Rocky Marciano's Fight With Archie Moore Grossed $2,248,117In Rocky Marciano's final defense was on the 20th of September 1955 against the former world light heavyweight champion Archie Moore. That fight brought in a crowd of 61,574 to Yankee Stadium, with hundreds of thousands attending closed circuit television theatres for the first time. The fight grossed $2,248,117, which was then the second largest gate in boxing history. Though Rocky Marciano was dropped to the canvas in the second round by a left hook from Archie Moore, The Broxton Rock, Marciano survived to knock out Archie Moore in the ninth round. Archie Moore in a statement to the press, stated; "Marciano is far and away the strongest man he has ever encountered in almost twenty years of fighting." Rocky Marciano Turned Down 2million Dollars To Fight Cassius Clay  The bout with Archie Moore, Rocky Marciano earned his largest ever purse of $468,374. Rocky Marciano's professional record was 49 wins and no defeats. He was the victor in all six of his title defences, only the 2nd undefeated heavyweight champion in boxing history. Gene Tunney before him. Rocky Marciano was rated as the greatest slugger of all time with an 88 percent knockout record. Rocky Marciano died when a private plane in which he was a passenger crashed near Newton, Iowa. In the mid 1960s Marciano turned down $2 million to fight Muhammad Ali who was then known as Cassius Clay. Perhaps Rocky turned down the $2 million Dollars to fight Cassius Clay in a return to the ring because he was ring rusty and would not be able to cope with the young Cassius Clay's counter punching and fast footwork. But who can tell what would have happen in a fight between the then Cassius Clay and Rocky Marciano? The Light Heavy Who Dropped Rocky MarcianoIn 1952 four days after his 39th birthday, Archie Moore was given a shot against the world light heavyweight champion Joey Maxim. Moore won the title by decision and held onto it for nearly a decade until it was taken off him National Boxing Association. In 1955, Archie Moore made an attempt to win the world heavyweight title from Rocky Marciano. Although he dropped Marciano early in the fight but Rocky Marciano rallied to stop Moore in the ninth round. A year later after Rocky Marciano retired, Archie Moore met Floyd Patterson for the vacant heavyweight crown but was stopped in five.Born Archibald Lee Wright: Archie Moore was born on the 13th of December 1913 some say he was born in 1916. It is not a sure when year he was actually born. Archie Moore died on the 9th December 1998. Moore was also a social figure. as soon as his fighting days was over Moore got involved in the African American causes .Before Archie became was ever a boxer he normally found himself in trouble as a young boy. In 1935, he began his amateur career, and had nine fights as an amateur, winning 5 and losing 4. But he claimed that he boxed some fights under the name nun-de-plume name of the 4th of July Kid. |
Retirement Did Not Curtail Archie's FameRetirement from boxing did not allow Archie Moore to escape from the limelight. Moore is the recipient of numerous awards and dedications. In 1965, he received the key to the city of San Diego. In 1970, he was chosen as the Man of The Year by Listen Magazine, and he received the key to the city of Sandpoint, Ohio. Archie Moore 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. In 1990, he became a member of the International Boxing Hall Of Fame in Canastota, being one of the original members of that institution. | |
