Did Jerry Quarry became underrated ?

I have the utmost respect for Quarry. He lacked the size and physical tools of many of his peers but the man had enormous heart and courage and gave everything he had to give 66 times in the ring and came out on top 78.8% of the time.

I hesitate to call someone like that overrated, but if he is overrated it’s by people who don’t understand the reality that there was a solid ceiling that this man, regardless of his heart and courage, was simply never going to rise above.

I think he certainly deserved a shot at Foreman. But sometimes it’s for the greater good and in our best interests that we don’t get what we want or deserve.

People are making the assumption that since he did well against Lyle and Shavers, ergo he’d do well against Foreman.

The problem is that Foreman, even Foreman 1, was not Lyle or Shavers.

I think George would have ruined him, quickly. Although in hindsight maybe that might have hastened his departure from the ring, with a few more of his marbles intact.

But that’s doubtful because just like a lot of folks who stayed too long, including Ali, what else was Jerry Quarry going to do with his life?

 

Agreed.

Regarding what might have happened had Quarry and Foreman met, I can't see a particularly stern test here for the latter.

Foreman isn't giving Quarry the kind of modest tempo and space that Lyle gave him, or becoming confused and unresponsive on getting tagged in passing by Quarry, as did Shavers.

Foreman gets the job done faster than Frazier (2) did.

 

@Man_Machine @PRW94

I actually disagree with both of you i'm not saying Quarry should be the favourite, but i think style wise Quarry matches up fairly well with Foreman. Quarry had the quicker hands a fairly study chin and a good counter punching style against the power puncher Foreman.

Just because Foreman destroyed Frazier, Norton, i don't really think style wise either of those fights tell us alot about Foreman/Quarry. For one neither Norton or Frazier can fight on the backfoot like Quarry can.

The way to beat Foreman is with movement and boxing Peralta showed that to some extent as did Young, unless you're a one off like Ali who could lay on the ropes and take an insane amount of body punches wearing out Foreman.

If Quarry could extend Foreman into 2nd half of the fight it becomes a very interesting fight, the issues for Quarry is that he could cut and sometimes he did like to mix it up a bit too much. But i think if he stays disciplined like he was vs Lyle it's a very intriguing fight.

Just because Quarry lost to Frazier and Norton when he was past his prime, doesn't mean he gets blown away by Foreman like those 2 fighters did. Style wise Quarry has a better style vs Foreman to give him a tougher fight which i believe he would if hes in the same type of form as he was vs Lyle sticking to gameplan.

 

The problem I am seeing here is that you are using Quarry's performance against Lyle as an exemplar of Quarry's capabilities, without taking Lyle's level of performance into consideration.

Lyle was 19-0 when he met Quarry. How battle-tested and proven was he at that point?

It was a great fight but Lyle/Quarry is in no way a yardstick by which to gauge how Quarry would have handled a peak Foreman.

As good as Quarry was, he was not the heavyweight division's answer to Nicolino Locche and he wasn't on the level of Foreman (or Frazier or Ali).

Heck, he wasn't even as defensively minded as either Peralta or Young; the two opponents you select, some way either side of Foreman's peak performances, as examples of why Foreman would struggle.

Quarry might well have taxed a 15-0 Foreman, in 1970. But the Foreman at his ominous height during 73/74 was likely to have given Quarry an utter hiding.

 

This …

There was no scenario in this or any known solar system in which Jerry Quarry had, or could have, the slightest chance to be heavyweight champion of the world. Ever. What he accomplished, and he deserves monumental credit and respect for it … was all that he was capable of accomplishing.

 

Boxing history is always revising itself. At the moment a lot of people on sites like these are wetting themselves over Sonny Liston. To those of us who actually remember Jerry Quarry, even here in the UK, he will never be over rated.

 

Good fighter but was never going to beat the best.

 

I think it was because of his losses to the top tier heavyweights, Joe Frazier, and Muhammad Ali. Also that devastating kayo loss to George Chuvalo did not enhance his reputation.

 

Quarry fought nothing like Ali and Young (which isn't relevant unless Quarry is facing post-Zaire Foreman), and most importantly had a virtually non-existent defense unlike the other two.

 

Their is literally ONE Liston thread in the front 6 pages.

You literally favor Quarry over Liston, and Foreman..... two near universal top ten ATGs both legacy wise and H2H. Which is pretty rich for a guy who's best wins aside from Shavers, are a green unrated Lyle, and laughably inflated number one contender Mac Foster who never beat a single top tenner in his life. But yeah a guy with a record against his best opponents standing at 3-8, who had a virtually non-existent defense, and would cut over the eyes as soon as someone looked at him is beating two ATGs.

 

Easy Swag. As a veteran on here, I'm sure you will understand that there has been, over the last couple of years, a surge of love for Liston. I find that it is a little like the Mike Tyson fringe. Odd. They ignore the fact that, just like in the schoolyard, the bully can't take it .

Regarding Foreman, George has always said he avoided Quarry. Never made a secret of it.

Who knows what would have happened had those fights been made. I reckon we'd probably still be talking about them.

As far as Jerry Quarry is concerned, you can't over rate a bloke that gives absolutely everything, every time he steps through the ropes. I rate guys like that.

Good to see you're still here Swag.

 

With respect he seems a tad overrated.
An excellent fighter in an era with a number of ATG fighters.
However, I would have no problem seeing him find his way into the hall of fame, in fact I would be very happy if that happened.

 

Yes, as a veteran I can't stand often-repeated mistruths, and calling any fighter who steps in the ring a bully with no heart, is an insult which I find highly offensive.

Liston proved his heart several times. Fighting valiantly with a broken jaw for 6 rounds. Coming back to KO Cleveland Williams after Williams by Liston's own admission nearly knocked him out, and broke his nose. Continuing to fight after Valdez shut his eye and knocking him out. He also remained composed when Machen approached him in an entirely different manner than the aforementioned mess, and tried to frustrate Liston and take him out of his game.

Foreman says a lot of things today that quite frankly should be taken with a grain of salt, like for example claiming a prime Frazier would've beaten him.

We do. Would've went the ame way as his fights with Ali, Frazier, Ellis, and Chuvalo. I'll cut him some slack for the Norton fight as he was clearly past his best (again a consequence for brain damage sustained from his lack of defense) and out of shape..
I reckon we'd probably still be talking about them. [/QUOTE]

What's not to like about the guy? But yes I do think he gets overrated h2h. His major weaknesses imo were lack of defense and cuts, and they were glaring.

Thank you mate. Same to you.