Ali v Quarry 2.....underrated performance?

I agree there isn't much of an argument, still I feel at some point I have read a post or something that put forward Quarry had faded somehow going into this fight. In reality I think you just see the true gap in skill and ability between Ali and Quarry. The first time they fought both men were contenders, and while Ali may have still been one in the 2nd bout, he was far closer to champion form.

 

I think 1972 was when Ali finally had his stamina back, had sharpened his reflexes quite a bit, & had his legs again. He couldn’t move like he did in the 60’s but from 72 -74 he was really sharp. I found an old “World Boxing” magazine from 1973 and there’s an article describing why Ali won’t fight Quarry a third time. Basically, Jerry was in his prime and Ali wouldn’t be able to beat him again. I never got that article!!

 

It's fun to watch but in fairness to Quarry he was vastly overmatched. That's ironic because Quarry was a really good fighter. I believe Ring Magazine had him rated 27th greatest heavyweight of all time.

 

I'm gonna rewatch it now.

 

There were people at the time picking Quarry for the upset. So going in it was not a case like say the Ali-Lyle fight were nobody like Ron's chances.

 

Excellent performance. But it is rated among his best 70's performances by most, so don't know if it's underrated.

 

Not really. He would post some of his finest performance after this. But it's harder to refute his claim that he was out of sorts after watching his brother nearly get decapitated by Foster in the joint header.

 

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Quarry was no joke, he demolished Shavers and smashed Lyle's unbeaten record among other things.

 

In ten rounds with Ali the poor fella wasn't really competitive in any of em.

 

I think Ali between Chuvalo II and Norton II showed a lot of glimpses of his old self.

 

Very true.

 

I thought this was poignant ( from first fight} :


Ali and Quarry generally did their best to soothe anxieties and lower temperatures. Conduct in the two camps was unimpeachable, indeed almost convivial. The whole Quarry clan, Okie in origin, its distrust seeping from the restlessness that has shaped its life, was in town most of the week. One afternoon, while Muhammad worked, there were nine Quarrys sitting grimly and stolidly in a row, reminiscent of some contemporary version of the Grant Wood painting American Gothic. When Muhammad finished in the ring, Quarry's mother—a strong yet gentle woman—and his grandmother walked over to the ring and spoke a few words to Ali. Muhammad took the mother's hand and said. "You can't be Jerry's mama, you too young. I don't believe it." The comment reflected a certain genuine softness that is often noticeable in Muhammad, and it certainly corresponded with his mood in the days before the fight, most of which he spent in meditation, seemingly hypnotized by the flickering light of the boxing films he had projected on a torn sheet tacked to his living room wall.

SMASHING RETURN OF THE OLD ALI - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com

 

I have that same magazine. I have watched both their fights multiple times. Sorry Jerry, no way you ever beat Ali.

 

No reason to change my mind from my original post on this thread, years ago.
Just to add, had watched it live closed circuit on the big screen. Gasps from the audience when Mike was alarmingly kayoed.
Ali would have won anyway, but unreasonable to think it had no effect on Jerry.