Web Quotableonline.com Frasescelebres.org Greatbookscollection.org

"Irish" Jerry Quarry (May 15, 1945 - January 3,
1999) was called by some the best heavyweight
boxing|boxer to never win a world title. He was
durable and smart, had a good punch (blow)|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. 

Quarry come to national attention by winning the
1965 National Golden Gloves championship at
Madison Square Garden. He knocked out each of his
opponents in the tournament, a feat never before
or since matched. Quarry began his pro career in
1965 winning a decision against Gene Hamilton in
Los Angeles, California. He had fourteen fights
that first year alone, with 13 wins and one draw.
His first loss came against respected veteran
Eddie Machen in 1966, Jerry's 21st fight at just
21 years of age. He followed that loss with a slew
of victories and became a ranked heavyweight in
1967. That year the W.B.A. (World Boxing
Association) had a tournament to replace Muhammad
Ali, who had been stripped as champion. Quarry was
named to the eight-man field and became its star.
He defeated former world champion Floyd Patterson
and tournament favorite Thad Spencer before an
upset in the final by Jimmy Ellis. Still highly
ranked, he was given a title shot by Joe Frazier
in 1969. Quarry lost the fight via seventh-round
technical knockout despite a tremendous
performance.  He would also fight Ali when the
champion returned in 1970. Quarry did well enough
to earn a rematch in 1972, but lost both fights.
He also lost a rematch to Frazier in 1974. Still,
Quarry maintained his high rank by defeating
several top opponents from 1970 through 1974.
George Foreman refused to give Quarry a title shot
and said in later years that he purposely dodged
him.

Quarry was also a bit TV actor who appeared in
several TV shows and would retire to work for the
American Broadcasting Company in 1975. He earned
over $5 million as a fighter without ever being
champion - but several years later, the first
signs of his downfall began to appear.

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.

His fortune depleted by 1992, Quarry, by then 47,
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, once
fought for the light-heavyweight championship but
himself was disabled by pugilistic dementia in
later life. Another brother, Bobby, suffers from
Parkinson's disease, believed to be the result of
his own, less heralded heavyweight career.)

Quarry died in 1999. A foundation works in his
honor to battle the condition that 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 knockout|KOs. It includes wins over Floyd
Patterson, Thad Spencer, Buster Mathis, Mac
Foster, Ron Lyle, and Earnie Shavers, all notable
heavyweights.  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. Bobby fought 23 times
as a professional heavyweight.

==External links==
*http://www.boxrec.com/record009385.html
Professional fighting record
*http://www.jerryquarry.com Jerry Quarry
Foundation web site