BoxRec

Alot of fights get talked about, or even discussed, but never do take place.

In my time, probably the biggest fight of all time, that was talked about and never made was Jones vs Tyson, and in more recent years Mayweather vs Pacquiao. But, what's always a surprise to me is that Archie Moore was supposed to get a third crack at the heavyweight title--- a little known fact that is seldom talked about.

Everybody knows he defeated the likes of Mike DeJohn, Nino Valdes, and Bob Baker to get his shot at Rocky Marciano. And everyone also knows he was in the mix, after the Rock retired, in a failed bid to win the vacant crown against Floyd Patterson. After Patterson, however, he won fights against Charley Norkus, Howard King, and Willie Besmanoff--- keeping him in the top ten contenders mix. He also defended the LHW title during this time.

The result was, he was given a contract to face newly crowned champion Ingemar Johansson, as this picture shows:



Moore, at the time, was taking to an acting career playing the runaway slave Jim in the Adventures of Huckleberry Finn; but already had the contract to face 'Ingo' the following year (1960). This, of course, never happened. Johansson would lose to Patterson, and also lose the rubber match--- and Moore was stuck in pugilistic limbo competing in professional wrestling events either as a referee or opponent. The last big fights of his career came in 1962, when he lost to a newcomer named Cassius Clay--- a young man he attempted to train some time before--- and Giuilio Rinaldi in 1961 in what would be his last defense as LHW champion.

Considering Johansson's meteoric rise and fall, and the fact that Moore would soon burn out as well--- its interesting to wonder, had this fight taken place--- who would of won the contest. Most would assume the younger, faster, Johansson would win--- but Moore was still kicking ass and taking names against reasonably well contenders.

Moore must have been, what, 52, in 1960.

Of course Moore was always dangerous early on (think of the Marciano knockdown where Moore complained bitterly afterwards that the ref had saved Marciano by giving him time to clear his head) and Johansson was vulnerable to a big punch.

It is an interesting match up. Neither would make anybody's top ten heavyweights of all time, but yes Johansson's vulnerability makes it interesting, although this fight is proposed as happening before J's chin was exposed in the Patterson rematch and confidence plays a big part in boxing so maybe you have to lean towards J for that reason too.

If Moore had won it would have put Foreman's comeback into the shade.

Actually according to the one biography of Archie Moore.
Back in the Summer of 1956 just after Moore TKO'd Yolande Pompey in London England.
Archie Moore was at the Epsom Downs horse races
when Ingemar Johansson approached him there after a race
and told him if the two fought in Europe it would bring a lot of money for both.
Moore turned Johansson down however because he wanted another shot
at the then vacated heavyweight title with Floyd Patterson.

here is a scene from ALL THE YOUNG MEN.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BYCoG-_9Ib4

here is the trailer

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3X-ClLsSJ0

(yeah,thats who you would want in your platoon when its under heavy fire,
a 'Famed TV and Nightclub Comic'.

A young Archie Moore beats Johansson. The one who was in the geriatric stage of his career in the late 1950's-1960's losses.

I think by 1958-60, this fight would favor Ingo. The great Archie Moore ould only have more experience, that's all. But every other advantage would favor the Swedish Hammer of Thor