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Archie Moore short bio
http://www.the13thround.com/download/ARCHIE-MOORE.VOB
ARCHIE MOORE
As 1955 rolls around, Archie begins a one-man crusade for a fight with the Rock. He issues challenges in interviews, he begins a mammoth letter writing campaign to any and all sports writers, he makes it as clear as Ike’s bald head that he wants to fight Marciano before the year ends. He slips almost unnoticed into the bottom of the heavyweight Top Ten.
Marciano has two credible opponents set for the year, #1 ranked Nino Valdez of Cuba and #2 ranked Don Cockell of England (then current English and European heavyweight champion). His manager, Al Weil, decides the best way to make the cash registers ring is to have a fight in May and another one in the fall, perhaps September or October. They will take Valdez in Miami where he will draw and Cockell in California where he’d already fought a couple times and is somewhat known. It’s decided the best time to fight in Miami is in the fall so the Cockell fight will be set up first. Valdez is disappointed at missing the earlier fight and needs something to keep active and before the public. And now in true mongoose fashion, Archie lures him in.
While the Cockell fight is being promoted for May 16th, Moore works out a deal to fight Valdez in Miami 2 weeks before, on May 2nd. Valdez needs the money and perhaps doesn’t realize the tremendous risk he’s taking by touching gloves with Moore again; a loss could give Archie Nino’s upcoming title fight slot. Moore knows full well the implications; should he lose to #1 Valdez, he drops out of the Top Ten and probably never meets Marciano, but if he wins, how will he be denied? The battles of May decide the course of the fall heavyweight championship contest as Marciano TKO’s Cockell in 9 while Archie takes a 15 round decision from Nino.
At last Archie gets the recognition among the heavyweights and replaces Valdez in the #1 slot. In mid-year, of the Top Ten contenders, Marciano has beaten 3 of them, Moore has beaten 2 of them, and Moore is one of them, sitting in the coveted #1 position. Of the others, there’s Cavicchi of Italy, who wouldn’t draw flies, Earl Walls of Canada, another no-name, no draw, John Holman (see Walls), and the special nut-case Tommy “Hurricane” Jackson, who many fighters avoid “by reason of insanity”. The only viable fight is Archie Moore and in case everyone doesn’t realize it, The Ring has taken up the call for a Marciano-Moore bout as the only worthwhile fight left for Marciano.
Unknown to Moore, though, Marciano has already decided to retire. Back problems, pressure from his family, and the rapidly deteriorating relationship between the champion and his manager have convinced Rocky that it’s time to leave boxing. Rocky is about to push back from the table and leave the game, when Archie ups the ante.
In a campaign of harassment that would make a celebrity stalker proud, Moore goes after the heavyweight champion where it hurts the most; his pride. He takes out adds in papers calling for Rocky to fight him, he gives interviews where he outlines his strategy to defeat the Rock, he has wanted posters printed and placed where Marciano will see them, he sends him notes on the golf course, “Are you afraid to fight an old man?”. Even the Ring is suggesting Moore has a chance to dethrone the Rock “if Marciano gives him a shot”. Called out in such a sustained, public manner, Rocky shelves his retirement plans (which are unknown to the public or Moore) and agrees to answer the challenge of the Old Mongoose.
The resulting fight starts off as if Moore’s master plan were flawless.... and it finally happened
Rocky Marciano vs Archie Moore
Date: 1955-09-21 Yankee Stadium
Marciano has two credible opponents set for the year, #1 ranked Nino Valdez of Cuba and #2 ranked Don Cockell of England (then current English and European heavyweight champion). His manager, Al Weil, decides the best way to make the cash registers ring is to have a fight in May and another one in the fall, perhaps September or October. They will take Valdez in Miami where he will draw and Cockell in California where he’d already fought a couple times and is somewhat known. It’s decided the best time to fight in Miami is in the fall so the Cockell fight will be set up first. Valdez is disappointed at missing the earlier fight and needs something to keep active and before the public. And now in true mongoose fashion, Archie lures him in.
While the Cockell fight is being promoted for May 16th, Moore works out a deal to fight Valdez in Miami 2 weeks before, on May 2nd. Valdez needs the money and perhaps doesn’t realize the tremendous risk he’s taking by touching gloves with Moore again; a loss could give Archie Nino’s upcoming title fight slot. Moore knows full well the implications; should he lose to #1 Valdez, he drops out of the Top Ten and probably never meets Marciano, but if he wins, how will he be denied? The battles of May decide the course of the fall heavyweight championship contest as Marciano TKO’s Cockell in 9 while Archie takes a 15 round decision from Nino.
At last Archie gets the recognition among the heavyweights and replaces Valdez in the #1 slot. In mid-year, of the Top Ten contenders, Marciano has beaten 3 of them, Moore has beaten 2 of them, and Moore is one of them, sitting in the coveted #1 position. Of the others, there’s Cavicchi of Italy, who wouldn’t draw flies, Earl Walls of Canada, another no-name, no draw, John Holman (see Walls), and the special nut-case Tommy “Hurricane” Jackson, who many fighters avoid “by reason of insanity”. The only viable fight is Archie Moore and in case everyone doesn’t realize it, The Ring has taken up the call for a Marciano-Moore bout as the only worthwhile fight left for Marciano.
Unknown to Moore, though, Marciano has already decided to retire. Back problems, pressure from his family, and the rapidly deteriorating relationship between the champion and his manager have convinced Rocky that it’s time to leave boxing. Rocky is about to push back from the table and leave the game, when Archie ups the ante.
In a campaign of harassment that would make a celebrity stalker proud, Moore goes after the heavyweight champion where it hurts the most; his pride. He takes out adds in papers calling for Rocky to fight him, he gives interviews where he outlines his strategy to defeat the Rock, he has wanted posters printed and placed where Marciano will see them, he sends him notes on the golf course, “Are you afraid to fight an old man?”. Even the Ring is suggesting Moore has a chance to dethrone the Rock “if Marciano gives him a shot”. Called out in such a sustained, public manner, Rocky shelves his retirement plans (which are unknown to the public or Moore) and agrees to answer the challenge of the Old Mongoose.
The resulting fight starts off as if Moore’s master plan were flawless.... and it finally happened
Rocky Marciano vs Archie Moore
Date: 1955-09-21 Yankee Stadium
That's so good storytelling...did you write this?
fsteddi wrote:As 1955 rolls around, Archie begins a one-man crusade for a fight with the Rock. He issues challenges in interviews, he begins a mammoth letter writing campaign to any and all sports writers, he makes it as clear as Ike’s bald head that he wants to fight Marciano before the year ends. He slips almost unnoticed into the bottom of the heavyweight Top Ten.
Marciano has two credible opponents set for the year, #1 ranked Nino Valdez of Cuba and #2 ranked Don Cockell of England (then current English and European heavyweight champion). His manager, Al Weil, decides the best way to make the cash registers ring is to have a fight in May and another one in the fall, perhaps September or October. They will take Valdez in Miami where he will draw and Cockell in California where he’d already fought a couple times and is somewhat known. It’s decided the best time to fight in Miami is in the fall so the Cockell fight will be set up first. Valdez is disappointed at missing the earlier fight and needs something to keep active and before the public. And now in true mongoose fashion, Archie lures him in.
While the Cockell fight is being promoted for May 16th, Moore works out a deal to fight Valdez in Miami 2 weeks before, on May 2nd. Valdez needs the money and perhaps doesn’t realize the tremendous risk he’s taking by touching gloves with Moore again; a loss could give Archie Nino’s upcoming title fight slot. Moore knows full well the implications; should he lose to #1 Valdez, he drops out of the Top Ten and probably never meets Marciano, but if he wins, how will he be denied? The battles of May decide the course of the fall heavyweight championship contest as Marciano TKO’s Cockell in 9 while Archie takes a 15 round decision from Nino.
At last Archie gets the recognition among the heavyweights and replaces Valdez in the #1 slot. In mid-year, of the Top Ten contenders, Marciano has beaten 3 of them, Moore has beaten 2 of them, and Moore is one of them, sitting in the coveted #1 position. Of the others, there’s Cavicchi of Italy, who wouldn’t draw flies, Earl Walls of Canada, another no-name, no draw, John Holman (see Walls), and the special nut-case Tommy “Hurricane” Jackson, who many fighters avoid “by reason of insanity”. The only viable fight is Archie Moore and in case everyone doesn’t realize it, The Ring has taken up the call for a Marciano-Moore bout as the only worthwhile fight left for Marciano.
Unknown to Moore, though, Marciano has already decided to retire. Back problems, pressure from his family, and the rapidly deteriorating relationship between the champion and his manager have convinced Rocky that it’s time to leave boxing. Rocky is about to push back from the table and leave the game, when Archie ups the ante.
In a campaign of harassment that would make a celebrity stalker proud, Moore goes after the heavyweight champion where it hurts the most; his pride. He takes out adds in papers calling for Rocky to fight him, he gives interviews where he outlines his strategy to defeat the Rock, he has wanted posters printed and placed where Marciano will see them, he sends him notes on the golf course, “Are you afraid to fight an old man?”. Even the Ring is suggesting Moore has a chance to dethrone the Rock “if Marciano gives him a shot”. Called out in such a sustained, public manner, Rocky shelves his retirement plans (which are unknown to the public or Moore) and agrees to answer the challenge of the Old Mongoose.
The resulting fight starts off as if Moore’s master plan were flawless.... and it finally happened
Rocky Marciano vs Archie Moore
Date: 1955-09-21 Yankee Stadium