Frank Moody
Encyclopedia
Frank Moody was a Welsh
boxer
who fought between 1914 and 1936. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire middleweight boxing championship in 1927 and 1928 and the light-heavyweight title from 1927 to 1929.
and came from a large family, and was one of seven brothers to fight in the boxing ring. Moody began working down a coal mine at the age of eleven. By the time he was thirteen, he had begun boxing, with his first recorded fight, against "Kid Evans", taking place in Tonypandy
at the age of fourteen. His early fights as a youth were mainly held in South Wales, with a few ventures to Plymouth and Liverpool. Some of his early notable bouts included a win over Australian Jack Mignot at Covent Garden
and a points loss to Freddie Jacks at Blackheath
. Moody gained the nickname "The Pontypridd Puncher" and was notable for his powerful right hand delivery.
By 1919, Moody was fighting on a regular basis, sometimes twice a week. His biggest match to date came on the 13 January 1920, when he faced Ted "Kid" Lewis at the Free Trade Hall
in Manchester. Although scheduled for twenty rounds, Moody was out-classed by his opponent, losing to Lewis by a first round knock-out. His following boxing career was solid if unspectacular, fighting little known opponents, with some success, around Britain.
. He won three arranged bouts in New Bedord
, and then beat Jackie Clark at Fall River
on 30 November.
On the 10 December 1923, Moody fought and beat Young Fisher at Madison Square Garden
in New York. This was followed by a points defeat to Lou Bogash in Boston, in February 1924. After a handful of fights in the U.S., Moody faced Bogash again, this time winning by technical knock-out, and in the fight was reported to be the first person to floor Bogash in a contest. After his victory over Bogash, Moody won two more contests in Massachusetts, over experienced American boxers, George Robinson and Jock Malone. In contrast, his subsequent four fights saw his worst run whilst in America, though facing formidable opposition. Just three days after his victory over Malone, Moody travelled to Waterbury, Connecticut
to fight world middleweight champion Harry Greb
. Greb stayed out of the reach of Moody's powerful right, and floored the Welshman in the fourth round with a powerful body shot; and after that Moody had little fight left, being knocked out for the count after a barrage of blows in the sixth. This was followed by defeats in rematches to Bogash and Malone, before facing future light heavyweight champion of the world, Jack Delaney
. Delaney won the fight in the fifth on a technical knock-out.
After the Delaney contest, Moody took an uncharacteristic two month break, before returning to fight Pat McCarthy, who had himself just fought Delaney. Moody won the fight with a first round knock-out, but then lost his next fight to New York's Jeff Smith. After a handful of fights in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, Moody was given a shot at Kid Norfolk
in a match staged at the Yankee Stadium, New York. Moody proved a strong opponent, stopping Norfolk in the fourth round, though Norfolk was at the end of his career, and this would be his penultimate fight. Moody fought another nineteen matches in the United States, including contests against Tiger Flowers
, Maxie Rosenbloom
and Dave Shade; and on 16 August 1926 he beat Del Fontaine
, future Canadian middleweight champion, which was Moody's only fight in Canada.
for the vacant British and Empire middleweight titles. Moody lifted the middleweight belt by beating Todd in a points decision.
On 11 April 1927, Moody fought Gipsy Daniels
for the Welsh Light Heavyweight title, but lost on points in a 20 round fight. After a victory over Jack Stanley, he then travelled to Italy for his first fight on mainland Europe, losing to Michele Bonaglia, who would later become the Italian champion. Following the Bonglia defeat, Moody won five straight contests on British soil, before facing Ted Moore for the British Light Heavyweight title, which had been vacated by fellow Welshman, Gipsy Daniels. The fight went the full 20 rounds, with Moody winning on points.
Moody was now fighting with less frequency, and on 6 August 1928 he travelled to Glasgow to face Tommy Milligan for the British middleweight title, which Moody had vacated earlier. Milligan was knocked out in the first round, but Moody would lose his newly recaptured title just three weeks later when he was defeated by Alex Ireland. That was Moody's final fight of 1928, and in 1929 he fought just four times, which included a win over Italy's Leone Jacovacci, a loss to the great Len Harvey
and then losing his British Light Heavyweight title to Harry Crossley.
1930 began well for Moody, when he lifted the Welsh Light Heavyweight title by beating Gipsy Daniels in their third encounter. He then earned a respectable draw against German Ernst Pistulla
in a contest in Hamburg. After a win over Theo Sass, he then fought a single match in 1931, before apparently retiring.
. The first encounter was for the Welsh light heavyweight title, and ended in a draw after 15 rounds. The second match with Farr in December 1935 ended in Moody's defeat in the fourth round. Moody ended his boxing career in 1936, losing by technical knockout to Frank Hough.
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
boxer
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
who fought between 1914 and 1936. He is most notable for winning the British and Empire middleweight boxing championship in 1927 and 1928 and the light-heavyweight title from 1927 to 1929.
Early career
Moody was born in PontypriddPontypridd
Pontypridd is both a community and a principal town of Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales and is situated 12 miles/19 km north of the Welsh capital city of Cardiff...
and came from a large family, and was one of seven brothers to fight in the boxing ring. Moody began working down a coal mine at the age of eleven. By the time he was thirteen, he had begun boxing, with his first recorded fight, against "Kid Evans", taking place in Tonypandy
Tonypandy
Tonypandy is a town in the county borough of Rhondda Cynon Taf, within the historic county boundaries of Glamorgan, Wales, lying in the Rhondda Fawr Valley. A former industrial coal mining town, today Tonypandy is best known as the site of the Tonypandy Riots....
at the age of fourteen. His early fights as a youth were mainly held in South Wales, with a few ventures to Plymouth and Liverpool. Some of his early notable bouts included a win over Australian Jack Mignot at Covent Garden
Covent Garden
Covent Garden is a district in London on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St. Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit and vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist site, and the Royal Opera House, which is also known as...
and a points loss to Freddie Jacks at Blackheath
Blackheath, London
Blackheath is a district of South London, England. It is named from the large open public grassland which separates it from Greenwich to the north and Lewisham to the west...
. Moody gained the nickname "The Pontypridd Puncher" and was notable for his powerful right hand delivery.
By 1919, Moody was fighting on a regular basis, sometimes twice a week. His biggest match to date came on the 13 January 1920, when he faced Ted "Kid" Lewis at the Free Trade Hall
Free Trade Hall
The Free Trade Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, was a public hall constructed in 1853–6 on St Peter's Fields, the site of the Peterloo Massacre and is now a hotel. The hall was built to commemorate the repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. The architect was Edward Walters The hall subsequently was...
in Manchester. Although scheduled for twenty rounds, Moody was out-classed by his opponent, losing to Lewis by a first round knock-out. His following boxing career was solid if unspectacular, fighting little known opponents, with some success, around Britain.
Fights in the U.S.A.
Moody's fortunes changed when in October 1923 he travelled to the United States to fight a series of bouts, beginning in MassachusettsMassachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. He won three arranged bouts in New Bedord
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States, located south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and about east of Fall River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 95,072, making it the sixth-largest city in Massachusetts...
, and then beat Jackie Clark at Fall River
Fall River, Massachusetts
Fall River is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, in the United States. It is located about south of Boston, southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, and west of New Bedford and south of Taunton. The city's population was 88,857 during the 2010 census, making it the tenth largest city in...
on 30 November.
On the 10 December 1923, Moody fought and beat Young Fisher at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
in New York. This was followed by a points defeat to Lou Bogash in Boston, in February 1924. After a handful of fights in the U.S., Moody faced Bogash again, this time winning by technical knock-out, and in the fight was reported to be the first person to floor Bogash in a contest. After his victory over Bogash, Moody won two more contests in Massachusetts, over experienced American boxers, George Robinson and Jock Malone. In contrast, his subsequent four fights saw his worst run whilst in America, though facing formidable opposition. Just three days after his victory over Malone, Moody travelled to Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury, Connecticut
Waterbury is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, on the Naugatuck River, 33 miles southwest of Hartford and 77 miles northeast of New York City...
to fight world middleweight champion Harry Greb
Harry Greb
Harry Greb was an American boxer. He was World Middleweight boxing Champion from 1923 to 1926 and American Light Heavyweight title holder 1922–1923. He fought a recorded 303 times in his 13 year-career, against the best opposition the talent-rich 1910s & 20s could provide him, frequently squaring...
. Greb stayed out of the reach of Moody's powerful right, and floored the Welshman in the fourth round with a powerful body shot; and after that Moody had little fight left, being knocked out for the count after a barrage of blows in the sixth. This was followed by defeats in rematches to Bogash and Malone, before facing future light heavyweight champion of the world, Jack Delaney
Jack Delaney
Jack Delaney was a former light heavyweight boxing champion of the world and contender for the heavyweight crown...
. Delaney won the fight in the fifth on a technical knock-out.
After the Delaney contest, Moody took an uncharacteristic two month break, before returning to fight Pat McCarthy, who had himself just fought Delaney. Moody won the fight with a first round knock-out, but then lost his next fight to New York's Jeff Smith. After a handful of fights in Massachusetts and Pennsylvania, Moody was given a shot at Kid Norfolk
Kid Norfolk
William Ward also known as Kid Norfolk was a world heavyweight boxing title contender.-Professional career:...
in a match staged at the Yankee Stadium, New York. Moody proved a strong opponent, stopping Norfolk in the fourth round, though Norfolk was at the end of his career, and this would be his penultimate fight. Moody fought another nineteen matches in the United States, including contests against Tiger Flowers
Tiger Flowers
Theodore Flowers became the first African-American middleweight boxing champion, defeating Harry Greb in 1926. Known as "Tiger", he began boxing professionally in 1918 at the age of 23 while working at a Philadelphia shipbuilding plant...
, Maxie Rosenbloom
Maxie Rosenbloom
Max Everitt Rosenbloom, known as Slapsie Maxie was an American boxer, actor, and television personality.-Life and career:...
and Dave Shade; and on 16 August 1926 he beat Del Fontaine
Del Fontaine
Del Fontaine ne Raymond Henry Bousquet was a Canadian boxer who fought between 1925 and 1935. He is most notable within boxing for winning the Canadian middleweight boxing championship in 1926 and again in 1931. In 1932 he travelled to Britain to continue his boxing career, and began a...
, future Canadian middleweight champion, which was Moody's only fight in Canada.
British return
In December 1926, Moody was back in Britain and in his first few weeks back in Wales, he was boxing in Cardiff, beating Joe Bloomfield in the fourth round. Just two months later Moody was carded to fight Roland Todd at the Royal Albert HallRoyal Albert Hall
The Royal Albert Hall is a concert hall situated on the northern edge of the South Kensington area, in the City of Westminster, London, England, best known for holding the annual summer Proms concerts since 1941....
for the vacant British and Empire middleweight titles. Moody lifted the middleweight belt by beating Todd in a points decision.
On 11 April 1927, Moody fought Gipsy Daniels
Gipsy Daniels
William "Gipsy" Daniels , was a Welsh Light-heavyweight boxing champion of Britain who, in an eighteen-year career, took in 141 contests, including eight fights in New York, and notably knocked out Max Schmeling in the first round of a 1928 encounter.There is some confusion as to Daniels' actual...
for the Welsh Light Heavyweight title, but lost on points in a 20 round fight. After a victory over Jack Stanley, he then travelled to Italy for his first fight on mainland Europe, losing to Michele Bonaglia, who would later become the Italian champion. Following the Bonglia defeat, Moody won five straight contests on British soil, before facing Ted Moore for the British Light Heavyweight title, which had been vacated by fellow Welshman, Gipsy Daniels. The fight went the full 20 rounds, with Moody winning on points.
Moody was now fighting with less frequency, and on 6 August 1928 he travelled to Glasgow to face Tommy Milligan for the British middleweight title, which Moody had vacated earlier. Milligan was knocked out in the first round, but Moody would lose his newly recaptured title just three weeks later when he was defeated by Alex Ireland. That was Moody's final fight of 1928, and in 1929 he fought just four times, which included a win over Italy's Leone Jacovacci, a loss to the great Len Harvey
Len Harvey
Len Harvey was a boxer born in Stoke Climsland, Cornwall. A great tactician and defensive boxer who boxed at every weight division of his day. He began boxing at the very young age of 12 and boxed to he was 36. He was British champion at three weights, middleweight, light-heavy and heavyweight...
and then losing his British Light Heavyweight title to Harry Crossley.
1930 began well for Moody, when he lifted the Welsh Light Heavyweight title by beating Gipsy Daniels in their third encounter. He then earned a respectable draw against German Ernst Pistulla
Ernst Pistulla
Ernst Pistulla was a German boxer who competed in the 1928 Summer Olympics. Pistulla was the Amateur German lightheavyweight champion in 1928...
in a contest in Hamburg. After a win over Theo Sass, he then fought a single match in 1931, before apparently retiring.
Boxing return
In 1935 Moody returned to boxing, winning two fights in Wales. These victories led to a contest with South African heavyweight Ben Foord, which saw Moody beaten in the eighth round in front of his home crowd of Pontypridd. Moody's next two bouts were against one of the greatest Welsh boxer's of all time, Tommy FarrTommy Farr
Thomas George Farr was one of the most famous Welsh and British boxers of all time. Born in Clydach Vale, Wales and nicknamed "the Tonypandy Terror", he became British and Empire heavyweight champion on 15 March 1937. Prior to 1936, he had boxed in the light heavyweight division in which he was...
. The first encounter was for the Welsh light heavyweight title, and ended in a draw after 15 rounds. The second match with Farr in December 1935 ended in Moody's defeat in the fourth round. Moody ended his boxing career in 1936, losing by technical knockout to Frank Hough.
See also
External links
- Image of Moody's boxing gloves from the 1920s Gathering the jewels