Jerry Quarry boxer
- bouts
- 66
- won
- 53
- lost
- 9
- draw
- 4
- Status
- inactive
- Division
- heavyweight
- Debut
- 1965-05-07
- Height
- 6′ 0″/183cm
- Reach
- 72″/183cm
- Age
- 53
- Born
- 1945-05-15
- Death
- 1999-01-03
- Nationality
- USA
Jerry Quarry (May 15, 1945 – January 3, 1999), nicknamed "Irish" or "The Bellflower Bomber", was an American professional boxer. During the peak of his career from 1968 to 1971, Quarry was rated by The Ring magazine as the most popular fighter in the sport. His most famous bouts were against Muhammad Ali. Accumulated damage from lack of attention to defense against larger men at the top level, no head guard sparring, and attempted comebacks in 1977, 1983 and 1992 resulted in Quarry developing an unusually severe case of dementia pugilistica. Unable to perform everyday tasks, dependent on his family, and with the fortune he had earned frittered away, Quarry died at 53 years old.Quarry was the most visible member of a significant Irish-American boxing family, which included three other pro boxers (his father and two brothers). Quarry's father first put gloves on his son at five years. His career, he later felt, was decided for him at a very young age. Quarry fought first as a Junior Amateur, winning his first trophies at the age of eight. Later, he contracted nephritis, a debilitating illness which sidelined him for years. His comeback from that illness to become a professional athlete was considered medically remarkable.Quarry came to notice by winning the 1965 National Golden Gloves championship in Kansas City at age 19. Weighing just 183 pounds, Quarry knocked out each of his five opponents in the tournament, a feat unmatched. Quarry had over 200 fights in his amateur career. He turned professional in 1965 and though undersized and cut prone compared to many of his rivals, established himself as a ticket selling attraction that promoters could count on.Despite starting in May, Quarry had 14 matches in 1965 at the start of his pro career. Many of his early career fights took place at the Olympic Auditorium in Los Angeles, where he became established as a draw. Quarry supplemented meager boxing pay by working as a tire changer at a Greyhound bus terminal. Quarry was fast handed and an effective counter puncher, but with a tendency to neglect defense and rely on his excellent chin. He had three draws on his record by the time of his first loss, which came in his 21st bout in July 1966 against crafty spoiler Eddie Machen, known for his feat of breaking Sonny Liston's run of knockouts. More careful promotor's choice of opponents for their ticket selling asset subsequently saw Quarry rise in the rankings.In mid-1967, the World Boxing Association (W.B.A.) held a tournament to replace Muhammad Ali, who had been stripped of his title for refusing induction into the military after being drafted. The tournament was expanded to include eight heavyweights, and did not include Joe Frazier, who had accepted a title belt outside the WBA. When the tournament was expanded, Quarry was included. Quarry's first tournament bout was a rematch of his fourth draw fight earlier that year against former world champion Floyd Patterson. In both matches, Quarry dominated the early rounds with multiple knockdowns of Patterson, but faded in the latter stages. He hung on better in the second bout, and was given a split-decision victory. His second tournament match was a KO win against fellow Californian Thad Spencer, who was highly lauded and ranked coming into the match. In the final against crafty ex-middleweight Jimmy Ellis, Quarry prior to the bout sustained a broken back from an injury on the diving board at a pool that later developed into gangrene. Ellis was wary of Quarry's unorthodox tactic (displayed to great effect against Patterson) of retreating into the ropes then catching his opponent with a sudden two-fisted attack and Quarry--strangely unwilling to take the initiative--lost a majority decision and his best chance of fulfilling his dream of winning a world heavyweight title. After a layoff of six months, Quarry returned after the Ellis loss to post another streak of wins. Notable among these was a lopsided 12-round decision win over 1964 U.S. Olympian Buster Mathis. The win over the ranked (and much bigger) Mathis positioned Quarry for his second title shot.Joe Frazier had not yet KO'd Ellis, but was considered by many to be the most legitimate heavyweight champion. Quarry met Frazier June, 23rd, 1969 at New York City's Madison Square Garden, where Quarry could count on fan support. The fight was Ring Magazine's "Fight of The Year". Frazier and Quarry went head-to-head and Frazier's high-tempo pressure came to dominate and the fight was stopped in the 7th round after Quarry, bleeding from the nose and with a very large cut under the eye, took a series of hard punches without moving away or hitting back.
Date | Opponent | Last Opponents' Results | Place | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
1992-10-30 | Ron Cranmer | LLWWWL | Holiday Inn Trade Center, Aurora | LOST Unanimous decision |
1983-11-22 | James Williams | LLLWL | Kern County Fairgrounds, Bakersfield | WIN Majority decision |
1983-08-31 | Lupe Guerra | DLLWWW | Civic Auditorium, Albuquerque | WIN Technical knockout |
1977-11-05 | Lorenzo Zanon | WWWWWL | Caesars Palace, Las Vegas | WIN Technical knockout |
1975-03-24 | Ken Norton | WWLLWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Technical knockout |
1975-02-25 | George Johnson | WWWWLL | Honolulu International Center, Honolulu | WIN Unanimous decision |
1974-06-17 | Joe Frazier | WWWLWL | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Technical knockout |
1974-05-08 | Joe Alexander | WLWWWW | Nassau Coliseum, Uniondale | WIN KO |
1973-12-14 | Earnie Shavers | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Technical knockout |
1973-09-10 | Tony Doyle | WLWLWL | Forum, Inglewood | WIN Technical knockout |
1973-08-31 | James J Woody | WWLLLL | Convention Center, Las Vegas | WIN Technical knockout |
1973-02-09 | Ron Lyle | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Unanimous decision |
1973-01-05 | Randy Neumann | WWWLWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Corner retirement |
1972-06-27 | Muhammad Ali | LWWWWW | Convention Center, Las Vegas | LOST Technical knockout |
1972-05-09 | Larry Middleton | WWWWWW | Empire Pool, Wembley | WIN Points |
1972-04-17 | Eduardo Corletti | WWLLLL | Forum, Inglewood | WIN KO |
1971-12-02 | Lou Bailey | LLWWLL | Veterans Memorial Auditorium, Des Moines | WIN Unanimous decision |
1971-11-16 | Jack Bodell | LWWWWW | Empire Pool, Wembley | WIN KO |
1971-07-24 | Tony Doyle | WLLWLW | Playboy Club Hotel, Lake Geneva | WIN Unanimous decision |
1971-06-18 | Dick Gosha | LWWWLL | Ocean Shores | WIN Unanimous decision |
1970-10-26 | Muhammad Ali | WWWWWW | City Auditorium, Atlanta | LOST Corner retirement |
1970-09-08 | Stamford Harris | WWWLLW | Auditorium, Miami Beach | WIN Technical knockout |
1970-06-17 | Mac Foster | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Technical knockout |
1970-03-19 | George Johnson | WWWWWL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Unanimous decision |
1970-03-03 | Rufus Brassell | WWWWWW | Auditorium, Miami Beach | WIN KO |
1969-12-12 | George Chuvalo | WWWLWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST KO |
1969-09-03 | Brian London | WWLLDL | Oakland Arena, Oakland | WIN KO |
1969-08-11 | Johnny Carroll | DWLWLL | Aldrich Arena, Saint Paul | WIN KO |
1969-06-23 | Joe Frazier | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | LOST Corner retirement |
1969-03-24 | Buster Mathis | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | WIN Unanimous decision |
1969-01-26 | Aaron Eastling | WWWWWD | Memorial Auditorium, Canton | WIN Technical knockout |
1969-01-10 | Charlie Reno | LWLWW | Seattle Center Coliseum, Seattle | WIN Technical knockout |
1968-11-19 | Willis Earls | LLLLWL | Freeman Coliseum, San Antonio | WIN Unanimous decision |
1968-11-11 | Bob Mumford | LLLLLL | Phoenix Forum, Phoenix | WIN Technical knockout |
1968-04-27 | Jimmy Ellis | WWWWWW | Coliseum Arena, Oakland | LOST Majority decision |
1968-02-03 | Thad Spencer | WWLWWW | Oakland Arena, Oakland | WIN Technical knockout |
1967-10-28 | Floyd Patterson | WLWWWD | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Majority decision |
1967-09-15 | Billy Daniels | LDDLWL | Sports Arena, Los Angeles | WIN KO |
1967-06-09 | Floyd Patterson | WWLWWW | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles | DRAW Majority decision |
1967-04-27 | Alex Miteff | LLWLLW | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN KO |
1967-03-09 | Brian London | WWWLWL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Unanimous decision |
1967-01-11 | Al Jones | WLLLLL | Civic Auditorium, San Francisco | WIN KO |
1966-12-15 | Joey Orbillo | WWWWWL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Unanimous decision |
1966-11-28 | Leslie Borden | LWLDLL | Valley Music Theatre, Woodland Hills | WIN KO |
1966-10-20 | Bill Nielsen | LDLLWL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Unanimous decision |
1966-07-14 | Eddie Machen | LLDLLW | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | LOST Unanimous decision |
1966-05-27 | Tony Alongi | WWWWWD | Sports Arena, Los Angeles | DRAW Points |
1966-05-02 | Al Jones | DWLLWL | Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City | WIN Unanimous decision |
1966-04-07 | George Johnson | LLLWDD | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Technical knockout |
1966-03-04 | Tony Alongi | WWWWWW | Madison Square Garden, New York | DRAW Points |
1966-02-17 | Prentice Snipes | WLLWLL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN KO |
1966-02-03 | Eddie Land | LLL | Convention Center, Las Vegas | WIN Unanimous decision |
1965-12-23 | Roy Crear | WWWLWL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Technical knockout |
1965-11-11 | Tony Doyle | LWWLWW | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | DRAW Points |
1965-11-02 | Roy Crear | LWWWLW | Municipal Auditorium, San Antonio | WIN Technical knockout |
1965-10-28 | Al Carter | LLDWLL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Technical knockout |
1965-10-18 | Milton Manley | L | Memorial Hall, Kansas City | WIN KO |
1965-09-23 | Ray Junior Ellis | WLW | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN KO |
1965-08-09 | John Henry Jackson | WLLLDL | Memorial Hall, Kansas City | WIN Unanimous decision |
1965-08-02 | JP Spencer | WL | Hacienda Hotel, Las Vegas | WIN Technical knockout |
1965-07-29 | Ray Junior Ellis | W | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Unanimous decision |
1965-07-16 | Willie Davis | L | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN KO |
1965-06-24 | Dave Centi | WWWWWW | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Unanimous decision |
1965-06-17 | Lance Holmberg | LL | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN Points |
1965-06-03 | John Henry Jackson | LWLLLD | Olympic Auditorium, Los Angeles | WIN KO |
1965-05-07 | Gene Hamilton | LLLLLL | Memorial Coliseum, Los Angeles | WIN Points |