I love Quarry but he'd find it tough to counter someone as awkward as Spinks. Jerry always did better against boxer-punchers or sluggers but The Jinx was neither of those. Spinks by close decision.
I don't think Michael has anything to trouble Jerry with in the way of power, and he's a dangerously slow starter for dealing with the likes of JQ. Mike obviously has far superior stamina, but Jerry had a nasty body attack. Yes, I know all about what happened between JQ and former MW Ellis, but Jerry was hampered by a broken back from a bar fight going into that one. This is also an instance where Jerry may well have an edge in hand speed, definitely quickness with his trigger fists. Mobility is about equal, I think. What's so dangerous about predicting an outcome here is that the usual preference of both was to counter punch. Generalship could be crucial here in determining which one is more successful at getting the other drawn into traps. Physically, Jerry would be a tank in relative terms, but mentally, Michael was as smart and consistent as any ATG ring wise, while JQ was an unpredictable head case, sometimes winning when he should have lost (Mac Foster, Lyle, Spencer, Zanon...) and losing when he should have won (Frazier II, Chuvalo, Machen...). How often did JQ do what was expected of him aside from taking Shavers? (And even then, while Jerry was favored, how many expected the blowout he produced, even after what he'd done to Bodell and Corletti?) Excellent fantasy pairing, I believe, likely a provocative chess match, and I'll be interested to see what other posters have to say about this.
I think the problem for Jerry in this match-up is that whilst Mike was a bit Herky-Jerky whilst on the move, particularly when up against a bigger guy like Holmes or Cooney, when he actually opened up, Mike did have a cohesion, his combinations were fast and accurate indeed. - pre and post scamper, Jerry too could be very eye-catching when cutting loose ala Foster and Shavers, i think the difference i that Jerry specialised in the big but slow dreadnoughts, were his speed and mobility are the Ace, but give Jerry a class mobile boxer and he can struggle. Patterson and Ellis for example. And i remember an emerging - plateauing out - Larry Middleton giving Jerry a hard time in losing a close but clear decision, so, stylewise i think this favours Mike, Jerry will give Mike what he favours, someone stalking forward trying to pin him down, and on who he can suddenly open up on, Jerry on the other hand may think he has cornered Mike, only to take a flurry, and see Mike Scamper off, I Suspect Jerry would have Mike missing on occasion, he did the fast punching Ali in Ali's comeback, but making Mike miss, and achieving something more substantial or damaging might be easier said than done, Barring cuts Jerry will be competitive, and maybe on a few occasions having Mike look uncomfortable, but Mike will not be focused on the KO, if it comes so beit, but Mike i feel will be looking to keep ahead on points, so a mobile flurrying fight might be the winning formula that he sticks too, The Herky-Jerk is something of a Mirage, at the final bell Mike would be an Oasis of contentment i suspect. (Jerry might have a new excuse for blowing another big one ?)
I like Spinks by a decision, but who knows. The trouble that I have always had with Spinks is that his abilities at heavyweight are too diffiicult to gauge, given his short stay there and the KINDS of fights that we actually saw him in. My thinking is that if Jimmy Ellis could pull off a points win, then Michael could likely do it as well. Spinks was awkward, had a decent punch and was only down against one man at the end of his career, who at that point was one of the most dangerous punchers of all time. When we look at Quarry's win list against men like Shavers, Foster, Lyle, Paterson, etc, it seems almost inconceivable that he'd lose to Spinks, but then he had just as many downs as ups..
If Spinks won, it would either be by a close decision or a cut eye tko...no way is he slamming Quarry like he did Cooney.
That's a really good post, sums up Jerry Quarry's career. You just never new which Jerry would show up.
Jerry wins, his body attack and power will get to Spinks, Spinks starts out ahead for 5-6 rds then Jerry starts to break Spinks down by rd 10-11 Spinks is in trouble Jerry by TKO or KO
