Archie Moore vs. Nino Valdes (1st meeting)
Archie Moore 180 lbs beat Nino Valdes 209 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10
- Date: 1953-03-11
- Location: Arena, Saint Louis, Missouri, USA
- Referee: Ray Palmer 53-47
- Judge: Gene Farrell 57-43
- Judge: Albert Graff 54-46
"Light heavyweight champion Archie Moore Wednesday night punched out a unanimous decision over Nino Valdes, 209 1/2, heavyweight champion of Cuba. Moore, 180, frequently had to jump to land punches to the younger man's chin. But he forced the fight and delivered heavy body blows with his head pillowed against Valdes' chest. Neither man was downed, but there was plenty of action as Valdes, who fought in spurts, rallied near the close of each round. He was unable to reach Archie, who deflected most of his punches with elbows and shoulders and slipped inside his long arms to deliver a body attack. Moore cut Valdes' lip with a vicious right in the 6th round, but that was the only visible damage to either man. Valdes apparently didn't hear the bell at the end of the 10th and final round and kept on punching until the referee stepped in." -United Press
- Moore was already signed before this match to fight a 10-rounder with Al Spaulding in Spokane, Washington 6 days from the Valdes fight. And he did so.
- Attendance - 2,216
- Gate - $4,850
Post-fight comments
- "It was one of my toughest fights." -Archie Moore
- "We are going to try to smoke out Jack Hurley. We hope to grant a title match against his boy Harry Matthews." -Charlie Johnston, Moore's manager