Archie Moore
(Archibald Lee Wright)
(the "Old Mongoose")

BORN   December 13 1916 (or 1913); Benoit, Mississippi (Recent sources report Collinsville, Illinois)
DIED December 9 1998; San Diego, California
HEIGHT 5-11
WEIGHT 145-206 1/2 lbs
RECORD 185-22-11 (130 KO, 1 NC)

MANAGERS

Kid Bandy, George Wilsman, Cal Thompson, Felix Thurman, Jack Richardson, Jimmy Johnston, Charley Johnston, Jack Kearns

TRAINER

Jack Burns

RIP Old Mongoose

AP Obituary for Moore

Moore was a clever and crafty boxer who knew how to fight; His boxing "savvy" was uncanny; He could box and punch and was game beyond belief; During his career, he won the Light Heavyweight Championship of the World and challenged Rocky Marciano for the Heavyweight Championship

He is most famous for his many bouts against Jack Chase (6), Howard King (6), Harold Johnson (5), Jimmy Bivins (5), "Oakland" Billy Smith (4), Ezzard Charles (3), Joey Maxim (3) and Eddie Booker (3); He also had two bout series with a number of other men

He defeated such men as Chase, King, Johnson, Bivins, Smith, Maxim, Clarence Henry, Jimmy Slade, Bob Baker, Nino Valdes, Carl "Bobo" Olson, Holman Williams, Lloyd Marshall, Albert Lovell, Yolande Pompey, Eddie Cotton, Yvon Durelle, Alabama Kid (Clarence Reeves), Cocoa Kid (Louis Hardwick), Bert Lytell, Jack "Buddy" Walker, George Kochan, Nate Bolden, Kenny LaSalle and Johnny "Bandit" Romero

Herb Goldman ranked Moore as the #5 All-Time Light Heavyweight; Charley Rose ranked him as the #7 All-Time Light Heavyweight; He was inducted into the Ring Boxing Hall of Fame in 1966, the St. Louis Boxing Hall of Fame in 1985, the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1900 and the California Boxing Hall of Fame in 2006

*** SOME AMATEUR BOUTS ***
1934
Nov    -Moore was released from Reform School

1935
Apr  3 Julius Kemp                   St. Louis, Mo                    L  3
       Julius Kemp                                                   KO  3

1936
Feb  7 Dale Richards                 Poplar Bluff, Mo                KO  1
Feb 18 Ray Halford                   St. Louis, Mo                    W  3
Feb 20 Willie Harper                 St. Louis, Mo                   KO  3
Feb 21 Cortland Schultz              St. Louis, Mo                    L  3
Apr 15 Peter Urban                   Cleveland, Oh                    W  3
Apr 16 Frank Nelson                  Cleveland, Oh                   LK  3
May  4 Tiger Brown                   St. Louis, Mo                    L  3
May 18 Thurman Martin                St. Louis, Mo                    W  3
          -The previous 8 bouts are believed to be amateur contests

          -Moore climed he fought under the name 
           "4th of July Kid" for some amateur bouts


*** PROFESSIONAL BOUTS ***

1935
Sep  3 Billy Sims                    Poplar Bluff, Mo                KO  2

1936
Jan 31 Kid Pocahuntas                Hot Springs, Ar                 KO  3
Jul 14 Murray Allen                  Quincy, Il                       W  6
Aug  4 Speedy Schaeffer              Quincy, Il                       D  6
Sep 30 Murray Allen                  Keokuk, Ia                      KO  2 
Oct  9 Sammy Jackson                 St. Louis, Mo                    W  5
Dec  8 Sammy Jackson                 St. Louis, Mo                    D  5

1937
Jan  5 Dynamite Payne                St. Louis, Mo                   KO  1
Jan 18 Johnny Davis                  Quincy, Il                      KO  3
Jan 29 Sammy Jackson                 Quincy, Il                       D  8
Feb  2 Joey Huff                     St. Louis, Mo                   KO  3
          -Some sources report "KO 2"
Mar 23 Ham Pounder                   Ponca City, Ok                  KO  2
Apr  9 Charlie Dawson                Indianapolis, In                 W  8
Apr 23 Karl Martin                   Indianapolis, In                KO  1 
Apr 26 Frank Hatfield                Cincinnati, Oh                  KO  1 
Aug 19 Nathan "Deacon" Logan         St. Louis, Mo                   KO  3 
Sep  1 Billy Adams                   Cincinnati, Oh                   L  8
Sep  9 Sammy Slaughter               Indianapolis, In                 W 10
Sep 17 Charlie Dawson                St. Louis, Mo                   TK  5 
Nov 9 Chuck Vickers Fort Wayne, In KO 2 Nov 16 Sammy Christian St. Louis, Mo W 5
1938 Jan 7 Carl Lautenschlger St. Louis, Mo KO 2 May 20 Jimmy Brent San Diego, Ca KO 1 May 27 Ray Vargas San Diego, Ca KO 3 Jun 24 Johnny "Bandit" Romero San Diego, Ca L 10 Jul 22 Johnny Sykes San Diego, Ca KO 1 -Some sources report "KO 4" Aug 5 Lorenzo Pedro San Diego, Ca W 10 Sep 2 Johnny "Bandit" Romero San Diego, Ca KO 8 Sep 16 Frank Rowsey San Diego, Ca TK 3 -Some sources report 2/22/38 Sep 27 Tom Henry Los Angeles, Ca KO 4 Oct 1 Bobby Yannes San Diego, Ca KO 2 Nov 22 Ray Lyle St. Louis, Ca KO 2 Dec 7 "Irish" Bob Turner St. Louis, Ca KO 2 1939 Jan 20 Jack Moran St. Louis, Mo KO 1 Mar 2 Domenic Ceccarelli St. Louis, Mo KO 1 Mar 16 Marty Simmons St. Louis, Mo W 10 Apr 20 Teddy Yarosz St. Louis, Mo L 10 Jul 21 Jack Coggins San Diego, Ca NC 8 Sep 1 Jack Coggins San Diego, Ca W 10 Sep 22 Bobby Seaman San Diego, Ca KO 7 Nov 12 Freddie Dixon Phoenix, Az D 8 Nov 27 Billy Day Phoenix, Az KO 1 Dec 7 Richard "Honeyboy" Jones St. Louis, Mo W 10 Dec 29 Willis "Shorty" Hogue San Diego, Ca L 6
1940 Mar 30 Jack McNamee Melbourne, Vic, Aus KO 4 Apr 18 Ron Richards Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 10 May 9 Atilio Sabatino Sydney, NSW, Aus KO 5 May 12 Joe Delaney Adelaide, SA, Aus KO 7 -Some sources report "KO 2" on 5/18/40 Jun 2 Frank Lindsay Hobart, Tas, Aus KO 4 -Some sources report 5/27/40 Jun 27 Fred Henneberry Sydney, NSW, Aus TK 7 Jul 11 Ron Richards Sydney, NSW, Aus W 12 Oct 18 Pancho Ramirez San Diego, Ca KO 5 1941 Jan 17 Clay Rowan San Diego, Ca KO 1 Jan 31 Willis "Shorty" Hogue San Diego, Ca L 10 Feb 1 Clay Rowan San Diego, Ca KO 1 Feb 21 Eddie Booker San Diego, Ca D 10 -Moore announced his retirement from the ring following several operations for stomach ulcers (only to return later) 1942 Jan 28 Bobby Britt Phoenix, Az KO 3 Feb 27 Guero Martinez San Diego, Ca TK 2 -Some sources report "Al Globe" Mar 17 Jimmy Casino Oakland, Ca TK 5 -Some sources report 3/18/42 Oct 30 Willis "Shorty" Hogue San Diego, Ca TK 2 Nov 6 Tabby Romero San Diego, Ca KO 2 Nov 27 Jack Chase San Diego, Ca W 10 Dec 11 Eddie Booker San Diego, Ca D 12 1943 May 8 Jack Chase San Diego, Ca W 15 -Middleweight Championship of California Jul 22 Willard "Big Boy" Hogue San Diego, Ca TK 5 Jul 28 Eddie Cerda San Diego, Ca KO 3 Aug 2 Jack Chase San Francisco, Ca L 15 -Middleweight Championship of California Aug 16 Aaron Wade San Francisco, Ca L 10 Nov 5 Pedro "Kid" Hermosillo San Diego, Ca KO 5 -Some sources report 11/04/43 Nov 26 Jack Chase Hollywood, Ca W 10 1944 Jan 7 Amado Rodriguez San Diego, Ca KO 1 Jan 21 Eddie Booker Hollywood, Ca LT 8 Mar 24 Roman Starr Hollywood, Ca TK 2 Apr 21 Charley Burley Hollywood, Ca L 10 May 19 Kenny LaSalle San Diego, Ca W 10 Aug 11 Louis Mays San Diego, Ca KO 3 Aug 18 Jimmy Hayden San Diego, Ca KO 5 Sep 1 Battling Monroe San Diego, Ca KO 6 Dec 18 Nate Bolden New York, NY W 10 1945 Jan 11 Joey Jones Boston, Ma KO 1 -Some sources report "TK 2" Jan 29 Bob Jacobs New York, NY TK 9 Feb 12 Napoleon Mitchell Boston, Ma KO 6 Apr 2 Nate Bolden Baltimore, Md W 10 Apr 23 Teddy Randolph Baltimore, Md TK 9 May 21 Lloyd Marshall Baltimore, Md W 10 Jun 18 George Kochan Baltimore, Md TK 6 Jun 26 Lloyd Marshall Cleveland, Oh TK 10 Aug 22 Jimmy Bivins Cleveland, Oh LK 6 Sep 17 Cocoa Kid (Louis Hardwick) Baltimore, Md KO 8 Oct 22 Holman Williams Baltimore, Md L 10 Nov 12 Odell Riley Detroit, Mi KO 6 Nov 26 Holman Williams Baltimore, Md KO 11 Dec 13 Colion Chaney St. Louis, Mo TK 5 1946 Jan 28 Curtis Sheppard Baltimore, Md W 12 Feb 5 Georgie Parks Washington, DC KO 1 May 2 Verne Escoe Orange, NJ TK 7 May 20 Ezzard Charles Pittsburgh, Pa L 10 Aug 19 Jack "Buddy" Walker Baltimore, Md KO 4 Sep 9 Shamus O'Brien Baltimore, Md TK 2 -Some sources report "Jimmy O'Brien" Oct 23 "Oakland" Billy Smith Oakland, Ca D 12 Nov 6 Jack Chase Oakland, Ca D 10 1947 Mar 18 Jack Chase Los Angeles, Ca KO 9 Apr 11 Rusty Payne San Diego, Ca W 10 May 5 Ezzard Charles Cincinnati, Oh L 10 Jun 16 Curtis Sheppard Washington, DC W 10 Jul 14 Bert Lytell Baltimore, Md W 10 Jul 30 Bobby Zander Oakland, Ca W 12 Sep 8 Jimmy Bivins Baltimore, Md TK 9 Nov 10 George Fitch Baltimore, Md TK 6 1948 Jan 13 Ezzard Charles Cleveland, Oh LK 8 Apr 12 Solomon "Dusty" Wilkerson Baltimore, Md TK 7 Apr 19 Charley "Doc" Williams Newark, NJ KO 7 May 5 "Oakland" Billy Smith Cincinnati, Oh W 10 Jun 2 Leonard Morrow Oakland, Ca LK 1 Jun 28 Jimmy Bivins Baltimore, Md W 10 -Some sources report 8/28/48 Aug 2 "Tiger" Ted Lowry Baltimore, Md W 10 Sep 20 "Oakland" Billy Smith Baltimore, Md KO 4 Oct 15 Henry Hall New Orleans, La L 10 Nov 1 Lloyd Gibson Washington, DC LF 4 Nov 15 Henry Hall Baltimore, Md W 10 Dec 6 Bob Amos Washington, DC W 10 Dec 27 Charley "Doc" Williams Baltimore, Md KO 7 1949 Jan 10 Alabama Kid (Clarence Reeves) Toledo, Oh KO 4 Jan 31 Bob Satterfield Toledo, Oh KO 3 Mar 4 Alabama Kid (Clarence Reeves) Columbus, Oh KO 3 Mar 23 Solomon "Dusty" Wilkerson Philadelphia, Pa TK 6 Apr 11 Jimmy Bivins Toledo, Oh KO 8 Apr 26 Harold Johnson Philadelphia, Pa W 10 Jun 13 Clinton Bacon Indianapolis, In LF 6 Jun 27 Bob Sikes Indianapolis, In TK 3 Jul 29 Esco Greenwood North Adams, Ma TK 2 Oct 4 Bob Amos Toledo, Oh W 10 Oct 24 Phil Muscato Toledo, Oh KO 6 Dec 6 Charley "Doc" Williams Hartford, Ct KO 8 Dec 13 Leonard Morrow Toledo, Oh KO 10 1950 Jan 31 Bert Lytell Toledo, Oh W 10 Jul 31 Vernon Williams Chicago, Il KO 2 1951 Jan 2 "Oakland" Billy Smith Portland, Or TK 8 Jan 28 John Thomas Panama City, Panama KO 1 Feb 21 Jimmy Bivins New York, NY TK 9 Mar 13 Abel Evaristo Cestac Toledo, Oh W 10 Apr 26 Herman Harris Flint, Mi TK 4 May 14 Art Henri Baltimore, Md TK 4 Jun 9 Abel Evaristo Cestac Buenos Aires, Arg KO 10 Jun 23 Karel Sys Buenos Aires, Arg D 10 -Some sources report "D 12" Jul 8 Alberto Santiago Lovell Buenos Aires, Arg KO 1 -Some sources report 7/07/51 Jul 15 Vicente Quiroz Montevideo, Uruguay TK 6 -Some sources report 7/14/51 Jul 26 Victor Carabajal Cordoba, Arg KO 3 Jul 28 Americo Capitanelli Tucuman, Arg KO 3 Aug 5 Rafael Miranda Argentine, Arg TK 4 -Some sources report "Comodoro Rivadavia, Arg" Aug 17 Alfredo Lagay Bahia Blanca, Arg KO 3 Sep 5 Embrell Davison Detroit, Mi KO 1 Sep 24 Harold Johnson Philadelphia, Pa W 10 Oct 29 Chubby Wright St. Louis, Mo TK 7 Dec 10 Harold Johnson Milwaukee, Wi L 10 1952 Jan 29 Harold Johnson Toledo, Oh W 10 Feb 27 Jimmy Slade St. Louis, Mo W 10 May 19 Bob Dunlap San Francisco, Ca KO 6 Jun 26 Clarence Henry Baltimore, Md W 10 Jul 25 Clinton Bacon Denver, Co KO 4 Dec 17 Joey Maxim St. Louis, Mo W 15 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World 1953 Jan 27 Toxie Hall Toledo, Oh KO 4 Feb 16 Leonard Dugan San Francisco, Ca TK 8 Mar 3 Sonny Andrews Sacramento, Ca TK 5 Mar 11 Nino Valdes St. Louis, Mo W 10 Mar 17 Al Spaulding Spokane, Wa KO 3 Mar 30 Frank Buford San Diego, Ca TK 9 Jun 24 Joey Maxim Ogden, Ut W 15 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Aug 22 Reinaldo Ansaloni Buenos Aires, Arg TK 4 Sep 12 Dogomar Martinez Buenos Aires, Arg W 10 1954 Jan 27 Joey Maxim Miami, Fl W 15 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Mar 9 Bob Baker Miami Beach, Fl TK 9 Jun 7 Bert Whitehurst New York, NY TK 6 Aug 11 Harold Johnson New York, NY TK 14 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World 1955 May 2 Nino Valdes Las Vegas, Nv W 15 Jun 22 Carl "Bobo" Olson New York, NY KO 3 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Sep 21 Rocky Marciano Bronx, NY LK 9 -Heavyweight Championship of the World Oct 22 Dale Hall Philadelphia, Pa EX 4 1956 Feb 2 Dale Hall Fresno, Ca EX 4 Feb 20 Howard King San Francisco, Ca W 10 Feb 27 Bob Dunlap San Diego, Ca KO 1 Mar 17 Frankie Daniels Hollywood, Ca W 10 Mar 27 Howard King Sacramento, Ca W 10 Apr 10 Willie Bean Richmond, Ca TK 5 Apr 16 George Parmentier Seattle, Wa TK 3 Apr 26 Sonny Andrews Edmonton, Alta, Can KO 4 Apr 30 Gene Thompson Tucson, Az TK 3 Jun 5 Yolande Pompey London, Eng TK 10 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Jul 25 James J. Parker Toronto, Ont, Can TK 9 Sep 8 Roy Shire Ogden, Ut TK 3 Nov 30 Floyd Patterson Chicago, Il LK 5 -Heavyweight Championship of the World 1957 May 1 Hans Kalbfell Essen, Ger W 10 Jun 2 Alain Cherville Stuttgart, Ger TK 6 Sep 20 Tony Anthony Los Angeles, Ca KO 7 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Oct 31 Bob Mitchell Vancouver, BC, Can TK 5 Nov 5 Eddie Cotton Seattle, Wa W 10 Nov 29 Roger Rischer Portland, Or KO 4 1958 Jan 18 Luis Ignacio Sao Paulo, Brazil W 10 Feb 1 Julio Neves Rio de Janeiro, Brazil KO 3 Mar 4 Bert Whitehurst San Bernardino, Ca TK 10 Mar 10 Bob Albright Vancouver, BC, Can TK 7 May 2 Willi Besmanoff Louisville, Ky W 10 May 17 Howard King San Diego, Ca W 10 May 26 Charlie Norkus San Francisco, Ca W 10 Jun 9 Howard King Sacramento, Ca W 10 Aug 4 Howard King Reno, Nv D 10 Dec 10 Yvon Durelle Montreal, Que, Can KO 11 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World 1959 Feb 2 Eddie Cotton Vancouver, BC, Can EX 4 Feb 5 Eddie Cotton Victoria, BC, Can EX 4 Mar 9 Sterling Davis Odessa, Tx TK 3 Aug 12 Yvon Durelle Montreal, Que, Can KO 3 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World 1960 May 25 Willi Besmanoff Indianapolis, In TK 10 Sep 13 George Abinet Dallas, Tx TK 3 Oct 25 -Moore was stripped of the NBA Light Heavyweight Championship Oct 29 Giulio Rinaldi Rome, Italy L 10 Nov 28 Regan "Buddy" Turman Dallas, Tx W 10 1961 Mar 25 Regan "Buddy" Turman Manila, Philipines W 10 May 8 Dave Furch Tucson, Az EX 4 May 12 Clifford Gray Nogales, Mex KO 4 May 13 Billy Harlen Bisbee, Az EX 4 May Freeman Harden Phoenix, Az EX 4 Jun 10 Giulio Rinaldi New York, NY W 15 -Light Heavyweight Championship of the World Oct 23 Pete Rademacher Baltimore, Md TK 6 1962 Feb 10 -Moore was stripped of the Light Heavyweight Championship by New York state and the European Boxing Union (EBU) Mar 30 Alejandro Lavorante Los Angeles, Ca TK 10 May 7 Howard King Tijuana, Mex KO 1 May 28 Willie Pastrano Los Angeles, Ca D 10 Nov 15 Cassius Clay Los Angeles, Ca LT 4 1963 Mar 15 Mike DiBiase Phoenix, Az TK 3 1964 -Moore announced his retirement from the ring (only to return later for an exhibition) 1965 Aug 27 Napoleon Mitchell Michigan City, Mi EX 3 -Moore knocked Mitchell out 1968 -Moore was presented with the key to the city of San Diego, Ca 1970 -Moore was named Man of the Year by Listen Magazine -Moore was presented with the key to the city of Sanpoint, Oh 1987 -Moore was presented with the Rocky Marciano Memorial Award in New York, NY *** The Following Bouts Are Reported But Not Confirmed *** 1936 Kneibert Davison KO 2 Ray Brewster KO 3 Johnny Leggs KO 1 Furman Burton KO 1 Billy Simms KO 1 H. Posey KO 6 Dick Putnam KO 3 Sammy Christian Quincy, Il D 6 1937 Al Dublinsky KO 3 Sammy Jackson Jackson, Mo KO 8 1940 Dec 5 Willis "Shorty" Hogue San Diego, Ca L 6 1941 Dec Freddie Dixon Phoenix, Az KO 5

Record courtesy of Tracy Callis, Historian, International Boxing Research Organization
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