Would I be totally crazy for recognizing Archie Moore as a legit heavyweight champion?

He's a paper champ in that respect, same as the Italian guy with the WBO strap when Tyson was champ.

 

If you consider Ernie Terrell, Ken Norton, Mike Weaver, Daniel Dubois or Fabio Wardley champions, then no, you're not crazy, you're just consistent.

I don't. So I don't consider Moore the HW champ. I consider him a titlist tho, like those guys.

 

I remember the poor guy getting his nose bust by Mercer.

 

Not at all. If Archie Moore didn't campaign to fight Marciano that would have been the start of the new lineage.

 

The Nevada heavyweight championship was made up by the promoter Jack Kearns to ballyhoo the fight. It was never recognised by the state commission. Of course, that's arguably still no worse than being WBF champion.

https://ibb.co/RDPkbG2

 

Never heard that I would not consider it. Terrell was different was the WBA I believe.

 

Funny thing is Moore was given a 2nd poorly recognized HW title by the Canadians. The Parker fight is better viewed as part of the 1956 "eliminator tournament" to name Marcianos successor which Moore had a bye in. Timelinewise thats what makes sense and you can imagine if Parker won maybe he'd have fought Patterson instead. But both Moore v Parker and Moore v Patterson were planned for 15 rounds while the other eliminators were all 12.

 

100%.

 

Same story - a guy gets a title without beating the champion.

 

I'm the Mapledale champ

 

Shows what a good guy Archie was that he gave a shot at his title to paper champ Rocky Marciano.

In all seriousness, as much of a fan of the Ol’ Mongoose as I am, he was never heavyweight champ … but I get just a tad bit of glee in knowing that given his remarkable record against heavyweights when he was an elder statesman of a light heavy that he did get a glimmer of recognition for beating a top contender.

So even though he wasn’t ever THE heavyweight champ, I’m a-ok with him being A heavyweight champ of sorts.

 

He would have been a paper champ today without a doubt

for the record his HW resume is better than most champs all time