Does Tyson run through Marcianos resume unbeaten ?

You arent really assesing Archie Moore's skill based on a single performance at age 42 are you? Older fighters are more likely to have dramatically off nights.
Take a look at his career.

 

My usual question - care to post a few contemporary write-ups regarding his supposed extraordinary defensive skills?

 

A reasonable request...

 

The thing is when you start researching true defensive masters, few fights are reported without a mention of their defensive skills. I don't have that many Moore bouts reports, but all I remember reading was his punching, not his defense.

 

Moore is known as an expert counter puncher with extraordinary power.

Is that the same as being a defensive expert? Not always, the two traits aren't exactly mutually exclusive but it is possible.

Marquez is an expert counter puncher who can end a fight with one punch, but he isn't a defensive master despite being a master boxer.

 

Moore was described more of an aggressor in most reports I recall, not a counter-puncher.

 

And that may well be the case.

But based on the footage we have and his overall reputation, he is someone who (rightly or wrongly) is remembered as an expert counter puncher.

Let's play devils advocate, rather than focus on the lack of perceived accuracy from your perspective, how do you feel this vision of Moore first came to light if it is so inaccurate?

 

That's what I wanted to hear. But not based on write-ups written half a century after Moore's career was finished. He does fight as a counter puncher vs Marciano, which was natural. Which other fights were a good example of same style? This reminds me a lot of Gene Tunney who many people imagine as such a master thinker, with amazing footwork, jabbing opponents at will, looking for openings. A description based on two Dempsey fights. But that description of his style is not backed up by the majority of his other fights as reported by local next-day newspapers. That wasn't a typical Tunney.