Jerry Quarry vs. Joe Bugner

Quarry is quicker, harder puncher, better technically. Bugner was always in second gear. Quarry out hustles him for the decision.

 

Did Jerry get cut often? In Frazier 1 he did and in Ali 1 he did via what is thought a head butt, but did he otherwise? He was stopped in the Ali go because of it but was on his way out in the Frazier bout. What other fights of his are you saying he was "cut often" and stopped in?

 

Ron wasn't green when he fought Quarry having already beaten contenders Middleton and Mathis along with a number on the fringes, and Jerry's wins over the unbeaten Foster and Lyle, Patterson, and contenders Mathis, Spenser, Shavers, etc. were not duplicated in Joe's career. Bugners win over the aged Cooper was one of his highlights along with his losses to Ali and Frazier. When,,,,,Joe opened up he had a nice arsenal, but he seldom did and usually put the viewer to sleep. The left hook Frazier put Joe down with didn't have a huge amount of steam on it and I'm not sure Bugner wouldn't have hit the deck against Quarry's either.

 

I cant help but think that this is a rather frustrating evening in the making for Jerry, Joe's caution and negativity will i think frustrate Jerry who would be looking for an opponent his assets of toughness, punching power and combinations could be unleashed, But Joe i feel would Negate Jerry, Pinching points with his quick Jabs, and chinching, Joe was durable and Strong, as well as light on his feet, So when Stalker Jerry does corner Joe he probably gets claimed, a young Joe gave Joe Frazier a tough nights work, and when i recall how Jerry scrapped past Larry Middleton (who had beaten the Prospect Joe) then i think through styles...Jerry is in for a frustrating evening, Joe on Points close but clear The Bugher Jab and Grab...Hit and Flit gets the Job Done.

 

Joe had the right template, the combination of height, reach, mobility, speed and skill to neutralize Jerry from long range, if he keeps JQ on the front foot and denies countering opportunities. He had the combination of qualities necessary to frustrate Jerry at distance.

He could also pull a Bodell type walking tank job on the Belter, and passively let Irish J walk all over him.

Best for best, I think Joe takes a clear UD, and this from somebody who's a huge JQ fan. However, I believe Bugner was typically smarter, had the requisite stamina, punch resistance, and could outmaneuver Jerry from outside, able to hit without being hit in return by JQ's quicker but shorter arms. Jerry would need to be able to sustain Frazier I/Shavers swarming mode to prevail for the decision, not his preferred comfort zone. This is one time I definitely would not want to see Joe storm out of his corner as he did against Dunn. We saw what happened to Bodell when Jack attempted to pull that one on Jerry.

Although I consider Jerry's susceptibility to cuts to be a little overemphasized, Bugner did stop Wepner in that manner.

Sticking and moving from long distance was the way to beat Jerry, and Bugner was able to force even Ali into making the fight twice. Joe wouldn't forget to move, but he'd constantly have to remember to stick while doing so.

 

Four of his defeats are considered to have been on cuts. Ali I, Frazier I, Frazier II and Norton. Frazier II saw his face ripped open mid ring by a long right hand, very similar to the long right hand Cooney tore apart Jimmy Young's face with years later.

Jerry wasn't going to beat Frazier or Norton regardless of whether or not he was cut in any of those bouts. He was certain to gas. And Ali was off to a good start in 1970, regardless of how quickly winded and tired he later claimed he was getting after the layoff. He always found a way to suck it up from his gut to keep going and defeat his fatigue, even in a scheduled 15 rounder like that. [Actually, it would have been much better for Muhammad that Jerry had NOT gotten cut, as it would have provided competitive extension he desperately needed following his exile, rounds in the bank which would have served him extremely well when rushing into the FOTC.]

 

I hadn't thought of Frazier 2 as a cut matter, I remember Jerry going down from the body punch and having nothing left but along with being just being kind of beat up by Kenny that his face was becoming a mess too. It seems I never read anyone clearly seeing whether Ali's mitts or forehead caused the gash on Jerry in their first go, anyone clarify that?

 

Look Quarry's heart surpassed his skills ... he was terribly beaten in the second Ali fight and both Frazier fights .. oddly cuts hurt him worse in the first Ali bout where he might have pulled an upset if he was not so badly cut ... all being said Jerry beat better men that Jow did and I do see him outpointing him ...

 

Frazier was badly cut over his eye by a Frazier right hand during that second bout. It was after this bout that many felt Joe had finally developed a good right. He however never developed the coordination of being able to use his left and right together well.

 

A respectable loss over the full distance for Joe IMO.

 

He may be basing this on the stories from Ali's camp that he was gassed at the time of the stoppage. The second Ali fight was a shame to see as Jerry was messed up from seeing Mike ko'd brutally. Whatever he had to offer at that point in his career wasn't going to be seen. Against Norton Jerry had nothing left physically but Ken said that Jerry still hurt him with the body punches. In his prime Jerry may have caught Ken as he did Foster seeing that he didn't hold up well once tagged.