The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore [Hardcover]

Mike Fitzgerald (Author), Jake Lamotta (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 26, 2004

In the long history of professional boxing there was only one man who fought both Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali. There was only one man who recorded an astounding 141 professional knockouts. There was only one man who trained both a young Ali and heavyweight champion George Foreman. There was only one Archie Moore. Moore's vast career and exploits are finally chronicled in "The Long Sunset: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore, highlighting his seven-decade boxing career. Author and veteran boxing biographer Mike Fitzgerald spent several months with Moore before the boxer's 1998 death in an effort to capture the full life story of one of the 20th century's most colorful and accomplished athletes. Moore's opponent list reads like a "Who's Who" of boxing: it includes nine world champions and seven Hall of Famers. Starting his career in the middleweight division, Moore moved up in weight class in 1945. Ultimately he dominated the light-heavyweight division, winning his first world title in 1952 (at age 39) and successfully defending that title for nearly a decade. The versatile Moore often fought at heavyweight in the 1950s, twice challenging for the heavyweight crown, including an epic battle with Marciano in 1955. Following the 1960 Olympics, Moore took over training duties for Ali (known then as Cassius Clay). The two eventually parted ways before their fight in 1962. Retiring from the ring in 1963 after compiling 194 career wins, Moore remained active in boxing for the rest of his life, helping guide George Foreman to the heavyweight title in 1973 and overseeing his legendary comeback in 1987. Moore was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Archie Moore'slife wasn't just about boxing, however. "The Long Sunset also spotlights his Hollywood career in the 1960s, his five marriages, and his beloved "Any Boy Can" youth organization, which reached underprivileged youth. Featuring a foreword by the "Raging Bull." Jake LaMotta, who provides his own fond memories of Moore, "The Long Sunset: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore is certain to provide a never-before-seen side of one of America's all-time greatest athletes.

Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

In the long history of professional boxing there was only one man who fought both Rocky Marciano and Muhammad Ali. There was only one man who recorded an astounding 141 professional knockouts. There was only one man who trained both a young Ali and heavyweight champion George Foreman. There was only one Archie Moore. Moore’s vast career and exploits are finally chronicled in The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore, highlighting his seven-decade boxing career. Author and veteran boxing biographer Mike Fitzgerald spent several months with Moore before the boxer’s 1998 death in an effort to capture the full life story of one of the 20th century’s most colorful and accomplished athletes.

Moore’s opponent list reads like a "Who’s Who" of boxing; it includes nine world champions and seven Hall of Famers. Starting his career in the middleweight division, Moore moved up in weight class in 1945. Ultimately he dominated the light-heavyweight division, winning his first world title in 1952 (at age 39) and successfully defending that title for nearly a decade. The versatile Moore often fought at heavyweight in the 1950s, twice challenging for the heavyweight crown, including an epic battle with Marciano in 1955.

Following the 1960 Olympics, Moore took over training duties for Ali (known then as Cassius Clay). The two eventually parted ways before their fight in 1962. Retiring from the ring in1963 after compiling 194 career wins, Moore remained active in boxing for the rest of his life, helping guide George Foreman to the heavyweight title in 1973 and overseeing his legendary comeback in 1987. Moore was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 1990. Archie Moore’s life wasn’t just about boxing, however. The Ageless Warrior also spotlights his Hollywood career in the 1960s, his five marriages, and his beloved "Any Boy Can" youth organization, which reached underprivileged youth. Featuring a foreword by the "Raging Bull," Jake LaMotta, who provides his own fond memories of Moore, The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore is certain to provide a never-before-seen side of one of America’s all-time greatest athletes.

About the Author

Mike Fitzgerald is an established biographer of boxing legends who co-authored former heavyweight champion Ken NortonÂ’s book Going the Distance and Welcome to the Big Time: The Earnie Shavers Story. He also wrote Tale of the Gator, the autobiography of boxingÂ’s contending amputee, Craig Bodzianowski. Fitzgerald lives in Janesville, Wisconsin, with his wife Debra and son Ross.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 275 pages
• Publisher: Sports Publishing LLC (April 26, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1582612552
• ISBN-13: 978-1582612553
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #581,058 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Definitive biography on The Old Mongoose, May 19, 2004

By 

M. Terrill (Tempe, AZ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore (Hardcover)

"Ageless Warrior" is a definitive account on the life of boxing legend Archie Moore. Author Mike Fitzgerald masterfully weaves Moore's 200-plus fights and his personal life into an engaging and evenly-tempered biography. Until now, most books written on Moore tended not to let the facts get in the way of a good story. Fitzgerald, with the cooperation of Archie Moore and his immediately family, finally tells the true story of the "Old Mongoose" with pleasing results. If you're an Archie Moore or boxing fan, this book's for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great profile; leaves out one important matter, September 13, 2010

By 

Robert C. Scudder - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore (Hardcover)

This is an excellent portrayal of one of boxing's all time great fighters, whom I had the pleasure of meeting. (He felt that shaking hands was unsanitary, and preferred touching fists.) This book tells of Moore's early struggles, th eproblems he faced as a black fighter, and his ultimate triumph. One reviewer says that this book doesn't mention Moore's alleged tanking of the Marciano fight. I have never believed that he threw that fight, as he fought long and hard against tough odds. Also, he was a 4-1 underdog, which would have made a fix in Marciano's favor unlikely. What this book doesn't mention -- and which film showings of this bout often edit out -- is that when Moore floored Marciano in the second round, Rocky rose at the count of two, and the referee, forgetting that the mandatory eight count didn't apply in a title bout, continued the count, thus giving Marciano extra time to recover. Marciano was clearly stunned, and had the ref followed the rules the outcome might have been different. In Everett Skehan's excellent biography of Rocky Marciano, this incident is mentioned.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great warrior and humanitarian, March 5, 2010

By 

Peter (Melbourne Australia) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: The Ageless Warrior: The Life of Boxing Legend Archie Moore (Hardcover)

Archie Moore did it all in boxing, he was the light heavyweight champion, he fought for the heavyweight title twice and is the holder of the most knockouts by any fighter ever. He did a lot of this while over 40 years of age.

This is the remarkable story of a true warrior of the ring, Moore fought everywhere and wasn't afraid to fight anyone (of the heavyweight champions, he met Rocky Marciano, Ezzard Charles, Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali).

The book is a good read, perhaps not all that I would have hoped that a biography of Moore would be but still not bad. In a perfect world, I would have liked more photos and perhaps more input from Moore himself through previous articles that he had contributed to.