How good was Davey Moore
 

Of course when anyone mentions his name people immediatly think of his brutal loss to Duran. Just how good was he and did he have any important wins before Duran? How good was his potential? Whilst it finished brutally many people seem to overlook Moore having success against Duran early on. Unfortuantly for him he coulden't move Duran.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Davey Moore was an awesome fighter. It was a tough era for middleweights. He won the crown at a early stage of his career and it looked like the sky was the limit for Davey Moore.

His talent was evident. Duran was a gonna be a name on his record and he was gonna make some $ and gain some experiance in the process of beating Roberto Duran.

Put it this way..he was no David Reid. He could really fight. As we saw even in his loss to Duran he had a warrior`s heart.

As far as wins go he did knock out Benitez at some point early. Big righthand. Not sure if that was before Duran or just after.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Who was his best opponent before Duran and whats his most impressive performance?

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Mihara was an impressive performance. I belive that is who he won the Junior Middlleweight title from. In the champion`s home country.

It was only Moore`s 8th pro fight. I do believe he had a decorated amatuer career. He was more polshed than the average prospect that comes along. and more talented. As I stated before his knockout of Benitez was impressive but I cant remember when that fight occured.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Davey Moore,

A very-talented amateur at Welterweight.

In November 1980, at age 21, started off as a 154 lb. Light-Middleweight.

In May 1981, after only '7-months' as a professional, and just in his 6th pro fight, moved into
the WBA Top 10 of the 154 lb. Division, when he scored an 'upset knockout' (KO 1)
over (#10 WBA-Rated) Joseph Nsubuga 23-2-0 (12 KO's) in San Remo, Italy.

A very, very good puncher with the right hand, and he could hurt you real bad when it landed.

Never learned the 'art-of-defense', as in his early success, he really didn't need it.

One those fighters who was strictly an 'offensive dynamo'.

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Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Very overrated. Had 11 fights for Duran, which in retrospect how could anyone think he would beat Duran, who was still great in those years. As Duran fans say, great enough to take Hagler to 15 rounds.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

People really felt Duran has slipped enough by then that they wanted to feed him to a young up and comer who would have a legend on his resume. Clearly they didn't realise Duran had enough left to school Moore, it's a bit like how Top Rank (also the promoter for Duran-Moore I think) felt that B-Hop had slipped enough to be fed to Pavlik. In retrospect, it looks like bonkers match making but at the time, they made sense (I'll concede Pavlik was a lot more experienced but the overall point remains, hindsight is bliss).

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

I agree. Duran fought another 19 years. Hopkins was 43 when he fought Pavlik, Duran was 32 on the day he fought Moore. Duran didn't look so good against Benitez, but that is because Benitez was great at 154 and he was still young. If Duran had the right style in front of him he would look great. Look at the Barkley fight. I agree hindsight is bliss.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

I think the term "overrated" is misused when describing a fighter who had won a title and defended it three times via knockout by the time he had 11 fights. It doesn't fit.

"Rushed." "Mismanaged.".............now those work. Hard to downgrade such a neophyte when he's already got a ledger like that.

That's not to say that such a person is unbeatable, but I don't recall anyone ever saying he was. He was an underdog as often as not during that time. I think what he did prior to meeting Duran speaks to a huge level of talent.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

There is more to the story than meets the eye with Davey Moore getting a
WBA Light-Middleweight Championship fight so early in his career.

And, Tadashi Mihara, was actually a decent 'big' Light-Middleweight, despite what people think of him.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

He also beat up Ayub Kalule. His management thought they had something great so why not make the match. Holyfield had a similar level of experience when he fought Dwight Muhammad Qawi.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Davey Moore was a good fighter. Terrific on the offense, not so terrific defensively. He did probably get rushed but he was one of those fighters that either had to improve on his defense massively or have a short stay at the top. In his case it ended up being the latter.

He was a bit like a Victor Ortiz with a never quit attitude.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Once Moore got thumbed in the Duran fight....Moore really had no chance in a 15 rd fight.

Previously Duran had beaten up hard hitting Pipino Cuevas 5 months earlier.

Moore had 12 fights, Duran had 80 fights.

Six months later Duran fights Hagler and puts up a great effort in a close loss.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

Ofcourse the beating he took from Duran was brutal. That didnt do his career any good. It doesnt mean he was overated. We know boxing isnt like other sports where a loss just goes on your record. There is physical and mental damage that goes along with it.

Meldrick Taylor
Fernando Vargas

are other examples of this.

Re: How good was Davey Moore
 

In addition 2 d thumbing Duran gave him , he came in injured in2 d fight .
These r d real 2 reasons 2 his loss 2 Duran .
Nothing like Duran 2 much 4 him @ d moment or Moore 2 inexperienced .