Jerry Quarry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Jerry Quarry | |
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| Statistics | |
|---|---|
| Real name | Jerry Quarry |
| Nickname | Irish, The Bellflower Bomber |
| Weight | Heavyweight |
| Nationality | American |
| Birth date | May 15, 1945 |
| Birth place | Bakersfield, California |
| Death date | January 3, 1999 |
| Style | Orthodox |
| Boxing record | |
| Total fights | 66 |
| Wins | 53 |
| Wins by KO | 32 |
| Losses | 9 |
| Draws | 4 |
| No contests | 0 |
"Irish" Jerry Quarry, (May 15, 1945 - January 3, 1999) nicknamed “The Bellflower Bomber”, was called by some the best heavyweight boxer to never win a world title.
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[edit] Early life and education
He was durable and smart, had a good punch, and owned a legendary chin. His one flaw was cuts, which stopped some of his fights and pestered him in others. Jerry had a good left hook, was a good body puncher, and a smart and quick counterpuncher. He was 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) and weighed 195 lb (88 kg) in his prime. Today he would be considered a cruiserweight, a division he helped inspire. He was the hero of a large and enthusiastic family of supporters, which also included two other pro boxers. His father, a former boxer himself, first put gloves on Jerry at age five.
[edit] Boxing career
[edit] Emergence
Quarry come to national attention by winning the 1965 National Golden Gloves championship at Madison Square Garden at age 19. He knocked out each of his five opponents in the tournament, a feat never before or since matched. Quarry began his pro career in May, 1965 winning a decision against Gene Hamilton in Los Angeles, California. He had fourteen fights that first year, with 13 wins , and one draw against ranked Tony Doyle, as he was excitedly pushed into better competition.
[edit] Career history
His first loss came against veteran former #1 contender Eddie Machen in 1966, Jerry's 21st fight. He followed that loss with a string of victories to become a ranked heavyweight in 1967. Quarry had seven wins in 1966, but that loss, along with two more draws, made him look suspicious to some as a contender. In mid-1967, the W.B.A. (World Boxing Association) had a tournament to replace Muhammad Ali, who had been stripped as champion. Quarry had three good wins early in that year to improve his ranking, but also another draw, this one to former champion Floyd Patterson. He was then named to the eight-man tournament field and surprised to become its star. He defeated Patterson in their rematch with multiple knockdowns, then tournament favorite Thad Spencer, which brought him to national attention, before an upset loss in the final by Jimmy Ellis. It was said he had an injured back for that fight, but tried to tough it out. Ellis would not rematch him, even though it was considered a narrow victory. The Spencer and Ellis matches were in 1968. Quarry, just 22 years old and very popular, mounted a comeback and ran off four straight wins.
In 1969, he pounded contender Buster Mathis, and was given a title shot by Joe Frazier that June for Joe's New York State title. Even though Ellis had defeated Quarry, Frazier viewed Quarry as better than Ellis and agreed to meet Quarry before meeting Ellis, who was an inactive WBA beltholder, to unify their belts. Quarry lost the fight on cuts via seventh-round technical knockout despite a tremendous performance in which he led early. The high-action match was called Ring Magazine Fight of The Year. Quarry did return to win two more fights that year, before a controversial loss to Canadian George Chuvalo. He had taken a knee after a knockdown and rose at 10 and was counted out. Quarry was unhurt by Chuvalo and clearly leading on points.
Quarry had two wins in early 1970 before being matched with undefeated #1 ranked Mac Foster. Quarry impressed with a dominating win that returned him to contention. Another win later, he would fight Muhammed Ali, when the exiled champion returned to boxing in October. The first two rounds were very close, but Quarry again lost due to cuts. Semi-retired in 1971, Quarry ran off four straight wins. He followed up on earlier acting pursuits and business ventures. He was 26 years old and a millionaire despite never being world heavyweight champion. In 1972, he added two more wins before gaining his deserved rematch with Ali. The match was part of a racially motivated 'Soul Brothers versus the Quarry Brothers' event set by promotor Don King, which also included his brother Mike Quarry fighting Bob Foster for the World Light-Heavyweight title. Quarry again was TKO'd, despite a better effort, by a much-bigger Ali in what proved a tough night for the family as a whole. Proving his critics wrong, Quarry, now managed by Gil Clancy, again bounced back to have perhaps his best year in 1973. When Quarry soundly defeated contenders Ron Lyle and Earnie Shavers that year at Madison Square Garden, champion George Foreman refused to give him a title shot. Foreman, a Quarry fan, later admitted to dodging Quarry thru his entire career.
Again disappointed, Quarry had one win before meeting Joe Frazier for the rematch many expected years earlier. Their fight was again close before Quarry suffered a rib injury and was TKO'd again. In 1975, and again launching a comeback, Quarry had one win while being dodged by many potential opponents, many managed by King. A desperate Quarry took a fight with Ken Norton on 18 days notice in March while out of training. Two other opponents had backed out and Quarry was the second alternate. Their fight was another close high-action Quarry war, before Quarry was again TKO'd due to cuts. This concluded Quarry's prime years. He had many wars before the age of 30. Quarry was 50-8-4 at this time, with 32 KOs. He had two losses each to Frazier and Ali, one each to Norton, Chuvalo, Ellis and Machen. He had been ranked as high as #1 contender and won most of his matches while weighing under 200 pounds. He had never been knocked out as a professional.
Quarry, who had acted in various programs on ABC to this point, did boxing commentary for ABC's Wide World Of Sports. Still healthy and rich, he did commentary and acting from late-1975 to late-1977 before offers to return to the ring could no longer be ignored.
In November, 1977 he took seven tough rounds from Lorenzo Zanon before a star-studded Las Vegas crowd before catching Zanon to beat him. This time, he retired for five years. But Quarry, married three times with some failed business ventures and thinning opportunties, could not stay that way. The fighter known for his many comebacks and his toughness now headed down a painful road.
In 1983, while researching a magazine article about the health problems of retired boxers, a Sports Illustrated reporter visited Quarry, then 37 and training for a comeback attempt. Though the boxer appeared to be in good health, his performances on several simple cognitive tests were shockingly poor. This was the harbinger for the mental decline that destroyed the last part of his life - dementia pugilistica, the atrophy of the brain from repeated blows to the head, eventually leading to an Alzheimer's-like state.
Quarry had a win in 1983 before suffering a tough KO loss which appeared to accelerate his mental decline. He was inactive as a boxer 1984-1992, but continued to decline physically and mentally. His $5 million dollar fortune evaporated and by 1990 Quarry was on social security. Denied a boxing license in most states because of his condition, Quarry found a loophole in Wisconsin for a October, 1992 bout.
Quarry, by then 47, had signed up for yet another "comeback" bout at the derisively low prize money of $1,050 and took a ferocious six-round pounding in what proved his last fight. Within a few years, he was unable to feed or dress himself and had to be cared for by relatives, mainly his brother James - the only one of the four Quarry brothers not to box professionally. Jerry's brother, Mike, who had contended for the light-heavyweight championship but himself was disabled by pugilistic dementia in later life, died of it on June 11, 2006. Another brother, Bobby, suffers from Parkinson's disease, believed to be the result of his own, less-heralded heavyweight career.
[edit] Death and honors
Quarry died in January, 1999. A foundation works in his honor to battle the condition, which had afflicted countless other boxers, and shortened his life.
Jerry Quarry was inducted to the World Boxing Hall of Fame in 1995. His pro record was 53-9-4 with 32 KOs. His brothers Mike Quarry and Bobby Quarry are also former boxers. Mike once lost to Bob Foster by knockout for the world light heavyweight title in 1974. Mike did defeat several top light heavyweights including Mike Rossman. Bobby fought 23 times as a professional heavyweight, once losing to contender Tommy Morrison.
