Like the majority of people, Jamie Moore's life has had a number of highs as well as lows. It's just that his highs may have been a little higher and his lows, not necessarily lower, but more extreme!
The book gives an insight into Jamie Moore, the man, with many anecdotes which will have you scratching you head saying 'Why?', and many deeds which will cement your impression of a man who never gave up in the ring nor, more importantly, outside it.
A little under 300 pages long, Mooresy: The Fighters Fighter charts the life of the Salford born former British and European boxing champion, from his early beginnings in Walkden, and his highlights in the ring, to the recent unwanted headlines as the victim of an attempted murder.
Written by Moore and the acclaimed boxing writer Paul Zanon, the book's chronological and conversational style is easy to read and difficult to put down; it's like Jamie Moore is directly talking to you.
Split into three main sections, the autobiography charts Moore's youth as a boxing mad boy without the opportunity to train, to his thrill-seeking antics as part of a teenage gang of car thieves and joyriders. The latter found fifteen year old Moore arrested in Leyland Police Station and confronted by his irate mother who asked `What do you have to say?'...
Moore writes of the life changing incident: "I could only reply with a shaken mumble. This wasn't the way my parents had brought me up. I'd betrayed their trust, and worst of all, I'd let them down. I didn't know how or when I'd ever be able to make them feel proud of me again."
This drive to atone for his stupidity and make something of himself flows into the second section of the book which examines the end of Jamie's amateur career and his despondency with the doors that were shut to him because of his style, which resulted in his move into professional boxing. His pro career is what made him the recognisable person he is today.
With a list of names on his resume that jump from the pages and show he ducked no fights or fighters, Moore's pro career will have you reading it in almost one sitting. Whilst he never won a world title, the respect he has from his fans and his peers give him greater respect than some of the `alphabet soup' World Champions of his era. Jamie's career objective, which he recalls in the book, was "as long as people had a great night and enjoyed themselves, I'll be happy with that. I just want exciting fights and not let the crowd down"; something that he fulfilled.
In some ways the book parallels the stereotypical boxing autobiography of childhood problems, channelled into redemption through boxing and finished off with glory. However when the lights dimmed on his career and he retired due to health, Moore was not set up financially and one of the biggest surprises for me was how little he earned for some of his biggest fights.
This financial insecurity, as well as his own desire to fight, resulted in much comeback talk; one of these times the urge was stopped by Jamie's son Mikey who said "I don't want you to fight again, you might get beat". Fortunately for Moore's health he didn't come back, but found doors opening in unexpected directions as a trainer and pundit.
For a man who had been a genuine fighter's fighter it was not a surprise, only to Moore himself, that he became a trainer, as fighters asked for him to help them. It was this role which ended with him in Marbella training Matthew Mackin, and being shot in a case of mistaken identity.
Moore writes about his recovery and the reactions to this, from the positive to the negative ones sent by social media trolls. It is this section of the book which is perhaps the most difficult to read as it seems clear that whilst Moore was able to discuss the physical aspects of being shot, the emotional scars are still raw with him, his wife and his children.
Mooresy: The Fighter's Fighter is an enjoyable and diverting read. His philosophy on life, his willingness to help people, honesty and humour come through each page - check out the back cover image of Manchester United commemorative shorts worn whilst fighting on a Ricky Hatton bill at Manchester City. It is enlivening to read about someone from the city who has achieved so much and continues to be an ambassador for Salford and Salfordians.
But will Mooresy: The Fighter's Fighter be his only book? Perhaps, but as a boxing fan I would love to see Moore do a book which concentrated on some of those memorable fights, with Dixon, Jones, Macklin and Rhodes to name a few. With so much to cover in The Fighter's Fighter, Moore and Zanon were only able to give a tantalising glimpse and feel of the sacrifice to prepare to be in the ring and fight.
Having interviewed Jamie Moore in anticipation of his book launch, and speaking to him about some of these fights he could offer a level of detail, combined with his opponents and media commentary which would enable the reader to feel as if they were inside the ring.*
So come on Jamie, let's have another great book after this one. In the meantime, Moorsey: The Fighter's Fighter will do. Light and with a positive outlook, it is the ideal 'sparring partner' for a summer read in the garden or on your hols by the pool.
Mooresy - The Fighters' Fighter: My Autobiography - Jamie Moore with Paul Zanon is priced £16.99 at all good book stores.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mooresy-Fighters-Fighter-Autobiography-Jamie/dp/1785311794
*Jamie will be signing copies of his book at Waterstones on Deansgate in Manchester 12noon-2pm Saturday 9th July
*See previous Salford Star interview with Jamie Moore by Gareth Lyons – click here
And the audio Salford Star YouTube interview – click here
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