How would Archie Moore do in the late 60s to mid 70s

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by InMemoryofJakeLamotta, Mar 2, 2026.


  1. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Say Moore was light heavyweight champion in 1966 and moved up to heavyweight. Now, I know he's the underdog vs Ali, Frazier and later Foreman but how does he do against the likes of Quarry, Terrell, Ellis, Chuvalo etc
     
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  2. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    The fact that crouching Archie Moore was the #1 heavyweight contender for a time in the 1950s while in his 40s just shows how bad the division was at that time.

    Currently, Beterbiev isn't the #1 heavyweight contender. And this current crop of rising heavies isn't stellar.

    Moore doesn't do nearly as well in any other modern era at heavyweight from the 1960s on.

    Moore was in the right place at the right time when he was a top contender at heavy. And even scrawny Floyd Patterson completely wiped him out when Marciano retired.

    Things were never going to get easier after that.
     
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  3. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    You're just saying that because you're trying to downplay Marciano.

    Second, the heavies of the late 60s, early 70s weren't appreciably bigger than the heavies of the 50s, not like the behemoths of the 90s to the current day. Please don't tell me that 195 pound Quarry or barely 200 pound Jimmy Ellis would be these unbeatable giants that Moore has no chance of beating.

    And I know triangle theory doesn't always work, but light heavyweight Harold Johnson beat Eddie Machen who as an old fighter defeated a young Jerry Quarry. Moore beat Johnson multiple times and there's no reason to think Moore at his HW best couldn't have also beaten Machen.

    Also, if you had 195 pound Quarry roaming around today's heavyweight division or 200 pound Jimmy Ellis, then Beterbiev likely would be fighting at heavyweight but those 2 would likely be at light heavyweight with Beterbiev with day before weigh ins. Today's heavies are much bigger than the heavies of 1965-1975. Show me a Jerry Quarry sized heavyweight fighting at heavyweight in 2026?
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2026
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  4. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yeah no way a career cruiser like Usyk could compete with bigger men.
     
  5. Devon

    Devon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Beats all of them except Ali, Foreman, Frazier & Norton.
     
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  6. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Would be a good fight with Norton Tbh
     
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  7. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    How does Usyk fight like Archie Moore?

    When did Usyk get wasted in five rounds by a 182-pound 21-year-old.

    Old, crouching, bent over, slow-footed Archie Moore couldn't get past Patterson.

    You got people here saying he's going to beat everyone but Foreman, Frazier, and Ali?

    Whatever man.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2026
  8. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I didn't say anything about Marciano.

    I'm downplaying Moore's chances against anyone of note after the 1950s.

    Hell, when he was the #1 contender, Moore couldn't get past Floyd Patterson in 1956. Got destroyed in five rounds.

    Floyd wasn't exactly dominant in the 60s and 70s himself. And Moore wasn't better than Floyd.
     
  9. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Moore was over 20 years older than Patterson. And you talk as if Patterson was a scrub. Depending on who you ask, he was a borderline ATG. No disgrace to lose to him, especially when he has a big youth advantage. As for Moore, he was a light heavyweight that only lost to the best of the best at heavyweight. Marciano, Patterson and Ali and he was almost 50 when he lost to Ali.

    https://www.boxingforum24.com/threads/archie-moores-heavyweight-resume.226071/

    Moore had a pretty good heavyweight resume. But I guess in your opinion, men like Henry Cooper and Eddie Machen and Thad Spencer would be unbeatable giants to Archie Moore? Come on.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2026
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  10. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I think there would be periods where he’d definitely crack the top ten and even get some good wins. The late sixties-early 70s saw Jimmy Ellis as a world champion and an aged Floyd Patterson as a contender. As long as the version of Moore were using isn’t ancient ( like against Ali ) and in good shape then I believe he doesn’t well
     
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  11. McCallumsJab

    McCallumsJab Member Full Member

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    There's some underrated boxers in the late 60s through to mid 70s if we ignore Ali, Foreman, Frazier and Norton. It's a much deeper era than the 40s/50s

    Let's start with Patterson who dominated Archie, he was past his prime but still at a very good level. Then look at these fellas better wins:

    Jimmy Ellis - Quarry, Patterson, Bonavena, Martin (fresh off Liston win), Chuvalo

    Quarry - Patterson, Lyles, Shavers, Mac Foster, Buster Matthis

    Then you have Shavers decimating Norton, Ellis and Young with a good Bugner win - you really want to bet money on a LHW withstanding Shavers onslaught?

    Then you have Jimmy Young who was arguably the best pure boxer of the 70s, Lyle who was a physical monster, Bonavena who gave Frazier hell while picking up some top wins, old Liston, Terrell, Chuvalo, older versions of Machen, Doug Jones, Folley. Bugner and Cooper were no sloaches either.

    Tell me now you'd be happy betting your life savings on Archie beating any of them, sure he'd beat some of the I imagine, but he'd lose a fair share.

    He already got dominated by a 21yo Patterson.
     
  12. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Version of Moore who was ringside for the Ali Frazier fight
     
  13. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    Im my book Patterson beat Quarry and Ellis and I don’t think Moore dominates, but a good version of him, especially from the early 50s, is in the top 10. I just know for sure he doesn't beat Ali, Frazier or Foreman. Everyone else is fair game, but I won't say he dominates. But I mean, how much better was say Bonavena than Nino Valdez?
     
  14. Dubblechin

    Dubblechin Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Archie Moore was 39 when he won the light heavyweight title. If he was 39 in 1966, as was set up in your original scenario, he was still going to be 15 to almost 20 years older than the top heavyweights of the late 60s and 70s.

    Joe Frazier was 24 in 1966. Muhammad Ali was 24. Jimmy Ellis was 26. Jerry Quarry was 21. George Foreman (who hadn't turned pro yet) was 17. By the time of the 1967 heavyweight tournament, Moore would've been 40.

    I don't think you thought this through. He was old when he won the light heavyweight title. But the heavyweight division was awful during the early 50s (it just was), so he could go back and forth between 175 and heavyweight.

    By 1956, Moore wasn't remotely as good as a 21-year-old Floyd Patterson.

    A 40-year-old-plus Archie Moore wasn't going to accomplish anything in the heavyweight division of the late 60s and 70s. The days of top light heavyweights also being top heavyweight contenders was over.

    Ali didn't defend his title against Dick Tiger in the 1960s. George Foreman and Ali didn't defend against John Conteh or Victor Galindez. Joe Frazier used the dominant 175-pound champ as a tuneup, and treated him as such. Foster lasted about four minutes before getting plastered.
     
    Last edited: Mar 3, 2026
  15. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

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    How do you reckon a 46-50 year old Usyk would fare against Floyd Patterson?
     
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