Jerry Quarry

Jerry Quarry was a world-class American professional boxer. In his prime years 1966-1975 he fought some of the greatest heavyweight boxers the sport has produced, certainly defeating some of them. He was born in Bakersfield, California May 15th, 1945 and latered passed away January 9th, 1999 at the age 53. Quarry was born into a large enthusiastic boxing family that started with father Jack, a descendant of Oklahoma landrushers. Jack boxed, played baseball and later married Arwanda, a full-blooded Cherokee. The life of the Quarrys in Jerry's younger years has " Grapes Of Wrath " imagery to it. For a time, Jack and Arwanda were poor migrant laborers. Older brother James was the tall, polished jabber that father Jack and younger brother Mike would also later become in the Quarry mold. Jerry was different. Overcoming childhood maladies, Jerry was a tough puncher who went directly at opponents. In his teens, he surpassed James as the family's top prospect. Jerry, who first wore boxing gloves at age five, won Junior Amateur tournaments as early as age eight, slowly adding skills to his natural penchant for toughness.

In January, 1965, Jerry was still an outstanding amateur boxer when he won the Oakland, California Golden Gloves. He was then entered into the National Golden Gloves tournament in Kansas City. With 1964 having been an Olympic year, 1965 was a year when new faces got to advance. 1964's best had turned pro. Quarry, listed at six feet even and 183 pounds, was not rated a favorite to win the heavyweight division of the tournament. Quick, hard-hitting, tough and very experienced for a 19-year-old, Quarry surprised by catching and KOing his higher-rated opponents. Over six days, Quarry KO'd all five of his opponents to win the 1965 National Golden Gloves heavyweight title. No amateur, before or since, has ever matched that feat. Quarry's remarkable victory put him on the national radar of the sport immediately and a pro career was now rushed together.

With father Jack as his owner/manager and brother James as a corner man, Quarry got set for his first pro fight. He met journeyman Gene Hamilton May 7th, 1965 and won the four-rounder easily on points. The Quarrys drew the interest of Shelly Finkel, who ran the Los Angeles Olympic Auditorium, and many of his future matches would be held there. While Jerry fought as a pro in only half of 1965, the now-20 year old had an amazing 14 pro fights that year. " I knew I was only getting paid if I was fighting ", Jerry often said then. He supported his pro career by changing tires at a Greyhound terminal. Jerry's best 1965 opponents were 8-8 John Henry Jackson, 7-0 Dave Centi, and 11-2 Tony Doyle, a future top-ten ranked heavyweight from Utah. Jerry's press and success came to the attention of former world champion Rocky Marciano. Marciano offered to buy Quarry's ownership for $100,000 , then a considerable sum, pending success against better competition. Quarry was then put in against the 6'5 205-pound Doyle. Quarry weighed 191. Quicker with stronger punchs, Quarry led early and dropped Doyle in the 4th round. But Doyle's height and jab bothered the young star. The decision was ruled a draw. Many present felt Quarry was robbed. Doyle dodged a rematch until his twilight in 1971. In February 1966, Quarry KO'd respected Prentice Snipes to restore himself. Then, the Quarry crew went to Madison Square Garden to meet veteran trial horse Tony Alongi, another tall jabber in the Doyle mold. Quarry again appeared to win, dropping Alongi for a knockdown in the 7th. But Jerry was stuck with another draw. Two tuneups later, Quarry again met Alongi in May, this time in Los Angeles. Surprisingly, it was Alongi who had improved. Dodging Quarry's advances all fight long and jabbing, Quarry may have been lucky to get yet another draw. Confidences now dropped. In July, Quarry was put in against aged former #1 contender Eddie Machen. Quarry, quicker and stronger, went in very confident. For four rounds, he clearly had his way with the 34-year-old, but had not trained well for the fight. The savvy Machen came back and handily outboxed the young colt the rest of the way, pinning an embarrassing first loss on Quarry in Jerry's 21st pro fight. Quarry, who had 19 fights in his first full year as a pro, was deflated. Marciano withdrew his interest, and it nearly appeared that Quarry's pro career was over.

Trainer Johnny Flores got Jerry going again. Having been beaten, Jerry got an offer to meet 23-10 Bill Neilsen. Jerry dominated the 205-pounder for a clear decision. Quarry weighed 194. Then Jerry met childhood friend Joey Orbillo, who was 10-1 in a key fight for both. Quarry pounded Orbillo to easily win the decision to end 1966 on a positive note. By then the scene at the Olympic Auditorium for the Quarrys was regular and well known. The Quarry clan, which included three sisters, uncles, aunts and others, would picnic and cheer Jerry's training there. At Jerry's fights, the family was loud and enthusiastic. By the end of 1966, they were a well-known group. They kept his confidence up. Jerry entered 1967 much more serious about his career. In March, he met tall Brian London, who had just defeated Joe Bugner for the British heavyweight crown. Quarry easily out quicked the flat-footed Brit puncher for a notable lop-sided win. Respected Alex Miteff was next in April. Quarry KO'd him in the 3rd. Jerry was now a top-ten WBA contender. Quarry was now paired against former world champion Floyd Patterson, who was returning after losses to Sonny Liston. Jerry dominated him early, nearly ending it in the 2nd round after two knockdowns. But just as in the Machen fight, Quarry loafed and got outboxed after the fourth round. Jerry tried to rally and did have a huge early lead. But again, he got stuck with a draw. Said Patterson of Quarry " He's only using about 35% of his ability right now ". Another great opportunity has slipped away.

But the ring gods were about to intercede. World champ Cassius Clay, a vocal anti-Christian Muslim who dodged mandatory defenses, was stripped of his belt. The WBA decided to have a large eight-man tournament to name his successor. When the New York State commission people gave their belt to young contender Joe Frazier, Frazier opted out of the field. Quarry was tabbed to take his place. He had made the big time, but would also have to rematch Patterson. Both six-footers weighed 195 for the October, 1967 bout. Patterson quivered again under Quarry's power in the October fight. Quarry adopted a 'rope-a-dope' strategy where he waited on the ropes for Patterson to come in and then counterpunched. The fight evolved into a boxing clinic as Quarry caught Patterson repeatedly. Still again, Quarry got poor help from the judges and was only able to win a majority decision that some actually booed. But Patterson had been no real threat to the 22-year-old. Howard Cosell had called the Patterson fight on national television for ABC, and the win made Quarry a huge star overnight. He was dubbed ' The Great White Hope ', a tag he unhappily carried for years. His next match against borderline contender Thad Spencer was a tremendous production. Spencer had upset Ernie Terrell for the only major win of his career. Spencer bragged and used racial overtones, even calling the 193-pound Quarry ' too small ' for him at the weigh-in. Quarry nearly ended the fight in the first 15 seconds. Employing the same counterpunching strategy he had used with success against Patterson, the Oakland Arena audience observed another boxing clinic. Quarry staggered his man repeatedly, out-quicking and outpowering Spencer. In the 12th, miles ahead on the cards before Cosell, ABC and another national TV audience, Quarry caught a battered Spencer with a huge left hook. Spencer was saved by the fight ref. Quarry was now the most popular boxer in America. Cassius Clay seethed in his studio chair.

Quarry was now in heady places for a kid from Bellflower, California. Jimmy Ellis had upset Oscar Bonavena and would be his opponent in the WBA tournament final. Quarry, the amateur tournament legend, was tabbed the clear favorite to win. Ellis had enlisted fellow Louisviller Clay to help train him, however. Meanwhile, Quarry soaked in his own huge press and family cheers. Legend has it that Jerry injured his back during some happy family roughousing before the fight. Confident he could still win, Jerry did not delay the match, which came just ten weeks after the Spencer win in February, 1968. More importantly, Martin Luther King has been assassinated April 4th, just three weeks before the match. Ellis and Clay, who now called himself Muhammad Ali, were now on a racial mission. It's not possible to know what America would have been like if Quarry had won that match. Likely, it would not have helped a country already laced with black rioting. Surprisingly, Jerry started slow against Ellis, who got the early edge and then ran away from Quarry. Quarry kept up the pursuit and rallied in later rounds as Eliis jabbed and tired. In the 13th, Quarry landed a huge left hook and had Ellis staggered, but could not finish him. Ellis danced away in the final rounds and got the decision without landing more than a few real punches in the whole fight. Quarry was embarrassed again. This loss, just his second in 31 pro fights, haunted him more than any other. Ellis dodged rematches for years with Quarry, even as both were active well into the mid-1970s. Like Clay had, Ellis also dodged mandatory defenses as well.

Quarry's celebrity was still very high at this time. He took acting roles and appearred on 'Batman' and 'Adam-12'. He would become a millionaire in 1968, then an uncommon thing for an athlete. Some insiders wondered if Quarry now even needed the sport or the world title. He was still just 24-years-old. Ring offers still came in and the high interest lured Quarry back. After three tune-ups, he met 17-3 Minnesotan Aaron Eastling in Ohio in January, 1969 winning by KO in the 5th after three knockdowns. Quarry then was promoted to meet top-five contender Buster Mathis, who was 29-1. At 6'5 and 240 pounds, Mathis was imposing. But he was really a big, soft very skilled boxer that the strong Quarry would be too much for. The six-foot Quarry weighed 196 for the March Madison Square Garden bout. While Ellis dodged New York State champ Joe Frazier, Quarry pushed to meet him. Frazier had four easy wins in 1968, and the June, 1969 bout with Quarry would be his first one of that year. Frazier was 23-0. Quarry, two years younger, was 31-2-4. With Quarry now rated the #1 contender, ahead of pretender Ellis, the Frazier-Quarry fight soon took on Fight Of The Year proportions. Long-time boxing writer Bert Sugar called the first round of this Frazier-Quarry fight " the greatest round I ever saw ". Ring Magazine later called it Round Of The Decade and the bout 1969 Fight Of The Year. Quarry was awarded that round by all three judges. Simply put, Jerry came off the stool and attacked Frazier, then the most feared puncher in the division, and went for the early KO. How many times have you seen Joe Frazier going in reverse? The pace of the fight was incredible and rarely ever wavered. Each round was like three rounds in some other bouts. Round Two saw Jerry bleeding, but landing repeatedly over Joe's low left after Joe missed with a hook. Jerry nearly put Joe away in the second, but could not finish him. Frazier was warmed up by Rd. 3, and cut Jerry below the left eye. That and the pace of the fight later did Jerry in. Jerry never went down for Frazier's best shots, but the ring doctor ended before the start of Round Seven. Jerry had earned his second million the hard way, and perhaps finally met a heavyweight he couldn't beat. Some close to him urged him to retire while he was ahead. Amazingly, Quarry, who had absorbed a considerable beating, was back in the ring just two months later. " There's no quit in a Quarry " was his father's often used line.

Brit Brian London came calling in September, three months after the Frazier bout. Quarry, still angry from the loss, was hammering opponents now. He KO'd London in another Oakland Arena match in the 2nd with the 3rd knockdown. This set the stage for the George Chuvalo fight at Madison Square Garden in December. The Canadian was a powerful puncher with a legendary chin, but was now on the downside of his career. Afrocentic ex-Globetrotter Zack Clayton was the referee. Quarry planned to box Chuvalo, but soon the two were going toe-to-toe trading shots. After the 4th, Chuvalo, who weighed 217, began to fade under the quicker Quarry, who weighed 201. By Rd. 7, Chuvalo's face was a swollen mess. Later in the 7th, Chuvalo somehow caught Quarry for a knockdown. Quarry, unhurt, rose at the count of four. Then he kneeled, at his corner's urging, to use the rest of the count. Quarry rose at ten, but Clayton said he was late. He ruled the fight a KO for Chuvalo, a clear robbery.

Hoping for better things in the 1970s, Quarry met 13-1 Rufus Brassell in Miami Beach. Brassell sent Quarry for a knockdown after the bell to end Rd. 1. Quarry, red hot mad, KO'd Brassell the following round. 16 days later, Quarry decisioned trial horse George Johnson back at the Olympic in Los Angeles, his 17th fight there by then. Now back in the rankings, Quarry was sought out by Mac Foster, then the #1 ranked WBA contender. Foster was 24-0, with 24 KOs, and the heavy favorite before the Madison Square Garden crowd. The 6'2 Foster weighed 210, the six-foot Quarry weighed 196. Jerry started slow against the mechanical-moving Foster, and brother James chewed him out in the corner at the end of Rd. 4. Quarry then awoke and started taking the bigger man apart. Foster crashed twice in the 6th, with Quarry winning on a huge KO. The win put Jerry back in the top five. A huge favorite in New York for his six fights there by now, Quarry moved to New York City for a time. In 1970, courts had cleared Muhammad Ali of refusing induction into the military after he was drafted. Demand for his return to the ring was largely the reason. Ali asked for opponents to restart his career. Quarry was the only ranked heavyweight willing to meet the undefeated legend, and Ali was eager to meet the white star. In October, Quarry met Ali in the racially-charged city of Atlanta. Ali, looking rusty, weighed 215, and had four inches in height and eight inches in reach on the 197-pound Quarry. Still, the first two rounds were very close. Quarry charged the bigger man and did land shots on the running, jabbing Ali. But Jerry, always prone to cut, was sliced badly by Ali jabs in the 3rd. The ring doctor stopped it then. Ali had not really defeated him, and a rematch would soon be in the offing. Now a millionaire for the third time, insiders again urged Jerry, still just age 25, to retire. This time, Quarry seemed willing. He did acting roles on 'Ellery Queen', got involved with business investments, and was a celebrity greeter in Las Vegas. But the big purses were still calling for America's most popular boxer. Retired for eight months, Quarry eased back into it in mid-1971, beating trial horse Dick Gosha and revenging the draw to Tony Doyle. Then he was called upon to meet British champion Jack Bodell at Wembley Stadium in London that November. The Irish American heavyweight with the Hollywood looks charmed many and then KO'd Bodell at 1:04 of the first round. Quarry complained that he was being locked out of bouts in 1972, as Don King controlled many of the top black contenders by this point. It was said he sparred with Ken Norton, George Foreman and Jimmy Young this year, getting the better of all of them. But none would sign to meet him for real. Quarry was by now managed by the well-respected Gil Clancy. Clancy, who also managed Emile Griffith and George Foreman called Jerry " the best gym fighter I ever saw ". Quarry next met 32-10 Hector Corletti, who he KO'd in the first round. Then he agreed to meet tall American jabber Larry Middleton back at Wembley Stadium, where Middleton liked to fight. Visions of Jimmy Ellis seemed to appear, as Middleton jabbed and was very elusive. Quarry, who had just 72" inches of reach, won the narrowest of decisions.

By now, Jerry's second youngest brother, Michael, had also turned pro. Mike Quarry was in the family mold of polished boxers and jabbers. Despite the lack of a big punch, Michael was soon ranked in the WBA's top ten as a light-heavyweight, giving the famous boxing family another star. Don King, tiring of Quarry's public complaints, arranged one of the worst-promoted fight cards ever: " The Soul Brothers versus the Quarry Brothers ". The entire event was laced with racial epithets by blacks claiming to be tired of racism. The lack of respect by King and Ali for the Quarrys, and whites in general, was made very plain. But the Quarrys bravely entered the event anyway. On the undercard, brother Mike, met Bob Foster, perhaps the best light-heavyweight ever. Mike boxed Foster well briefly, then suffered a brutal KO loss before jeering black fans. Now it was Jerry's turn to meet Muhammad Ali in the main event. Ali, who weighed 216 and was 36-1, had been badly defeated by Joe Frazier in 1971. Since then, he had decisioned Buster Mathis, Mac Foster and George Chuvalo, all fighters Jerry had appeared better against. The NABF, through a combination of rules, also called the match a title fight. Ali bragged and sneered. Quarry, who was three years younger, weighed 198 and was 43-5-4. Jerry was respectful of Ali's talent. The racial ugliness continued in the ring with Ali taunting Quarry. At one point, an incensed Quarry lifted Ali over his head and appeared ready to throw Ali, his eyes wide in surprise, out of the ring before the ref stepped in. Then Quarry used a body attack to win the second round on the judges cards. Now trailing, Ali got down to business from there. Using all of his advantages, Ali peppered Quarry over the next three rounds to seize clear control of the match. In the corners, Ali, largely unmarked clowned with the Las Vegas audience. Quarry meanwhile looked battered and exhausted. In the 6th, Ali, who could not KO Quarry, continued to clown and stood flat-footed. Quarry began to connect. When an embarrassed Ali began to pursue Quarry, Jerry counterpunched effectively, catching Ali repeatedly. Ali hit him with his best shots, but Quarry was still there. At the bell, A disgusted Ali sat down while the Las Vegas crowd cheered Quarry. It proved a fleeting highlight. Ali went after the spent Quarry hard in the 7th, and the ref quickly ended it there. In the movie Ali, and in his books, great pains are taken to show disrespect by Ali and his backers toward Quarry, and white heavyweights in general. The fact is, Jerry was really a cruiserweight going in against some of the best heavyweights ever and doing remarkably well. Quarry regularly took the high road where racial insinuations were concerned and proved to be the better man for it. Brother Mike was shaken by his KO loss and reconsidered his career, despite Foster's very positive comments toward Mike. Worse, blacks had attacked Quarry family members in the parking lot after the event, with some Quarrys going to jail that night. Ali derided Quarry after the event and said Jerry was finished. Of course, he wasn't.

Jerry smartly took six months off after the Ali bout. At some point, he again was pushed to consider retirement and instead became a road manager for the then-hugely-popular rock group Three Dog Night ( " Joy To The World ", " Shambala ", Mama Told Me ( Not To Come )", others ). Very quick with math and numbers, Jerry had a great knack for business and was respected. He also again considered his acting career. He was still just 27, and unaware his best pro year was about to start. Some point to 1968, and the young star's meteoric rise after Patterson and Spencer with huge national press as Jerry Quarry's best year. But 1973 included wins over formerly-ranked Randy Neumann, Ron Lyle, James J Woody, Tony Doyle and Earnie Shavers. That's a damn good list of wins for any heavyweight in 1973, and it was Jerry's best ring year overall. Not bad for a supposed white flash-in-the-pan. Neumann was the New Jersey State champ who had beaten Jimmy Young and Chuck Wepner. Quarry battered him until the Madison Square Garden fight was stopped by ring doctors after the 7th. Ron Lyle was a 6'3 219-pound ex-con from Denver four years older than Jerry was. He had KO'd Buster Mathis and Larry Middleton, and was very confident he could get Quarry too. Lyle, like Shavers and Mac Foster, was an outstanding heavyweight, but not a well-known one. This takes away some from the fact Jerry beat him. You have to know boxing to know how good these guys, and Quarry, really were. Too many do not. The Lyle win, one month after Neumann in February 1973, put two ranked heavyweights at the crossroads. Quarry weighed 200-even. The underdog was a role Quarry relished, and he dominated the bigger man through twelve rounds in what evolved into a boxing clinic. Quarry moved in and out, counterpunched, set his man up and beat him to the punch. It may have been Quarry's greatest performance. After the Lyle win, Quarry was signed up for ABC's The Superstars, a contest of different events between athletes of various sports. The first week Jerry was there was Boxing Week. A number of pro heavyweights were there. Quarry set the record for the baseball hitting event and it stood for over two decades. He also easily won that week and went to the Finals, which was largely NFL players. Quarry finished third to Dick Anderson and Roger Staubach with the highest score any boxer has ever put up --- including Ken Norton, Evander Holyfield and Lennox Lewis --- in the event's history. Quarry proved what some already knew: He was a great athlete. 16-11 Woody was a tune-up for what was supposed to come next. But after the Lyle win, many dodged Quarry, including the Don King camp. Quarry sent Woody down three times in the second round to win. Tony Doyle followed again just ten days after the Woody event. Quarry beat Doyle by 4th round TKO. Quarry had been trying to meet South America's highest-touted man, Oscar Bonavena. But Bonavena bowed out of their December fight, and Earnie Shavers stepped in. Shavers, a powerful puncher who would later KO Ken Norton, was 33-0 with 32 KOs, including Jimmy Ellis and Jimmy Young. He remains today one of the deadliest KO punchers in heavyweight history. Seeking a replay of " The Soul Brothers " event, promoter Don King had Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and other black sports stars at ring side for what many thought would be another brutal Shavers KO. But Shavers experienced a sensation many had felt against Quarry, who had the best chin in the sport. Quarry could take an opponent's best shot and rob him of it. Without his power, Shavers had to box Jerry, and few could. Quarry counterpunched a charging Shavers and soon had him. The fight lasted 2:21 . An incensed King was said to have fired the defeated Shavers on the spot, and simply left him at the arena. 1973 was a great year for Jerry Quarry, who appeared at charity events, helped others in business, and was an accessible hero. One Jerry Quarry fan was then-champion George Foreman, who admitted to dodging Quarry at this time. " Ali you could not meet without an appointment ', said Foreman in later years. ' I met Joe Frazier at his gym and he ignored me as he trained. Jerry, you could meet. He would talk to you. He was a real nice guy. I was definitely was a Jerry Quarry fan." Quarry was at his peak. But without a title shot, it meant nothing. With fewer possible ranked opponents available after Shavers, Quarry again considered retirement.

In early 1974, Quarry returned to acting, appearing on " The Six Million Dollar Man ". He stopped training and, some say, lost his edge. He was dodged by many and froze out by Don King. Six months after the Shavers win, he met 7-3 Joe Alexander, who embarrassed Quarry with a knockdown before Jerry KO'd him in the second round. The only ranked heavy who would meet Jerry was Joe Frazier. It would be their long-overdue rematch that June. Quarry, now 49-5-4, weighed the same as he had in 1969, 198. Frazier, 30-2, was now 213. Joe had lost two of his last three fights, and had not looked good in his win with Joe Bugnar. Meanwhile, Jerry had a streak of wins. The fight looked good on paper. Urged to box Frazier, Jerry did not charge as he had in their first bout. For four high-action rounds, the fight was very close. Jerry scored often with counters and lead rights. Quarry even jabbed. Then, as the bell rang for the end of the 4th, Frazier dropped Quarry with a vicious left hook that appeared to land after the bell. Jerry was visibly injured. Unable to recover, Quarry still went out for the 5th round, but the bout was soon stopped. Whether the punch that decided the fight was legit or not, Frazier got the win.

Quarry was retired after the second Frazier fight for six more months and would have done well to stay that way. When Jerry announced his return to the ring in February, 1975, his wife filed for divorce. Gil Clancy resigned. But Jerry always had plenty of female admirers and was savvy and sharp enough to manage himself. He met favorite trial horse George 'Scrap Iron' Johnson for the third time in Hawaii. It was Jerry's 50th career win and easy money. But there was little on the horizon otherwise, until Oscar Bonavena, and replacement Jimmy Young had pulled out of their fight with Ken Norton that March. Norton, now 32-3, was being dodged also, and had not fought since June, 1974 against Boone Kirkman. Norton had been training for months. Quarry had 18-days notice for a major fight. Amazingly, he accepted the bout. Norton had long disliked Quarry, and had long wanted to fight him. But Norton's management had repeatedly declined. Norton could have went the way of Mac Foster, Ron Lyle or Earnie Shavers easily. But he had busted Muhammad Ali's jaw and that made him a hero in some circles, but was a sin to Don King. Even in rematches, Norton appeared to be too much for Ali. There was no question he would contend now, and Jerry had to meet a contender, even under these wicked conditions. The March, 1975 fight was at Madison Square Garden. Norton was a ripped 218 at 6'3 . Quarry was a chubby 207, very heavy for him and clearly not ready. Norton came off the stool and savagely attacked Quarry, who absorbed a considerable beating. But in round two, Quarry, now awake, was effectively counterpunching Norton's advances. In the 3rd, Quarry was cut. Feeling the fight might now be stopped, Quarry attacked Norton and had the bigger man staggered. The pace of the fight was very pitched, as it often was in Quarry fights. Winded and bleeding, Quarry had nothing left for Norton after the 5th round. What these two losses proved is hard to say. But the industry attitude of the day was that Jerry was not wanted by the division's upper echelon, which was run by Don King. For all of his 50 career wins and heroics, Jerry had had just one legit chance at the title against Joe Frazier, and a tournament title bout with Jimmy Ellis. The disappointment of his career effected Jerry, and even led him to alcohol.

At ABC Television, Jerry had a vocal friend in fellow Bakersfield Californian Frank Gifford. Jerry and Gil Clancy were soon paired to do boxing commentary for the network. Quarry had been working with ABC on-and-off since 1967, which included various acting gigs. The fit seemed perfect. Jerry and brother Mike also picked up monies for a Miller Beer commercial ad. Their seemed to be good times after boxing for all involved. Friends of Jerry happily felt they had finally got him to see the light. In the summer of 1977, Jerry even felt good enough to accept a bout as trial horse for Italy's Lorenzo Zanon. The money was right. But the bout was signed to another network. Jerry either had to decline it or lose his ABC contract. Signed to two parties, Jerry disappointed many by chosing the Zanon fight.

The Zanon fight was at Caesar's Palace, with Quarry a chubby 208 to the trim Zanon's 205. The Italian did not hit hard enough to hurt Jerry, but badly outboxed Quarry for eight full rounds. Quarry looked terrible. Finally, in the 9th, Quarry caught him and brought the fight to it conclusion then. It was an ugly win and even Jerry knew it. He again retired, this time keeping his word for almost six years. Without ABC as well, Jerry faded into retirement.

Quarry was not lauded in retirement. Active fighters such as Leon Spinks, Larry Holmes and other derided him in his absence. Business opportunities that once went well to keep Jerry on board now soured. He wasn't a star anymore. Only those who have been there know how it feels to lose it. There was no ESPN or internet yet for him. Soon, only the ring was an option. Boxing had created The Cruiserweight Division, which limited weight at 200 pounds. It had partly been inspired by Quarry, who often weighed under 200 and still took on some of the baddest heavyweights ever with surprising and impressive success. In mid-1983, at age 38, Quarry met 20-10 Lupe Guerra, a pro since 1978, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was the first of Jerry's two cruiserweight fights. Jerry TKO'd Guerra in the first round. The comeback was again on for Jerry. Quarry next met 185-pound journeyman James Williams at the County Fairgrounds in Bakersfield. Quarry was badly outquicked and battered, but still had enough to get the final win of his career, a ten-round decision. The beating and the urging of his remaining friends and family again convinced Quarry to again hang up his gloves. Sadly, the retirement lasted just nine years.

Quarry did not fair badly the next several years. He traveled, was still involved in business and stayed close to family. But the lure of the ring was still there. Quarry quietly made inquiries to get relicensed. But medical results produced very concerning results. Jerry had a detached retina, which now limited his vision. Worse, other testing revealed brain degradation from his many years in his savage sport. In the late 1980s, Jerry began to receive treatment for the onset of pugilistica dementia. These new medical costs, with little new coming in, soon began to drain his pockets. Against family wishes, Jerry, who saw the success of George Foreman and Larry Holmes, again looked toward the ring.

Few long-term combatants in the sport of boxing emerge unscathed. Even the best are often permanently effected. The sport offers no head protection! Football, auto racing, hockey, even baseball all have head protection, even if only as a precaution. In a sport where powerful men rattle each others brains repeatedly, boxing has no such safety interests. Jerry Quarry, a bigger star than most any in the sport, is only one more name on a long list that continues to grow today. Quarry, at the age of 47, met journeyman cruiserweight Ron Cramner in a county in Wisconsin that agreed to license the bout. Quarry could not make the weight, showing up at 205. But the bout continued anyway. Clearly impaired by his growing medical conditions, Jerry absorbed a brutal beating which greatly accelerated his disease. Needing more intensive medical treatments, Jerry's pockets were soon emptied. Older brother James soon took him in. Social Security checks were filed for. Quarry, the once-legendary, robust sports star with ties to Hollywood, was debilitated and homebound through his final days. Jerry passed after a series of illnesses in January, 1999.

Quarry's passing drew mixed reactions. Many remembered only his fights with Muhammad Ali, hardly his best moments or a fair review of him. When his late career fights are also added, he is jeered by some as not knowing when to quit with the money. But he had plenty of fans. Those who knew him, those who knew how truly good he was in the ring. Ray Mancini cited him as a hero, as did many others. Jerry Quarry lived a famous life. He met or well-knew some of the biggest sports and entertainment names of his days. Even politicians like John McCain were Jerry Quarry fans. He earned millions and lived the life many fantasize over. While the cost was high, and the ending very, very harsh, Jerry was still very much a legend, which he remains in some circles today. Ring Magazine named Jerry the #27 rated heavyweight of the 20th Century, even as he was really a great cruiserweight. Were he in his prime today, he would undoubtedly be the biggest star in the sport, just as he was then. This is how some choose to remember Jerry Quarry, the hero and nice guy whose only flaw was that he never knew when or how to quit.