Gunner Moir boxer

Gunner Moir boxer
bouts
25
won
14
lost
11
draw
0
Status
inactive
Division
heavyweight
Debut
1903-06-20
Height
5′ 10″/178cm
Reach
-
Age
60
Born
1879-04-17
Death
1939-06-12
Nationality
United Kingdom

James Moir (17 April 1879 – 12 June 1939), better known as Gunner Moir and sometimes as "Ex Gunner" James Moir, was an English heavyweight boxer. He was British champion from 1906 to 1909 and challenged Tommy Burns for the world title. After retiring from boxing he took up acting, appearing in several films in the 1930s.Born in Lambeth, London, Moir began his boxing career whilst serving in the British Army in India. He was trained by the trainer Dai Dollings and the wrestler Sid Grumley from Shepherds Bush. When he returned to England in 1903 he was the Heavyweight Champion of the British Army in India. His first recorded professional fight took place in 1903, a win over Fred Barrett. After losing his next three fights he won his next eight, including a win over former Australian champion Peter Felix in 1905, which led to him challenging for the title of British Champion, which he won by defeating defending champion Jack Palmer in 1906. Moir's success led to commercial ventures such as the Gunner Moir boxing glove, and he appeared in a newspaper advertising campaign for Phosferine tonic, which continued for several years. He also trained the wrestler George Hackenschmidt. He successfully defended the title against Tiger Jack Smith, leading to a fight for Tommy Burns' world title on 2 December 1907 at the National Sporting Club — the first world heavyweight title fight to be held outside the US; Burns retained his title in 10 rounds after knocking down the taller and heavier Moir twice in the first two rounds. Burns subsequently claimed to have prolonged the fight in order to increase the value of the film rights to the fight, which he held.Moir's boxing career never recovered from the defeat, and he lost his national title to "Iron" Hague in his next fight, which also had the EBU European title at stake. He had eight further fights, winning only two, and retired from boxing in 1913 after unsuccessfully challenging Bombardier Billy Wells (whom he had beaten three years earlier in a non-title fight) for the British title. He went on to work as manager of the Canterbury Music Hall in London.In 1922 he was fined £500 for slander after allegations regarding motor-lamp maker William Nelson and Moir's son, James. Moir unsuccessfully appealed the verdict in 1923. He failed to pay, and was taken to court by Nelson in 1924, where he stated that he was unable to pay, now earning only £7 a week and with a wife and six children to support; He was ordered to pay the money at £4 a month.He wrote an instructional book, The Complete Boxer, which was published in 1930, and subsequently took up acting, appearing in films such as Third Time Lucky (1931), Madame Guillotine (1931), and The Mystery of the Mary Celeste (1935).

Date Opponent Last Opponents' Results Place Result
1913-09-10 Bombardier Billy Wells WWLLWW Canterbury Music Hall, Lambeth LOST
KO
1912-11-18 Hawker Wilson WLL National Sporting Club, Covent Garden LOST
Points
1912-09-02 'PO' Matthew 'Nutty' Curran LLLLLW The Ring, Blackfriars Road, Southwark LOST
Technical knockout
1911-03-24 Porky Dan Flynn DDWWWL Free Trade Hall, Manchester LOST
1911-01-11 Bombardier Billy Wells WWWWWW Olympia, Kensington WIN
KO
1910-05-23 'PO' Matthew 'Nutty' Curran LWLWWW Pavilion, Mountain Ash LOST
1910-02-23 Arthur Cripps LWLWWD Sydney Stadium, Sydney WIN
Technical knockout
1909-07-23 Young Johnny Johnson WWL Victoria Hall, Southend LOST
KO
1909-04-19 Iron William Ian Hague WWWWWW National Sporting Club, Covent Garden LOST
KO
1907-12-02 Tommy Burns WWWDWW National Sporting Club, Covent Garden LOST
KO
1907-02-25 Tiger Smith WW National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
KO
1906-10-29 Jack Palmer WLWLWW National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
1906-02-26 Jim Casey WWDLL National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
KO
1905-02-14 Peter Felix DWLLDL NSC Athletic Hall, Sydney WIN
KO
1904-12-20 Bill Smith DLWWWW NSC Athletic Hall, Sydney WIN
Technical knockout
1904-05-30 Ben Taylor DDLWLL National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
Points
1904-04-18 Gunner Harry Hewitt W National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
KO
1904-03-21 Harry Slounch Dixon WDWDW National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
Points
1904-02-15 Bill Heveron WDLDWL National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
Points
1903-12-12 Sergeant Merckel LWD Wonderland, Whitechapel Road, Mile End WIN
Technical knockout
1903-10-05 Sergeant Tom Harris WDWWWD National Sporting Club, Covent Garden WIN
KO
1903-09-26 Charlie Wilson WDDWWL Wonderland, Whitechapel Road, Mile End LOST
Technical knockout
1903-07-25 Harry Slounch Dixon DWDWD Wonderland, Whitechapel Road, Mile End LOST
KO
1903-07-11 Charlie Haghey DLWLWW Wonderland, Whitechapel Road, Mile End LOST
Points
1903-06-20 Fred Barrett LWWLWW Wonderland, Whitechapel Road, Mile End WIN
Corner retirement