Archie Moore, byname of Archibald Lee Wright, (born Dec. 13, 1913, Benoit, Miss., U.S.—died Dec. 9, 1998, San Diego, Calif.), American boxer, world light-heavyweight champion from Dec. 17, 1952, when he defeated Joey Maxim in 15 rounds in St. Louis, Mo., till 1962, when he misplaced recognition as champion for failing to satisfy Harold Johnson, the main 175-lb (80-kg) challenger.
Knowledgeable boxer from the Nineteen Thirties, Moore for a few years was prevented by middleweight and light-heavyweight champions who thought of him too formidable. From 1936 to 1963 he had 229 bouts, successful 194, of which 141 had been by knockouts. In makes an attempt to win the heavyweight title, he was knocked out by Rocky Marciano in 1955 and by Floyd Patterson in 1956. One of his final fights was in 1962 in opposition to Cassius Clay (later Muhammad Ali), who knocked him out within the fourth spherical. A vibrant and standard champion, he known as himself “the Old Mongoose” and inspired controversy about his age.
Moore grew to become a movie actor, receiving essential reward for his portrayal of the slave Jim in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1959). His autobiography, The Archie Moore Story, appeared in 1960. Later in his life he turned to youth work, whereas nonetheless sometimes coaching or teaching boxers into the Nineties.