Ted Moore

 

The following is an article from the July 28, 1989 issue of Boxing News. This article and picture was supplied by Soren Woller from Denmark.

Tough-guy Ted took on Greb the Great

...In May 1922 there were some good middleweights in this country, but none who could be considered as world- beating class. There was Roland Todd, Ted Moore, George West and Tommy Milligan, all of whom went to America with the object of getting a chance at the world crown.

Of this five, only one suceeded and that was Moore, a graduate from the Old Cosmo at Plymouth and about as tough as any man who pulled on a pair of gloves. He developed into a dour fighting machine, who marched forever forward, his arms working like pistons.

Born in 1900, he had taken up pro fighting as a matter of course with Plymouth lads, starting at the youthful age of sixteen. His first 21 bouts were in his home town, with one points defeat, two draws, the rest victories.

 

 

It was a promising start and soon his fame spread and he was getting engagements at all the arenas in the country. He stopped West, defeated Moody and dropped a close decision to Todd. At the age of 23, after 82 contests, of which he lost only eleven, he decided to try his luck in the United States, arriving there in October.

Moore soon found that he would have to prove his worth before he could be considered as a world title challenger and this he set out to do, engaging in 15 contests (six over 12 rounds and six over ten) and winning all but two, losing points verdicts to Tommy Loughran and Dave Shade, but beating such notables as Young Fisher, Frank Carbone, Larry esteridge, Lou Bogash, Jack Reddick and Jamaica Kid.

In New York in those days they staged an annual mammoth charity show at the Yankee Stadium in aid of a Milk Fund and Harry Greb expressed his willingness to top the bill in defence of his world middleweight title, providing a suitable opponent could be found. On the strength of his victories in America, the promoters selected Ted Moore and, with the champion agreeing, the Plymouth man secured his big chance.

So, on June 26, 1924, he climbed into the vast open-air ring to do battle with the tough and ruthless warrior from Pittsburgh, outright winner of 80 bouts, with 2 drawn and 161 of no decision. Greb was just past his 30th birthday, had been around for eleven years, and was defending the title which he had won the previous year and successfully defended on three occasions already.

Ten days earlier, in a non title contest, Harry had knocked out Frank Moody in six rounds and to say he was fighting fit is to state a fact.

More than 50,000 fans crowded into the famous baseball park, paying around two hundredd thousand dollars, of which the Milk Fund was expected to gain $75,000. Also on the programme was Gene Tunney against Ermino Spalla, while Young Stribling met Tommy Loughran in the main supporting contest. The referee was Eddie Purdy.

The big crowd happily saw Tunney outpoint his giant Italian opponent and enjoyed watching Stribling and Loughran, although they booed when the verdict went to the Georgia Peach, making such a noise that the favoured announcer, Joe Humphries, had difficulty in making himself heard during the introductions for the main event.

Moore's weight was given as on the limit of 160 pounds, while the champion was a pound lighter. the challenger recieved a warm welcome, but this was swamped by the tremendous cheering that greeted the World Champion.

From the start greb produced a seemingly inexhausteable supply of energy and power that did not permit his opponent to open an offensive of his own. Moore had to defend himself against a ceaseless two-fisted attack to the face before he could get close enough to employ his own specialist brand of infighting. Had he attempted to halt Grebs attack at long range, he could have done better, for at close quarters he outpunched the champion and had to be credited with the third, fifth and eigth rounds which he won conclusively.

There were no knockdowns, but this did not detract from the excitement of the contest as the champion plunged and charged while Moore fought back doggedly and showed immense courage to keep the fans in a state of intense excitement from start to finish.

Grebs great speed, whirling fists and continous assault inflicted considerable punishment, but Moore absorbed it all wothout showing any signs of exhaustion or liklihood of being put down.

Whenever he beat the champion to the punch or drove him back, the fans were quick to yell encouragement. Yet Harry proved what a great champion he was by swiftly changing his tactics to meet any danger his challenger might threaten.

When he realised that Moore was essentialy a body puncher, who would not be kept out no matter what he had to take at distance work, Greb closed in and clutched his rival, stifling his savage hooks in clinches from which Ted had to wrestle himself and then be assailed with swings, hooks, uppercuts and jabs that came at him from all angles and in a ceaseless stream.

When they came up for the final round, the champion was ahead on points, but there was still the chance that his challenger might pull one out of the bag and win sensationally. He looked strong and determined enough to bring off a dramatic victory as he waded in and hooked both hands to the body.

Greb joined in and they clinched, Moore tore himself free and worked a left to the wind. Harry sprang apart and concentrated on attacking two-fistedly. Ted responded and they fought fiercely at short range, thrilling the onlookers by giving and taking punches to the head, each striving to score a knockout.

The champion landed a right to the chin, but the britisher responded with a thumping right to the body. They clinched, then turned away from each other as the final bell sounded.

Ted patted his opponent on the top of his head and Harry slapped his game rival on the backside. It was one of those fights. The fans increased the volume of their applause as Greb's right arm wa raised, indicating that he had kept his crown. But what a fight he had given.

What was the outcome of the great battle? Greb continued his mauling of opponents until Tiger Flowers relieved him of his title in 1926. The same year Harry died following surgery on his eye.

Moore continued to campaign in United States for two more years with mixed fortune and without getting another title chance. He then returned home to challenge Tommy Milligan unsuccessfully for the British middleweight crown and lose to frank Moody in a fight for the light-heavyweight title. He then took off for Canada to continue his career, wher he died from cancer in 1945.

 

 

 

 

 selected bouts

unknown	1917	Billy    Fry		England			D 15

unknown	19??	George  West		England			W ??

1921
unknown	1921	Frank  Moody		England			LF 4
unknown	1921	Frank  Moody		England			W 15

1922
unknown	1922	Frank  Moody		England			W 15
unknown	1922	Roland  Todd		England			L 15

1923
unknown	1923	Frank  Moody		England			W 15
Nov 14	1923	Tommy Loughran		Boston			L 10

1924
Jan 19	1924	Larry Estridge		N.Y.C.			W 12
unknown	1924	Jack  Malone		unknown			WF 7
unknown	1924	Tiger Flowers		unknown			ND 12
unknown	1924	Tiger Flowers		unknown			ND 6
Feb 1	1924	Dave   Shade		Boston			L 10
Mar 10	1924	Bob     Sage		Detroit			ND 10
Apr 4	1924	Jack Reddick		Syracuse		W 6
Jun 26	1924	Harry   Greb		NewYork			L 15
Jul 7	1924	Bryan Downey		Ohio			ND 12
unknown	1924	Tommy Loughran		unknown			L 10
unknown	1924	Young Fischer		unknown			W 12

1925
unknown	1925	Larry Estridge		unknown			W 12
unknown	1925	Dave   Shade		unknown			L 10
unknown	19??	Lou   Bogash		unknown			W ??
unknown	1925	Frank Carbone		unknown			ND 10
unknown	19??	Jamaica  Kid		unknown			W ??
unknown	1925	Bob     Sage		unknown			ND 10
unknown	1925	Leo   Lomski		unknown			L 10
unknown	1925	Tiger Flowers		unknown			ND 12

1926
Jan 26	1926	Harry   Greb		Calif.			L 10
Feb 23	1926	Jock  Malone		Calif.			D 10
Mar 19	1926	Kid  Norfolk		SanFran			W 4
Aug 20	1926	Art  Weigand		Buffalo			L 10
Sep 6	1926	Bryan Downey		Canton			ND 12
unknown	1926	Tommy Milligan		England			lose	(british middleweight crown)

unknown	192?	Frank  Moody		England			lose	(british light-heavyweight title)

1928
Mar 11	1928	Max Schmeling		Dortmond		L 10


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