BoxRec

Old, bad condition, newspaper showing a picture of Archie Moore putting a beating on professional wrestler Roy Shire in a boxing match. Shire was but one of many wrestlers he would box--- during his career.

I wish I could find a clipping or even a picture, of Moore's fight with DiBiase.

I was in the stands for the Moore Dibase fight in Phoenix Star theatre.....but it was all boxing rules. And Ted was hopelessly outclassed. Moore took no hostages, and was simply going to work, with no time for any wrestling ballyhoo. Just a textbook slaughter of a man who did not have boxing skills, but may have come to fight.

BoxBuzz wrote:I was in the stands for the Moore Dibase fight in Phoenix Star theatre.....but it was all boxing rules. And Ted was hopelessly outclassed. Moore took no hostages, and was simply going to work, with no time for any wrestling ballyhoo. Just a textbook slaughter of a man who did not have boxing skills, but may have come to fight.

You were at the Mongoose's last fight?

Surely you have a ticket stub or picture or something of you being there?

Just the memories with my dad......and it has been called "the theatre" and "Madison Square Garden" Not sure "Star" was ever associated with it as I reflect back...the "Star was closer to Scottsdale if I remember.


Yeah Archie is my favorite fighter probably because of my dad's enthusiasm for his smart style. But it's funny, wrestling was really big in Phoenix at that time and the wrestling fans were sure Archie was going to regret it.....but it was very one sided though Dibiase was fit and in the first round gave a fairly good accounting of "being able to take a beating". lol.

Neither Ted nor Archie participated in the pre fight ballywho as I remember, but the local wrestlers and their fans were all yakking about how it was going to be one sided. And it was...but not the way they planned.

BoxBuzz wrote:Just the memories with my dad......and it has been called "the theatre" and "Madison Square Garden" Not sure "Star" was ever associated with it as I reflect back...the "Star was closer to Scottsdale if I remember.


Yeah Archie is my favorite fighter probably because of my dad's enthusiasm for his smart style. But it's funny, wrestling was really big in Phoenix at that time and the wrestling fans were sure Archie was going to regret it.....but it was very one sided though Dibiase was fit and in the first round gave a fairly good accounting of "being able to take a beating". lol.

Neither Ted nor Archie participated in the pre fight ballywho as I remember, but the local wrestlers and their fans were all yakking about how it was going to be one sided. And it was...but not the way they planned.

The DiBiase who fought Moore was Ted's stepfather "Iron" Mike DiBiase.

But man, oh man, I'm loving the back story to this whole fight. Thanks for sharing the memories.

yep Mike, I've been saying Ted sorry just another senior moment. Ted's career was more emblazoned in my mind....sort of like Fritz Von Eric's kids are probably more etched in my awareness than their famous father....though in their case it's nearly 50/50.

Straight up, these guys went into it very seriously, and though it was Archie's last go round, he entered like a serious boxer, and left like a boxer, no attempt at sensationalism or any silliness. I think Mike really thought that the age difference would work to his advantage, and that he could pull off an upset by conditioning and age and strength alone.


And Mike sort of seemed to respect the "difference" between the sports. I would have to say that the folks in the seats were split between boxing and wrestling fans.
And that passion showed. There were even a few scuffles between the fans of the two "disciplines" as the crowd dispersed. When mike appeared to get a lick in, the wrestling enthusiasts would cheer....but as far as any boxing fan could see, Mike did not lay a glove on Moore, and Archie just flat disassembled him. And NO phoney baloney....nada, zero, zilch. Not a good day for Mike.

My grand dad was a serious wrestling fan, and my dad equal as a boxing fan. The conversation they had by phone as my dad informed my grand dad (who was in Texas at the time, and awaiting my dads report) did not go well.....my dad sort of rubbed it in. I really think my granddad thought that Fritz Von Eric had an "iron claw" skill that could not be matched. I think he thought Wrestlers were akin to genuine magicians lol. My dad was no nonsense, and just wanted the wrestlers to go away....and that's pretty much what Archie gave the crowd that night.