World Boxing Hall of Fame: Heavyweight Boxer Jerry Quarry (Muhammad Ali opponent)

Sources for the video

Jerry's brain ... looks like the inside of a grapefruit that has been dropped dozens of times.
http://www.people.com/people/archive/...

The Boxing Hall of Shame Book by Thomas Myler (Chapter entitled Requiem for a Heavyweight).
https://www.google.co.uk/#q=thomas+my...

The Seminal 1983 Sports Illustrated Article entitled: Too Many Punches, Too Little Concern
http://www.si.com/vault/1983/04/11/61...

Article on Jerry Quarry Article from 1995
http://articles.latimes.com/1995-10-2...

The video title was taken from Quarry allowed to dig his own grave see https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/quar...

Jerry Quarry one of the most influential boxers ever see    • Heavyweight boxer Jerry Quarry will b...  

Jerry Quarry information

"Irish" Jerry Quarry said it himself, "Always the bridesmaid, never the bride". Quarry had the "bad" luck that his professional boxing career occurred during the 1960s and 1970s, when the division was "packed" with some of the greatest heavyweights in history. Trained by his father, Jack Quarry, to be a boxer as a child. Jerry went on to capture the National Golden Gloves Amateur Heavyweight Championship, setting an amateur record by knocking out 5 straight opponents. Dubbed "The Great White Hope" (a title he hated), Quarry began his career with 20 straight victories. Known for an iron chin and a sledge-hammer punch, the handsome Quarry seemed destined for super stardom. However, as he himself admitted, his "Irish" temper got the best of him. A beautiful boxer-puncher when he desired, Quarry's temper got the best of him and he decided to go punch-for-punch with heavyweight king Joe Frazier. It was one of the greatest slugfests in history and Quarry was stopped on cuts. Jerry also came up short against three other world heavyweight champions - Muhammad Ali, Jimmy Ellis and Ken Norton. It was clear that he was born 10 years too soon. Even though Quarry defeated such top fighters as Floyd Patterson, Mac Foster, Ron Lyle, Ernie Shavers and Billy Daniels, he was unable to win the World's Heavyweight Title. He made an ill advised comeback in 1992 at 47 years old in Aurora, Colorado. He was brutally battered by club-fighter Ron Cranmer in losing a decision. A short time later, Jerry Quarry's life took a nose dive to a tragic and sad ending. A hard drinker and countless beatings in the ring, all added up to cause Quarry to suffered from severe memory lapses. He suffered brain damage, known as being "Punch Drunk". His money and fame gone, Quarry was cared for by his family. He died on January 3, 1999 way before his time at age 53. Jerry Quarry loved boxing. It sadly, didn't love him back.

Muhammad Ali information

Muhammad Ali born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer, activist, and philanthropist. He is nicknamed "The Greatest" and is widely regarded as one of the most significant and celebrated sports figures of the 20th century and as one of the greatest boxers of all time.

Ali was born and raised in Louisville, Kentucky and began training as an amateur boxer at age 12. At 18, he won a gold medal in the light heavyweight division at the 1960 Summer Olympics, and turned professional later that year. He converted to Islam after 1961, and eventually took the name Muhammad Ali. He won the world heavyweight championship from Sonny Liston in a major upset at age 22 in 1964.

In 1966, Ali refused to be drafted into the military, citing his religious beliefs and opposition to the Vietnam War. He was arrested, found guilty of draft evasion, and stripped of his boxing titles. He appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which overturned his conviction in 1971, but he had not fought for nearly four years and lost a period of peak performance as an athlete. His actions as a conscientious objector to the war made him an icon for the larger counterculture generation, and he was a high-profile figure of racial pride for African Americans during the civil rights movement.

Ali was one of the leading heavyweight boxers of the 20th century, and he remains the only three-time lineal champion of that division. His records were unbeaten for 35 years of beating 21 boxers for the world heavyweight title and winning 14 unified title bouts. Ali thrived in the spotlight at a time when most fighters let their managers do the talking, and he was often provocative and outlandish.

Ali retired from professional boxing in 1981. In 1984, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's syndrome, which some reports attribute to boxing-related injuries, though he and his physician disputed this. He made limited public appearances and he was cared for by his family until his death in 2016.

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