Born in
Newtown,
England, Moore grew up in
Wigan and, at age 11, began amateur boxing and later became involved in
rugby league as a member of the
Bradford Northern club, taking part in the first competition for the
Ken Gee Cup. As a teenager, he worked as a coal miner while training at the famous ''
Riley's Gym'' in
Scholes. Taking part in several amateur wrestling bouts, he eventually made his professional debut in 1937 with the 17-year-old Moore losing to
Al Jenkins. Adopting his grandmother's surname, he began wrestling under the name
Jack Dempsey and gained a large following while wrestling for promoter
Billy Riley during the next several years. By the 1950s, he had begun pursuing the
British Welterweight Championship held by
Tony Lawrence and eventually defeated him for the title in 1953. Dempsey would defend his title for over three years before losing to Mick McManus in
London, England on 5 January 1957. Feuding with McManus over the next year, he would regain the Welterweight Championship in one of the most anticipated matches of the era defeating McManus in London on 23 April 1958. In 1954 he won the British Empire Welterweight Championship and still held the title (by then renamed the Commonwealth Welterweight Championship) at the time of his 1966 retirement. The title has never been filled since, leaving Dempsey as the only ever holder. In the years following his retirement, "Tommy" Moore became known as a popular local character often seen wearing a trademark
bow tie and
beret as well as smoking a
King Edward cigar, often telling stories of his wrestling days in local pubs. Spending his last years in Westwood Lodge Nursing Home in Poolstock, he died in November 2007 at age 87. His funeral held at
St Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Standishgate, he was later buried in Gidlow Cemetery on 26 November. ==Championships and accomplishments==