Talk:Jerry Quarry
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did he every fight in a championship bout? How many times? against whom? Were they close? Kingturtle 02:58 May 8, 2003 (UTC)
He lost to Jimmy Ellis for the vacant WBA's world Heavyweight title that Muhammad Ali had left vacant, and lost by a unanimous 15 round decision. While most of the public did not recognize it as a world championship bout in view that they still believed Ali to be the true champion, it was, nevertheless, still a world championship bout.
Antonio Catch me cause you can Martin
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[edit] The basics on Jerry Quarry
Here's some basic info on boxer Jerry Quarry that make him one of the sport's most interesting figures ever. First, Jerry Quarry is considered by most boxing experts to be the greatest heavyweight ever not to hold the title, and better than more than a few heavyweight champions. Second, JQ was raised in the sport by his former-fighter dad from the age of five. While Jerry showed remarkable athletic ability in a number of other sports throughout his youth, boxing was the family sport, and would also make a world-title contender out of younger brother Mike at 175 lbs. in the 1970's. The Quarry family was well-known for their enthusiasm and tight-knit support for both Quarrys. Three, Jerry came to prominence in 1965 when, at just 190lbs., he won the National Golden Gloves by knocking out ALL of his opponents, a feat never before or since duplicated. Five opponents in six days. Four, Jerry was rushed into a pro career. Jerry, who changed bus tires in his early years, believed you only got paid when you had bouts. In 1965, he had 14 fights, all after May 7th. His first full year May 1965 - May 1966, he had 19 fights. Three draws but no losses in that stretch. Five, Jerry drew the interest of Rocky Marciano. Marciano was dangling a $100,000 contract but wanted to see Jerry against some tougher opposition in 1965. So Jerry was pushed in against Tony Doyle, Tony Alongi and Eddie Machen. Draws and a loss against these three dimmed Marciano's interest, and spotted up Jerry's record. Jerry was 21 years old. Six, After Marciano, Jerry settled in and got hot. Bill Neilsen, old friend Joey Orbillo, Brian London, and Alex Miteff made Jerry a ranked top ten heavie by May 1967, after just two full years as a pro. Seven, Jerry was better than Floyd Patterson in both fights. A slip in the first fight was incorrectly called a knockdown, so the fight went to a draw. Otherwise, Quarry wins that one too. He had been better than Machen as well, but was a young fighter who had some bad habits to break. It took a couple years for Jerry to realize how good he could really be. Eight, Jerry had some hard luck and some real opposition as a contender. He had an injured back against Jimmy Ellis and needed time to heal. He knew he was better than Ellis and tried to tough it out and lost his biggest chance. He was wrongly counted out against Chuvalo, who he easily led. Quarry was unhurt by the knockdown. He was cut early against Ali in their first fight, and cut early against Frazier in their first fight. He had surprised both and had a real chance when cuts stopped both bouts. He took on Norton on just two weeks notice and was out of training. Norton had trained for months but opponents kept backing out. Quarry still almost KO'd him in the 3rd. He was nearly even with Frazier in their second fight when a body shot injured him and ended the bout. George Foreman dodged him, Frazier did not rematch him as champ, and other contenders dodged Quarry also, most managed by Don King, who disliked the white Quarry. He very easily could have been champion. Nine, he was actually a cruiserweight. At six feet and 197, Quarry KO'd undefeated Mac Foster (215), Earnie Shavers (210), and Ron Lyle (210). Ali had huge advantages on him and never put Quarry down in their two fights. Quarry was tough, quicker than many thought, had major league pop and could box better than most heavies, especially with his counterpunching. This kept him in contention in Boxing's greatest era while under 200 pounds from 1967-1973. Ten, Quarry was also a TV actor. Very popular and photogenic, he had studied acting while in college. He appeared on 'Batman','Adam - 12', 'The Six Million Dollar Man', and other programs. He even did color commentary on ABC's Wide World Of Sports for boxing. Very popular, Quarry could have retired early and stayed on television or pursued other opportunities. But he could never say no to the all the offers that continued to beckon him back to the ring. This led to fights with Frazier and Norton that were poorly advised. Later, it slowly destroyed him.
Many have a poor recollection of Quarry as the talent and star he was, if they know of him at all. These ten things offer a good start.
[edit] Jerry's losses
It's important in looking at Jerry Quarry to see who he lost to. He had 53 career wins and 9 losses. Of the 9 losses, four were to Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier total ( two each )and Ali and Frazier would tell you they were tough wins for them. He lost once early to Eddie Machen, who he led early. Jerry sometimes had a lazy streak in training and in fights. He thought he had Machen, who could not hurt him, then got outboxed. An important lesson. He lost to Jimmy Ellis, but was injured for the fight. No boxing writer I know considers Ellis better than Quarry all-time. He lost to Ken Norton late in career, but had taken the fight on two weeks notice with little training and nearly won. The George Chuvalo loss was a robbery, he was clearly winning the fight, was not hurt, and was told he rose late after a flash knockdown. He had two losses after the age of 40 which say nothing of his ability. Fact is, he fought and beat nearly every top guy available. While he probably would have lost to Foreman, I don't know who else in his career could/would have beaten him, other than Frazier and Ali. Ali clearly had him, but he nearly beat Frazier and might have beaten Norton if he had time or had met him earlier in his career. He avenged draws to Tony Doyle and Floyd Patterson. Patterson, of course, is a former world champ. He defeated serious challngers Earnie Shavers and Ron Lyle, impressing George Foreman so much that Foreman would not fight him. All that considered, Jerry Quarry was not the much-hyped white hope many wrote him off as. He clearly was a big boxing talent on top of being one of his era's biggest stars.
[edit] Quarry vs. 2000 Heavyweights
While Quarry, who rarely weighed more than 200 lbs. in his prime, would not even be considered a heavyweight today, he could/ would beat many of today's top heavyweights. Why? Talent. Jerry put a lot of time in the gym building skills, gaining experience, learning his craft. This also why fighters like Roy Jones and Oscar De La Hoya are so great --- practice makes perfect. Jerry regularly gave up 3-5 inches in height/reach and 20 lbs. and beat the other guy by a mile. Fact is, he'd be an even bigger star today than he was in 1970. He would have a cruiserweight belt, and a pile of wins over larger, less-skilled heavies , all of them with half his heart and talent.
[edit] The truth of Quarry
I'll grant you, there were a lot of very good guys 1965-1975, and Quarry was one of them. But there was NO WAY he could have been champion, no matter what his fans say. Ali was not only better, he was bigger. Quarry could never have stayed with Ali for more than a few rounds. He gave Frazier good fights, but always stayed in front of Joe. So Joe pounded him. Without some movement, Quarry could never beat Frazier. Foreman did say he dodged him, but I don't know why. Quarry would not have been hard to find, and anyone Foreman found usually fell over. Norton was also a beltholder who had beaten Ali. He pounded Quarry also, regardless of when Jerry took the fight. Could Quarry have beaten Holmes? I doubt it, because he cut so easy. So Ellis was his best shot, and he blew it. He was better than Ellis, and so should have briefly had the WBA belt before Joe took it from him. Jerry was a star in a great era, and better than many or most other heavies ever. But his fans should stop there.
[edit] Quarry: really a Cruiserweight
Fans continue to promote him and critics still dismiss him. Jerry Quarry was one of the biggest stars of the golden age of heavyweight boxers in the late 1960s and 1970s. He had the edge on Floyd Patterson, a fellow heavyweight under 200 pounds, for eight or so rounds before fading in 1967. He had enough of a lead to hang on and win their second match. Thad Spencer, very overrated in that his only real win was an upset of fading Ernie Terrell, was 200 pounds when Quarry met him. Even Jimmy Ellis, who usually folded up like a chair against top tier competition, was also around 200 pounds when Quarry met him. These are all cruiserweights. Quarry certainly rates better than these three. Legend has it he tried to ignore an injured back against Ellis. Ellis would not rematch him. Joe Frazier, who held the New York State title, actually met Quarry first before unifying the belts by KOing Ellis. Quarry gave Frazier a much better fight than Ellis did. But Frazier, at 210, was a true heavyweight. Quarry, at 199 for that fight, did not regularly top 200 pounds until years later. The best way to regard Quarry is that of a cruiserweight belt holder who tried to move up. He was under 200 pounds for his win over hulking, but fading Buster Mathis. He was 196 when he KO'd then-undefeated Mac Foster. He was under 200 pounds both times he met Ali. Patterson, Ellis, Frazier and Ali were his biggest fights. He was under 200 pounds for all of them. Frazier and Ali were true heavyweights Quarry might not even face today. Quarry was a true heavyweight in 1973 when he beat Ron Lyle and Ernie Shavers, two very serious contenders. In 1974, he got up off the deck to KO Joe Alexander as a 200-plus pounder. All this considered, Quarry overacheived as a small heavyweight who, in his prime, was a cruiserweight. He was consistently over 200 pounds for only a couple years in his prime. Quarry enjoyed quite a reputation in the early 1970s, and was said to spar almost anybody. Rumored sparees included Ken Norton, Jimmy Young, and a young George Foreman. Very game, quick, tough and ring savvy, it was said Quarry got the better of all of these guys in the gym. Ken Norton's manager would not let Norton fight Quarry for years. Quarry never dodged anybody. When he took the Norton fight in 1974, it was said he had just 18 days notice as a last minute replacement for Oscar Bonavena and Jimmy Young. Quarry, considering retirement at that point, had not been training at all. His fight with Norton did not give a fair view of Quarry because of this. George Foreman, a Quarry fan, admits he dodged Quarry after seeing Quarry take apart Earnie Shavers. Shavers had rare power just as Foreman did. Quarry took his best punch and knocked Shavers out in the first round. All in all, a pretty impressive run for a guy who wasn't even really a heavyweight for most of his career.
[edit] Split up
The article needs to be split up into different subjects with section headings. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 209.206.165.28 (talk) 23:44, 18 January 2007 (UTC).
