Frank Moody
| Frank Moody | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Statistics | |
| Nickname(s) | The Pontypridd Puncher |
| Rated at | Middleweight |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) |
| Nationality | Welsh |
| Born |
27 August 1900 Taibach, Wales |
| Died | 29 July 1963 (aged 62) |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 203 |
| Wins | 127 |
| Wins by KO | 63 |
| Losses | 54 |
| Draws | 15 |
| No contests | 7 |
Frank Moody (27 August 1900 – 29 July 1963) 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.
Moody was born in Pontypridd 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 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.
Moody's fortunes changed when in October 1923 he travelled to the United States to fight a series of bouts, beginning in Massachusetts. He won three arranged bouts in New Bedord, and then beat Jackie Clark at Fall River on 30 November.
It was like fighting a dozen men, or an octopus with gloves on. Midway through the first round Greb butted me under the chin and as my head went back he gave me the lace of his left glove. He finished the stroke by jabbing his thumb into my right eye. The pain was deadly.
On 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 US, 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.
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