Jerry Quarry boxer

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

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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

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