Archie Moore: Granite Chin?

Lol Oh dear? Foreman, Tua, and Holyfield could all punch yet since Michael Moorer wsa knocked out by them he has a glass chin but Archie Moore being stopped by Eddie Booker in 6, Jimmy Bivins in 6, Leonord Morrow in 1, and Ezzard Charles in 8 doesnt prove that his chin is glass too? Give me a freaking break, If Michael Moorer has a glass chin then so does Archie Moore.

 

Personally, I find "glass chin" labels to be lazy armchair analysis. As if Moorer's atrocious conditioning, freeze ups, and sloppy defensive lapses had nothing to do with his big losses.

However, it should be fairly evident why Moorer has a "chinny" reputation and Moore is regarded as rugged tough warrior. For instance, Moorer only had 57 career fights while Moore is officially credited with the 220 that we know of; often fighting on a monthly basis against incredible competition. During his peak run in the early 50s alone Moore had roughly 70+ fights; the majority against elite competition. His only stoppage losses during this run were to all time greats Marciano and Patterson; both of whom were destroying top Heavies left and right.

And yes, Foreman could punch...but how many top Heavies was he stopping cold at this point in his career? Let alone after taking a huge beating while connecting with what was hardly the most impressive punch he ever threw. We all know that Holyfield while not a KO artist can be a dangerous counter puncher and his blows can accumliate...but how many fighters were crumbling, staggering, and falling all over the ring everytime he landed a clean punch in the early/mid rounds? Moorer made Holyfield look like George Foreman in their rematch. Same goes for Bert Cooper, dangerous puncher and all, but he looked like Tyson when he was running over Moorer in the early rounds. Nevermind the Tua loss, both were so fat and irrelevant...who cares.

 

Moorer was fresh out of surgery in Holyfield II to the point where he could barely train.

Cooper, the hardest hitting fighter that Oliver McCall ever faced? One who nearly knocked out a prime Holyfield?

Love how you're faulting Moorer for eating a 100% flush Foreman shot. Point is that others were moving against George, such as Morrison and Grimsley. Moorer ate that ****ing shot, it split the top of his mouth open for christs sake.

 

I actully believe Moorer was winning the Holyfield rematch before the knockdowns, boxing surprisingly well behind his southpaw jab. Holyfield looked to be badly fatigued and frustrated after the 4th or so, but he adjusted and turned it up.

Oliver Mcall and Cooper never fought professionally, sparred possibly. McCall said Douglas and Bruno hit him the hardest.

ESB: Which of the many great opponents you faced had the greatest punch?

Oliver McCall: In my past? I think one guy had a pretty good punch on him, and that was Buster Douglas. Thankfully, I didn’t get hit with a lot of really big shots in that fight, but from what I recall, he had nice power, and leverage on them. So I would say Buster Douglas.

ESB:While I don’t think you were close to ever being hurt seriously, who did come the closest to buzzing you?

Oliver McCall: I would say Bruno in the first round where he caught me with a nice little right hand and gave me a lump under my eye. It was kind of hard to get back into the fight after it, cause it was one of those punches that changes a fight. In retrospect, I might have started a little faster, instead of being a little lackadaisical, because it wasn’t enough to come on in the later rounds cause he held out and got the victory

Wouldn't say Holyfield was nearly knocked out either, he was stunned and grabbed the rope.Again, Cooper could bang decent enough but I can't say I've seen him overwhelm too many fighters at Moorer's level like that.

Yes, Moorer should be faulted for eating the shot. He had Foreman battered and was well in control when he managed to walk into telegraphed right hands that he was being warned to avoid all night. Bad chin or not, the guy had trouble avoiding power punches consistently. Your also mistaken if I'm faulting Moorer's chin, I've stated my reasons for his short comings already. Moorer's knockdowns and losses looked really bad which is why his reputation against punchers is tarnished, same goes for Wlad ...I mean Peter, Sanders, and Brewster had power too, maybe Tommy Morrison is as durable as Archie Moore, Lewis, Purrity, and Mercer could punch. Moore was stopped just 7 times in 220 fights..which is even more amazing when you consider the level of competition and all time great punchers he faced. Moorer and guys like that can't be fairly compared.

 

i know this wasnt directed at me but id rate him maybe just on or just out of the top 10

He wasnt a defensive genius so to speak more of a defensive technician. In the fact he didnt just focus on his defence but was savvy and experianced in it.

He rolled with the shots well, took them in less damageable areas etc...

Very ring smart defence, a general purpose defence to Locches sole purpose defence

 

Either way Moorer was knocked out people who were considered big punchers who were naturally bigger than him. Archie Moore was knocked down numerous times by average fighters. So I will say this again, If Michael Moorer had a glass chin then so did Archie Moore.

 

Very pertinent point ,he had no opportunity to ride the punch.:good

 

Really?

Ezzard Charles, Marciano, and Patterson are all time great ko artists. Even than, Moore went the distance with Charles a few other times without being knocked down or stopped.

Ali had a considerable size advantage in addition to decades of youth.

If you want to continue with the "natural size" argument; Jimmy Bivins outweighted Moore by almost 20 lbs when he stopped Moore and that loss was avenged several times over despite Bivins becoming a top 5 rated Heavie. The power punching, Valdes was the number one heavie with a near 30 lb weight advantage in their first fight when Moore beat him without tasting the canvas. This was during Moore's peak where he won almost 60 straight fights while only suffering 2 knock downs, more fights than Moorer's entire career.

Yes, Moore has two bad losses to average fighters, but at a time when he was often fighting several times a month and not at his prime weight. Besides, picking out a few bad spots in 220 fights is a mute point. Moore was known as a tough warrior because he fought anybody and everybody at a gruelling rate that hasn't been surpassed at the elite level; some losses and knockdowns are acceptable in regards to the bigger picture.

Holyfield is really naturally bigger than Moorer? News to me. Foreman and Holyfield have good punches but weren't known as aggressive knockout artists at this stage of their careers; the way they blasted Moorer out was very unexpected and shocking. Moorer didn't really face any of the more dangerous offensive fighters of his era..Bowe, Tyson, Lewis, or even Morrision and Ruddock. All we have to judge him by are his freeze ups against Foreman, Cooper, Holyfield, and possibly the Tua fight. Moorer was stopped in all three of his major losses as a contender, Moore was only stopped 7 times in his 20ish losses over his busy decade spanning career. Sorry, Moore will forever be known as the ageless warrior while Moorer's ability to handle aggressive fighters will always be suspect.

 

which was the fight moore got knocked down multiple times early in the fight and then came back to win? i think his opponent was french but not 100% sure.