Harold Johnson vs Jerry Quarry

I am a big admirer of Quarry but he did struggle against cuties. He fought Patterson twice and never really looked good, Machen out boxed him, although as McVey pointed out, Jerry was still green and Jimmy Ellis was too smart for him whether you believe the bad back story or not. Quarry was amazing against big, hard punching lumps like Foster, Lyle and Shavers.
Johnson was a consummate smart counter puncher, the equal reaction to every action and I think Jerry would really struggle to pin him while Harold would be piling up the points with jabs and counters.
Johnson has 2 potential problems here, a serious lack of power at Heavyweight - Jerry could walk through big punchers let alone tap and move merchants - and a question mark over his chin.
Lets say it's over 12 rounds. Harold is way ahead by the end of the 9th and Quarry gets the word from the corner that he needs a KO. I can see Quarry coming out and just steaming forward ignoring Johnson's shots, pinning him on the ropes and banging away until Johnson drops. If Harold gets up it won't be for long.

 

Would be a tough fight. Johnson was a better boxer but also would be at the mercy of being naturally the smaller man. Wouldn’t be easy for either guy. Might lean towards Harold by a close decision. As previously mentioned, boxers seemed to give Jerry problems.

 

Harold Johnson shuts him out, Quarry never beat one decent boxer, he could counter sluggers who came at him in predictable patterns, but he couldn’t take it to a boxer, he didn’t have that skill set, he couldn’t close the ring off or take away a jab, he just ended up getting sloppy, I’m surprised by the amount picking Quarry here.
Harold Johnson schools him.