Actually, I was surprised by this one (Dec, 73) and consider it a bit of an anomaly. Earlier that year, Jerry looked 'chiseled' and in shape vs. Lyle. Showed up against Earnie a bit 'doughy' and...a few months later got clocked by Joe Alexander in the 1st, a huge shot that had Jerry bouncing off the canvas; to be fair a lot of things not in Jerry's favor: divorce, coke, semi-"punch drunk", etc. IMO just don't see Quarry doing that to Shavers with repeated bouts.
he got counter punched by a far more experienced fighter, and Jerry had to pound him out after that, I'd have picked Shavers in a rematch
Bumpy Davis: I also was at the Shavers-Jimmy Ellis fight at The Garden in New York when Shavers caught Ellis with one single uppercut in the first round and the fight was over. I also attended the Shavers-Jerry Quarry fight at The Garden when Jerry knocked out Shavers with some vicious shots. Quarry was a tough fighter but couldn’t get past the “big boys” of that era, Norton, Frazier, Ali.
The complete film shows the celebrity fighter introductions ....I think Foreman was introduced....and Shavers' manager Don King was flailing about. Quarry was liked very much by the MSGarden crowd, and he fought his heart out for them whether he won or lost. Quarry in a "shoot-out" is always great to watch.
Frazier & Ali were tough opponents in any era when Quarry fought Norton however he was a shell of his former self, He rocked Norton in that fight but Quarry admitted afterwards he was drinking & coking & hardly trained for Norton
On another fight tape from a different mike, you can hear Gil Clancy saying: "Careful Jerry, careful..box" As Jerry sees something, then opens up on Shavers.
Quarry would have always been poison for Shavers. He was a durable guy who could bang and counterpunch. Shavers was not a good boxer, not that durable, didnt have great stamina, and relied his power. Basically Quarry could use Shavers best assets against him and turn him inside out. Rather than a fluke this is one Id favor Jerry most times out.