndash January 30 2006 was an illustrator author and artist who is best known in the United States for his Oil paintings of In 1940, Moore a tour of Australia had him fighting in Melbourne, Tasmania, Adelaide and Sydney. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Melbourne ( is the second most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 3 Tasmania is an Australian island and state of the same name It is located south of the eastern side of the Continent, being separated from it by Bass Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia with a Sydney (ˈsɪdniː is the most populous city in Australia, with a Metropolitan area population of approximately 4 He won all of his seven bouts there, including six by knockout. Upon returning to the United States, he defeated Pancho Ramirez by a knockout in five, but lost to Shorty Hogue on a six round decision. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Shorty Hogue was a boxer in California during the 1940s along with Lloyd Marshall, Charley Burley, Jack Chase (Young Joe Louis Archie

First Retirement and Comeback

Moore had four fights in 1941, during which he went 2-1-1, with the draw against Eddie Booker. By then, however, he had suffered through several stomach ulcers, with the resulting operations, and he announced his retirement from boxing. In Human anatomy, the stomach is a J-shaped hollow muscular organ of the Gastrointestinal tract involved in the second phase of Digestion, following

His retirement was brief, however, and by 1942 he was back in the ring. He won his first six bouts that year, including a second round knockout of Hogue in a rematch, and a ten round decision over Jack Chase. He met Booker in a rematch, and reached the same conclusion as their first meeting had: another 10 round draw.

In 1943, Moore fought seven bouts, winning five and losing two. He won and then lost the California State Middleweight title against Chase, both by 15 round decisions, and beat Chase again in his last bout of that year, in a ten round decision. He also lost a decision to Aaron Wade that year. Aaron Wade ( March 17, 1916 &ndash February 1985 was an American Middleweight boxer who fought from 1935-1950

The Atlantic Coast

In 1944, he had nine bouts, going 7-2. His last bout that year marked his debut on the Atlantic Coast, and the level of his opposition began to improve. He beat Jimmy Hayden by a knockout in five, lost to Charlie Burley by a decision, and to Booker by a knockout in eight. Charley Burley ( September 16, 1917 – October 16, 1992) was a boxer of the 1940s compiling a record of 83 wins (50 by knockout 12 losses

He won his first eight bouts of 1945, impressing Atlantic coast boxing experts, and earning a fight with fringe contender Jimmy Bivins, who defeated Moore by a knockout in six at Cleveland. James Louis Bivins, (born December 6 1919 in Dry Branch, GA) was an American Heavyweight boxer whose professional Cleveland is a City in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state He returned to the Eastern Seaboard to fight five more times before that year was over. He met, among others, Holman Williams during that span, losing a ten round decision, and knocking him out in eleven in the rematch.

By 1946, Moore had moved to the light heavyweight division, and he went 5-2-1 that year, beating fringe contender Curtis Sheppard, but losing to future world heavyweight champion Ezzard Charles by a decision in ten, and drawing with old nemesis Chase. Curtis Sheppard (born c 1919 is a former American boxer who was from Philadelphia Pennsylvania. Ezzard Mack Charles ( July 7 1921 – May 28 1975) was an African-American professional boxer and former Heavyweight Champion By then, Moore began complaining publicly that, according to him, none of boxing's world champions would risk their titles fighting him.

1947 was essentially a year of rematches for Moore. He went 7-1 that year, his one loss being to Charles. He beat Chase by a knockout in nine, Sheppard by a decision in ten and Bivins by a knockout in nine. He also defeated Burt Lytell, by a decision in ten.

He fought a solid 14 fights in 1948, losing again to Charles by a knockout in nine, losing to Leonard Morrow by a knockout in the first, to Henry Hall by a decision in ten and to Lloyd Gibson by a disqualification in four. Henry "William" Hall was a boxer from Louisiana. Amateur career Hall was the National Amateur Middleweight champion in 1908 But he also beat Ted Lowry, by a decision in ten, and Hall in a rematch, also by decision. ' Tiger' Ted Lowry (born January 1, 1920) was an American boxer

1949 was also a good year for Moore: He had 13 bouts that year, going 12-1. He defeated the Alabama Kid twice; by knockout in four and by knockout in three, Bob Satterfield by a knockout in three, Bivins by a knockout in eight, future world Light Heavyweight champion Harold Johnson by a decision, Bob Sikes by a knockout in three, and Phil Muscato by a decision. Bob "Bombardier" Satterfield ( November 9, 1923 in St Harold Johnson (born August 9, 1928, in Manayunk Pennsylvania) was a professional boxer. He lost to Clinton Bacon by a disqualification in six.

By Moore's standards, 1950 was a vacation year for him: he only had two fights, winning both, including a 10 round decision in a rematch with Lydell.

In 1951, Moore boxed 18 times, winning 16, losing one, and drawing one. He went on an Argentinian tour, fighting seven times there, winning six and drawing one. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. In between those seven fights, he found time for a trip to Montevideo, Uruguay, where he defeated Vicente Quiroz by a knockout in six. Montevideo (monteβi'ðeo is the largest city the capital and chief port of Uruguay. Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America He knocked out Bivins in nine, and split two decisions with Johnson.

World Light Heavyweight Champion

1952 was one of the most important years in Moore's life. After beating Johnson, Jimmy Slade and Clinton Bacon (knocked out in four in a rematch), the seemingly inevitable happened: Moore was given an opportunity for the world title by world light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim. Jimmy Slade is a fictional character from the TV series Baywatch. Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, ( March 28 1922 &ndash June 2 2001) was an American boxer. (Maxim had just defeated Sugar Ray Robinson by a technical knockout in 14 rounds, after Robinson was forced to quit in his corner due to heat exhaustion. Sugar Ray Robinson' (born Walker Smith Jr, May 3 1921 – April 12 1989 was a professional boxer ) Moore consistently landed powerful right hands on his opponent throughout the fight, hurting Maxim several times, and finally became world champion after beating Maxim with a decision in fifteen rounds. He had finally achieved his dream of becoming a world boxing champion, sixteen long years after beginning his professional boxing career and at the age of thirty-nine.

However, he was far from done. The next year, he won all nine of his bouts, including a 10 round non title win against fringe heavyweight contender Nino Valdez of Cuba, and a 15 round decision over Maxim in a rematch to retain the belt. Nino Valdez (Geraldo Ramos Ponciano Valdez (December 5 1924-June 3 2001 was the Cuban heavyweight boxing champion in the 1940s and 1950's The Republic of Cuba (ˈkjuːbə or) consists of the island of Cuba (the largest and second-most populous island of the Greater Antilles) Isla de la He made two more bouts in Argentina before the end of the year.

In 1954, he had only four fights, retaining the title in a third fight with Maxim, who once again went the 15 round distance, and versus Johnson, who he knocked out in 14. He also beat Bob Baker that year. Robert "The Grinder" Baker ( October 26, 1926 - April 23, 2002) was a Heavyweight boxer whose career spanned from In 1955, he beat Valdez again, and defended against Bobo Olson, the world middleweight champion, who was coming off a decision victory over Joey Maxim. Carl Olson ( July 11 1928 &ndash January 16 2002) was an American boxer. Moore defeated Olson by a knockout in three to retain his title.

Rocky

Next, on September 21, 1955, it was Moore's turn to go up in weight and challenge a bigger champion, when he stepped into the ring to face Rocky Marciano for Marciano's heavyweight championship. Rocky Marciano ( September 1, 1923 – August 31, 1969) born Rocco Francis Marchegiano, was the heavyweight champion of the world Moore briefly dropped Marciano in the second round (the second and last time Marciano had been knocked down), but Marciano recovered and knocked Moore down 5 times, knocking him out in the ninth to retain the belt. Marciano would retire after this fight, his sixth title defense.

In 1956, he went back to the light heavyweight division, and won 13 fights in a row, including a ten round knockout to retain the world's crown against Yolande Pompey in London, before going up in weight once again, and challenging again for the world heavyweight crown. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. The title was left vacant by Marciano, but Moore lost to Floyd Patterson by a knockout in five. Floyd Patterson ( January 4, 1935 – May 11, 2006) was an American heavyweight boxing champion. (Patterson himself made history that night, becoming, at the age of 21, the youngest world heavyweight champion yet, a record he would hold until 1986. )

Going down to the light heavyweights once again, Moore won all six of his bouts during 1957. He retained the title against Tony Anthony by a knockout in seven, and had two fights in Germany and one in Canada. Tony Anthony (born April 12 1960 in Knoxville Tennessee is a semi-retired American professional wrestler best known as Dirty White Boy, who Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page

In 1958, Moore had 10 fights, going 9-0-1 during that span. His fight with Yvon Durelle in particular was of note: defending his world light heavyweight title in Montreal, he was felled three times in round one, and once again in round five, but then dropped Durelle in round 10 and won by a knockout in the 11th. Yvon Durelle ( October 14 1929 &ndash January 6 2007) born in Baie-Ste-Anne, New Brunswick Montreal, or Montréal in French ( pronounced in French, in English) is the largest city in the Canadian province of Quebec

1959, his last full year as uncontested champion, was another rare low-profile year; in his two fights, he beat Sterling Davis by a knockout in three, and then Durelle again, also by a knockout in three, to once again retain his world Light Heavyweight title. Sterling Davis (born October 27, 1977 in Duncanville Texas, U On June 17, a story appeared that George Reeves, television's Superman, was scheduled to box a two-round exhibition match with Moore in San Diego that same day, an event that wouldn't take place owing to Reeves' suicide the day before. George Reeves ( January 5, 1914 &ndash June 16, 1959) was an American Actor, best known for his role as Superman in the Superman is a fictional Comic book Superhero widely considered to be one of the most recognized of such characters and an American Cultural icon The story originated with the detective investigating the TV star's death and was picked up by the wire services. Moore, who was then in San Diego training for his rematch with Durelle, seems never to have commented on the alleged event, and San Diego papers contain no reference to the supposed event.

During 1960, Moore was stripped of his world light heavyweight title by the National Boxing Association (NBA), but he won three of his four bouts that year, his lone loss coming in a ten-round decision versus Giulio Rinaldi in Rome. The World Boxing Association (WBA is a Boxing organization that sanctions official matches and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level Rome ( Roma ˈroma Roma is the capital city of Italy and Lazio, and is Italy's largest and most populous city with more than 2

He was re-instated as world light heavyweight champion in 1961, and he won two fights before defending his crown for what would be the last time, beating Rinaldi by a 15 round decision to retain the belt. In his last fight that year, he once again ventured into the heavyweights, and met Pete Rademacher, a man who had made history earlier in his career by becoming the first man ever to challenge for a world title in his first professional bout (when he lost to Patterson by a knockout in six). T Peter ("Pete" Rademacher (born August 20, 1928) is a former boxer who made Boxing history by being the only man to fight for the Moore beat Rademacher by a knockout in nine.

Muhammad Ali

In 1962, he was again stripped of his world light heavyweight title, this time for good. He decided to campaign exclusively as a heavyweight from then on, and beat Alejandro Lavorante by a knockout in 10 and Howard King by a knockout in one round in Tijuana. Howard King may refer to Howard King (writer, Reformed Christian agrarian author Howard King (public-address announcer, public-address Tijuana (ˌtiːəˈwɑːnə Spanish, ti'xwana|ti'ʍana is the largest city of the Mexican state of Baja California, situated on the U He then drew against former world Light Heavyweight champion Willie Pastrano in 10,

Then, in his last fight of note, he faced a young heavyweight out of Louisville named Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali). Wilfred Raleigh Pastrano ( November 27 1935 &mdash December 6 1997) was a light heavyweight boxer who held the world crown from 1963 until 1965 Biography Early life Cassius Clay Jr was born on January 17 1942 Moore had been Clay's trainer for a time, but Clay became dissatisfied and left Moore because of Moore's attempts to change his style, and his insistence that Clay do dishes and help clean gym floors.

In the days before the fight, young Clay's increasingly notorious rhyming skills predicted that "Archie Moore / Must fall in four. " Moore replied by saying that he had perfected a new punch for the match: The Lip-Buttoner.

However, just as Clay predicted, Moore was beaten by a knockout in four rounds. Still, Moore is the only man to have faced both Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali.

After one more fight in 1963, against Mike DiBiase in Phoenix (which he won by a knockout in the third round), Moore announced his retirement from boxing, for good. "Iron" Mike DiBiase ( December 24, 1923 – July 2, 1969) was an American Professional wrestler and Phoenix (ˈfiːˌnɪks O'odham Skikik, Yavapai Wasinka, Western Apache Fiinigis, Navajo Hoozdo,

Second Retirement

Despite retiring, Moore couldn't escape the limelight, and received numerous awards and dedications. In 1965, he was given the key to the city of San Diego, California. Freedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. . In 1970, he was named "Man of The Year" by Listen Magazine, and received the key to the city of Sandpoint, Ohio.

He was elected in 1985 to the St. Louis city Boxing Hall of Fame, and he received the Rocky Marciano Memorial Award in the city of New York in 1988. New York ( is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States and is the nation's third most populous In 1990, he became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, being one of the original members of that institution. The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall

The oldest boxer to win the world's light heavyweight crown, he is believed to have been the only boxer who boxed professionally in the eras of Joe Louis, Marciano and Muhammad Ali. Joseph Louis Barrow ( May 13, 1914 – April 12, 1981) better known as Joe Louis, was a heavyweight boxing champion. He is one of only a handful of boxers whose careers spanned four decades; his final record was an astonishing 199 wins, 24 losses, 9 draws and 1 no contest, with 145 official knockouts.

However, at least three of Moore's record 145 knockouts came in predetermined matches against pro wrestlers on wrestling cards: "Professor" Roy Shire in 1956, Sterling Davis in 1959, and Mike DiBiase in 1963 (Moore's 145th and final knockout). Sterling Davis (born October 27, 1977 in Duncanville Texas, U "Iron" Mike DiBiase ( December 24, 1923 – July 2, 1969) was an American Professional wrestler and [1] All three matches are officially listed as third-round TKO stoppages. But even if one amends Moore's career numbers, he would still hold the record. The second-highest amount of knockouts in boxing history is 125, a total shared by light heavyweight Young Stribling and welterweight Billy Bird. Young Stribling was a professional boxer in the Heavyweight division [2]

Acting career

In 1960, Moore was chosen to play the role of the runaway slave Jim in Michael Curtiz's film adaptation of Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, opposite Eddie Hodges as Huck. Michael Curtiz ( December 24, 1886 - April 10, 1962) was an Academy Award -winning Hungarian-American Film director Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30 1835 – April 21 1910 better known by the Pen name Mark Twain, was an American Humorist, satirist Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (often shortened to Huck Finn) is a novel written by American Humorist Mark Twain. Eddie Hodges (born 5 March 1947 Moore garnered positive reviews for his sympathetic portrayal of Jim, which some viewers still consider the best interpretation of this much-filmed role.

Moore did not choose to pursue a full-time career as an actor, but he did appear in 1960s films such as The Fortune Cookie and The Carpetbaggers and on television in episodes of Family Affair, Perry Mason, Wagon Train, Batman and the soap opera One Life to Live. The Fortune Cookie (alternative UK title Meet Whiplash Willie) is a 1966 film starring Walter Matthau and Jack The Carpetbaggers is the title of a 1961 bestselling novel by Harold Robbins, which was adapted into a 1964 film of the same title Family Affair is a Situation comedy Television series that aired on CBS from September 12 1966 to September 9 1971 The series explored the Perry Mason is an Emmy -winning American TV series that ran from 1957 to 1966. Wagon Train is a Television Western Series on NBC from 1957 - 1962 and then on ABC from 1962- Batman is a 1960s American Television series, based on the DC Comic book character of the same name. One Life to Live ( OLTL) is an American Soap opera which has been broadcast on the ABC television network since July 15 1968 He made a brief return to film in 1975, playing a chef in Breakheart Pass with Charles Bronson, and had a cameo role as himself in the 1982 Jamaa Fanaka film Penitentiary II, along with Leon Isaac Kennedy and Mr. T.

Personal life

In 1997, Moore's daughter, J'Marie, became the first daughter of a famous boxer to herself become a professional boxer [1]. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar

With his first wife Elizabeth A. Thorton, Moore had two children: Archie Moore Jr. and Elizabeth Moore of City Heights, California.

Moore and wife Joan had five children: Reena Marie, J'Marie, Hardy, D'Angelo, and Anthony; They adopted Eden Victoria.

Death

Archie Moore died of heart failure in 1998 at age 84. He was cremated and is interred in a niche at Cypress View Mausoleum and Crematory, in San Diego.

Accolades

Preceded by
Joey Maxim		 World Light Heavyweight Champion
17 Dec 1952–12 May 1962
Abandons title		 Succeeded by
Harold Johnson

External links

Giuseppe Antonio Berardinelli, ( March 28 1922 &ndash June 2 2001) was an American boxer. This is a chronological List of World Light Heavyweight Boxing Champions, as recognized by four of the better-known sanctioning organizations The World Boxing Association Harold Johnson (born August 9, 1928, in Manayunk Pennsylvania) was a professional boxer. BoxReccom is a website dedicated to keep updated records of professional boxers, both male and female.
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