Ken Norton vs Jerry Quarry

24th of March, 1975.............New York, USA
vacant NABF heavyweight title

[@Anglagard1]

Norton beats Quarry beats Shaver beats Norton beats Ali beats Foreman beats Frazier beats Quarry. All of them warriors in a warrior era.

[@MarcosSantos-gh8jp]

And you did not even mention Ron Lyle ......Great era!

[@robertoday7526]

James Rozoff great point

[@billlegere3886]

James Rozoff I always loved watching Kenny Norton fight. Held a mighty bias towards Larry Holmes when he took the title away from Norton. I have to admit...Holmes probably did out point Kenny in that title fight, especially the early rounds, but it was close on the cards and Kenny certainly took the later rounds. It's great fun to be able to watch all these fantastic fighters and their various matches against one another. Thanks to all who post these classic fights.

[@danielsalimbee3702]

I always said that just because "A" can beat "B" and "B" can beat "C" doesn't mean "A" can beat "C".

[@philfrank9226]

Marcos: who is Lyle?

[@MrMarco855]

The announcer said Quarry has the best let hook in the business,...............better than Joe Frazier? I don't think so............

[@jakelamotta2387]

Exactly Frazier belted Quarry's face with the left hook several times throughput the fight. Quarrys had no effect on Joe at all.

[@joshuatree5620]

@George Frank What are you talking about?.Ali threw accumulating punches that would total Huge Damage,Ali didnt have 1 punch KO power like Foreman yet he knocked Foreman out.Quarry on the other hand was a cruiserweight who simply didn't have the power due to his size.

[@joshuatree5620]

@George Frank the point remains,Quarry was known as the hardest puncher of all the small heavyweights (200 and under)

[@joshuatree5620]

@George Frank Agreed,Quarry was damaged goods,too many Gym wars.and Frazier left hooks.

[@Dazlingmagic]

Maybe the second best!

[@Pihasanddunes1]

Remarkable variety of punches from Norton in this fight, more than usual. Those left hooks and righr uppercuts did so much damage, along with Kenny's usual left jab and chopping or looping right. He really showed how many strings he had to his bow, and how the great era he was in meant he never had the reign as champ that he deserved. Tribute too to Jerry Quarry's courage, wow, the man was so much more than a journeyman, but again, look at the era he was in.

[@cortezfernandez7475]

This is clearly the golden age of heavyweights, by far. Ali, Frazier, Foreman, Holmes, Norton, Quarry, Shavers, Lyle, some tough tough rough competition. This is 1 of many reasons Ali is the greatest. Ali during this time wasn't even at his very best yet he dominated the heavily loaded dvision.

[@JamalMeasara]

true words

[@MichaelSimmons.]

Ali was completely beaten by Norton in the 3rd fight. Jimmy Young easily out boxed Ali in their fight. But the judges gave the fights to Ali. And Ali was beaten by a very average fighter, in Leon Spinks. Doesn't make him the greatest, in my book.

[@thespy7795]

Ali was diagnosed with Parkinson's Syndrome in 1975, Ali was PAST his prime when he came back. The Fact he won those fights MAKES HIM THE GREATEST THAT EVER LIVED YOU IDIOT! Plus he BEAT NORTON in the 3rd fight. Norton stopped fighting for long stretches during each round. Idiot.

[@ifyoueverfind78]

frazier was almost as good as ali. and in the first fight, better...but ali showed to , yes be the greatest..it was close sometimes...

[@micowikstrom7182]

He dominated score card referees.

[@johnstr1zz13]

I'm not surprised poor Jerry Quarry got punch drunk. He was a warrior who never quit. RIP!

[@petertravere5080]

Norton was much better than his results would suggested. He should have been world champ for a very long time!

[@georgemendes6844]

Peter Travere Norton deserved the nod in the Third Ali fight. He would be a wealthy Champion.

[@petertravere5080]

Thanks - poor Kenny never got the respect he deserved. He was a gentleman too.

[@fadethetrade]

Peter Travere norton was not that good.crystal chin.ANY good puncher ko's him in 1 or 2.

[@williamcavanagh8982]

Norton was never the Undisputed World Champion. he lost important fights to top notch opponents...this is undisputed allot like Tommy Morrison. Both were a step or 2 behind top of the line.

[@avi10000]

Noo way. Norton couldn't stand a ferocious puncher like foreman and shavers.

[@michaelferreri1256]

Quarry was always a major league banger. Tough as hell. It was enjoyable seeing Norton looking so sharp. Great post!

[@markbrant6955]

R.I.P Ken Norton and Jerry Quarry.

[@JP-Putster]

J Q had a heart as big as California and Ireland combined !

[@jondon205]

this is how real man use to fight in the ring.

[@milo5126]

Ken was good!!

[@joeygonzo]

RIP Jerry and Kenny

[@gjc82071]

Quarry was a tuff SOB. (& had 1 of the best chins in boxing) He was a lot better than many people give him credit for & he didn't have an ounce of quit in him.

[@HT-vf7ok]

I'd have to say jerry was a fool to keep going like that. You got to know when to throw the towel in. He didn't value his face that's for sure.

[@gjc82071]

@@HT-vf7ok Some guys just won't quit. They're either gotta be KOed or the ref has to stop it. Sadly, Jerry's chin was too tough for his own good. Accumulated damage from lack of attention to defense against larger men at the top level, no head guard sparring, and attempted comebacks in 1977, 1983 and 1992 resulted in Quarry developing an unusually severe case of dementia pugilistica. Unable to perform everyday tasks, dependent on his family, and with the fortune he had earned frittered away, Quarry died at 53 years old.

[@billwhite9703]

He was a disaster. Took too much punishment.

[@dukeholidai]

Would’ve loved to see Frazier vs Norton, Frazier vs Lyle, Norton vs Lyle, Foreman vs Quarry, Frazier vs Liston, Norton vs Liston, Holmes vs Frazier, Foreman vs Liston, & Quarry vs Liston. Ali fought and defeated them all (except for Holmes)

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

Frazier and Norton had the same corner, same managers. So that fight wasn't going to happen. There is footage of them sparring. I too would have liked to have seen Norton fight Lyle. I like Lyle early in that fight, Norton late. Too bad it never happened.

[@3rdStoneObliterum]

FIGHT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOPPED 4 MINUTES EARLIER THAN IT WAS.

[@Emeraldisle4ever]

'Jerry Quarry' God bless him fighting his little Heart out as he always did, he may not have been the most Talented Boxer to have ever Stepped into the ring but sure as hell was he a Brave little one, 'Kenny Norton' God bless him to was an ex Marine who was Strong as an Ox and all Muscle, this was a really Good fight and no way was it gonna last the full 12 Rounds and may God give a Bed in Heaven to both these Brave Fighter's.

[@TWS-pd5dc]

Quarry was one tough heavyweight. Lost to Ali and Frazier twice but those up and coming heavyweights always made the mistake of taking on Quarry, thinking it was a stepping stone to getting a title shot. Jerry beat in a 8 year span Floyd Patterson, Thad Spencer, Buster Mathis, Mac Foster, Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers. Only Floyd was somewhat past his prime,the others were all top 10 guys on the cusp of title shots. In fact George Foreman admitted he avoided Quarry until he was champ. Likely George would have beaten Jerry but he knew enough to not fight him until it was necessary. I heard Oscar Bonavena also avoided Quarry. That would have been a great fight!

[@paulgarcia9825]

Great fight. Toe to toe brawling,non stop! Fantastic. Not much defense,all offense. They both caught plenty of leather. But Norton was clearly the stronger fighter. You don't see a lot of fights like this anymore. Golden age of heavy weights. Quarry would have demolished most fighters with that barrage of punches in the second and third round. Norton was hurt, but recovered and came roaring back. Not a fight to be missed. Instant classic.

[@sosuper7]

Great respect for this fighting Irishman,but he was hopelessly outclassed in this bout.

[@pukulu]

excellent fight and great performance by Norton. Quarry had a rock chin but he took too many punches.

[@BazookaTooth707]

He should've dropped Norton at 18:40 but the referee intervened. Jerry also had the shortest reach in his division during the greatest heavyweight era. He had to get inside his opponents and there was no way he wouldn't take a beating. He was truly valiant just like Rocky

[@pukulu]

Joe Frazier did not have much of a reach either. I loved both of the Frazier-Quarry fights. There was very little clinching and a lot of inside fighting.

[@billwhite9703]

Quarry was one of the saddest, stupidest stories in boxing.

[@pukulu]

Jerry Quarry could take a punch but ended up taking too many of them and sustained brain damage. I remember reading that if he was allowed to walk around his neighborhood, he sometimes got lost and could not find his way home.@@billwhite9703

[@oneeyedman99]

I've never seen another fight ever where a boxer took this many head-snapping shots. Give Quarry credit for guts, but it's obvious after three rounds that Norton will win, Quarry would probably have lived longer had they stopped it then.

[@barblessable]

good point Mr Orwell [,I've read some of your books . ] Quarry was such a sad figure at the end.

[@liveclassictunes]

R.I.P. Ken Norton... one of the greatest fighters of all time.

[@ZION82able]

Norton was dominant here. Quarry was overwhelmed.

[@barblessable]

Brutal , Norton what a physique ,little wonder that he had 3 very close fights with Ali , I was shocked that Quarry was allowed to come out for the 5th round he had fought the previous 2 rounds on instinct I've never seen a braver tougher fighter,but shame on his corner men and doctor , thankfully the ref was more merciful .

[@vestibulate]

jock barblessable Gil Clancy kept sending him out there. I never saw Clancy take a punch, but an awful lot of his fighters ended up with severe damage.

[@barblessable]

too true, I think Quarry's brother was in his corner as well ,so much for brotherly love.

[@vestibulate]

@@barblessable Both Quarry brothers ended up in care and died of injuries inflicted in the ring. The third brother refused to follow their father's guidance and pursued a different life. He ended up looking after the two boys who made their Dad proud.

[@barblessable]

@@vestibulate Thanks Tom ,good to hear from someone who kows his stuff , but really the boxing authorities should be held to account and the boxers better protected ,with regular brain scans ,there is enough money in boxing to cover better care for them ,"money doesn't talk it swears" [Bob Dylan] and the money men don't step through the ropes.

[@vestibulate]

@@barblessable Agreed. Brain scans after every fight are essential. Standards must be set and adhered to. One of the greatest abuses involves top fighters who stay too long because they continue to generate big paydays for promoters, managers and networks. Fighters should be de-licensed once the test results are unfavorable. These men should be able to enjoy a full life, without winding up in a care home at fifty.

[@paulbrooks9957]

Man, Quarry really took a lot of shots to the head. He paid for it later on in his life. Dementia puglistica (punch drunk). Sad. He was quite a Man.

[@danielsalimbee3702]

Great Fighter, Feared no one , Often Fought guys 30-50 lbs. heavier.

[@billoddiea]

Paul Brooks Hell of a man...

[@kevinmunday5782]

yet chuvalo took as many if not more and he is still going strong, life is strange at times ??

[@boxeolocopunch762]

@@kevinmunday5782 and foreman is well too and he took a lot of punches on his comebach..what a chin

[@kevinquinn3763]

His brother Mike suffered that same fate. How totally sad.

[@tuutts39]

My my my ....... ken norton was a literal ADONIS!

[@davidgriffiths7696]

An absolute hammering, Quarries brain must have been half liquidised the way his head was getting punched about the ring. Savage hits no wonder a lot of them paid for it in retirement.

[@eulissbeniot9024]

Yes and it wasn't worth the price either

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Most fighters acquire a brain disease at some point in life. Quarry was no different. Unlike a Ram, with it's extra thick skull and "bubble wrapped" brain, humans were not meant to absorb this kind of assault, on a repeated basis.

[@NelsonMontana1234]

It's amazing that Norton gave Ali so much trouble. Whenever he fought a top contender, be it Holmes, Shavers, Cooney, Foreman and even Quarry, he got his brains bashed in.

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Excellent post, Nelson. Styles make fights. Shavers, Cooney and Foreman were sluggers. Even Quarry could hurt you and fought a brawling-type style. Ali fought well against these types because his chin was better than Kenny's. Norton didn't get his chin tested, against Ali, as frequently as the others. Holmes was more in the Ali mold. However, when he fought him, Kenny was about to turn 35 and in his 45th (out of 50) professional fight.

[@tuutts39]

Why so many excuses for Quarry, and none for the blaque fighters? They were ALL amazing, courageous, and crazy athletes. All of them. Thanks so much for this upload.

[@shawncrawford8339]

Come on now we know why lol But this was the saddest and worst whopping I’ve ever seen. Norton was a beast then

[@steveorules9893]

Never see another era like this again. During the late 60's and 70's just so many warriors and 15rds

[@abedrosian]

Ken Norton was a beast in 1975 and in fantastic condition. He also had a great left jab. I admire Jerry Quarry but he looked out of shape for this one and took allot of punishment. Both men were true warriors though.

[@robertfullerjr802]

Norton was a favorite of mine as s kid but his biggest flaw was not following up on the offense when his opponent is hurt but otherwise sensational boxer

[@anthonycrystal33]

OUCH! Quarry took so many shots, you would almost think he intentionally was blocking the punches with his face!

[@loughran03]

Quarry was way over the hill when he fought Norton

[@jerrylanglois7892]

Now I can see why Quarry ended up with dementia -- poor guy.

[@j.s.martin9362]

And plenty of booze

[@richardv.582]

Jerry gave it everything he had,it just wasnt enough anymore.

[@eutelio1]

Quarry was really a very very good fighter

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

He was. He just had short arms and an terrible tendency to get cut.

[@Dazlingmagic]

The greatest decade for heavyweight boxing! (with the 1990's in at number 2!) Two very talented boxers who may well have dominated another ere!

[@sherom]

Quarry definitely a tough fighter with a lot of heart, he lacks on defense big time....he moves forward, but seems like he don't care if he gets hit ....Great fight...the announcers should of stayed home on this night !

[@bretteader6758]

This is hard to watch. Quarry didn’t stand a chance against Norton at this point in time. He’s literally a freaking punching bag and that blurred line between courageous and dumb is pretty fine. RIP both of these men.

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Usually, the athlete is the last to know when he is done. He keeps thinking that, if he only trains harder or changes diet, "it" will come back again. The closest people around him see the decline, but lack the heart to tell him. For they, too, are dreamers.

[@jakelamotta2387]

Nortons defence is jst amazing one hand across the the body with one across the face. The constant feinting with his right hand protecting his jaw. So futuristic back then.

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Joe Frazier used the same style.

[@panzerriff]

Exciting fight.The Quarry of 1968-70 would have knocked Norton out.Quarry was badly faded by this time.

[@brandonrael7891]

He truly was, but he had another peak run in 1973 when we beat Shavers. It's amazing how fast Quarry deteriorated in several years. Which is very similar to Muhammad Ali from 1994-75 to 1977-78....such a dramatic drop-off.

[@davidbrandel1311]

Chris Reidy quarry broke his hand against Shavers and was never the same.

[@PhilAndersonOutside]

@@brandonrael7891 He beat Ron Lyle just before the Shavers win as well.

[@michaelf6327]

I'm a Ken Norton fan, but Jerry is as tough as ANYONE!!

[@jammerstud99]

Quarry was a true competitor, I like these old fights.

[@LordofDublin4]

Jerry Quarry was a champ in spirit. He was as tough and game as they come. He just wasn't as good as Ali, Frazier, and Norton. Quarry beat some tough men .... Shavers, Lyle, an Chuvalo. It's a shame Quarry and all took too many shots. May they all R.I.P.

[@MrDjtuck]

That was a great fight. Though Jerry Quarry was only 30 years old, he was an "Old 30" by Boxing standards. Prior to fighting Norton, Jerry had already been in the ring with Ali and Frazier (Twice with both) and took a beating all 4 times. In my opinion, Jerry's best fight was his First Round KO of Earnie Shavers. Both Norton & Quarry were all time greats. Both men fought the best of the best in the Heavyweight Division. It's a shame that Boxing's Heavyweight Division (Year 2016) is full of Tomato Cans.

[@jp3923]

+dave andrews You couldn't have summarized it better. I was devastated to see Jerry's condition in the aftermath of his career. I was very surprised when you indicated he was just 30 years old in the Norton fight. He was a real warrior but paid a huge price for it. Sadly he had so little monetarily to show for his outstanding career.

[@MrDjtuck]

The last few years of Jerry's life were sad. He increasingly lost his mental cognitive ability and near the end he became "Severely Retarded" for lack of a better term.

[@MrMarco855]

Can you imagine Ali against Tyson Fury? Fury would look so goofy and slow;........Ali would smack him 100 times before Fury moved his hands.

[@br369]

Not just by Ali. Fury would also get ko'ed by both Quarry and Norton.

[@MrMarco855]

Bruno Rukavina By Laila Ali as well.......

[@barrybeasley5504]

QUARRY HAD THE HEART OF A LION !! HE CAME ALONG AT THE WRONG TIME ...WHEN THE DIVISION WAS AT ITS BEST .FULL OF BIGGER HALL OF FAME FIGHTERS .

[@Skrelnick222]

Boxing is weird like this. Quarry stomped Shavers. Shavers annihilated Norton. Norton beat the crap out of Quarry. It's like some bizarre fight triangle. That's why boxing is exciting. Anything can happen.

[@kylet5483]

Same with Ali, Frazier and Foreman

[@Anglagard1]

I was just about to say the same thing, then looked to see if it had been said already. I was thinking the same about Ali/Frazier/Foreman. At any rate, they were good fighters all, part of a great era of boxing. Nothing to compare it to today.

[@tomshelton4545]

You're right. Roberto Duran beat Iran Barkley. Iran Barkley beat Gerrie Coetzee. Gerrie Coetzee beat Leon Spinks. Leon Spinks beat Muhammad Ali. Therefore, Roberto Duran is the greatest fighter of all time!

[@kevingolden1401]

Tom Shelton Jerry Quarry would be 59-1 with 57 knockouts if he were fighting in today's era. Norton would be 60-0 with 58 knockouts if he were fighting in today's era.

[@BazookaTooth707]

Jerry was old and faded at this point ca'mon.

[@JackB733]

Jerry had some amazing heart and was tough as hell, but this shows how the poor guy got to the heart breaking state he was in later on in life.

[@joshuatree5620]

Most Definitely,Quarry had a habit of hitting his opponents with low blows.probably a defence mechanism to get them to stop punching him for a while.

[@munchkiecocoa4531]

To me, what is just as sad as how Jerry Quarry’s health betrayed him, is the fact that so few people have seen him at his best. And what’s even more important than WHO he beat, it’s HOW he beat them. There’s a reason why Muhammad Ali and George Foreman, among many others, respected him. The way he deconstructed big men with big punches was like watching a surgeon at the operating table. In his prime, the ONLY two men who were Jerry’s true superiors were Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier. George Foreman feared no man, but did indeed know that Quarry had the capability of taking him into deeper waters (later rounds). KenNirton purposely waited for Quarry to be washed up, in retirement, and with only two weeks to train to fight him, and even then Jerry went toe to toe. The Jimmy Ellis fight? Quarry went into the fight with a broken back and lost a split decision. The George Chivo fight? Quarry was winning all the way and when he voluntarily took a knee, he misread the referee count. And to all this people who blamed his health on fighting, his mother and sister died from dimentia too. Hint: They weren’t boxers.

[@thatguyoverthere11]

"Look again! The ref saved Norton from going down!" No, YOU look again. Norton dodges Quarry's right at 18:39, returns with a left, and then they both throw (missed) rights at the same time that wrap around each other and lurch Norton forward. The ref jumps in to prevent a slip and reset it from there (and gives Quarry a free shot in the process).

[@DarkFlames3]

Nope, both right hands clearly landed on Norton, and his knees buckled after the second right hand.

[@Tonyconner74]

@@DarkFlames3 Yep I saw that too what the he'll was the ref doing?...... Looks like a fix!

[@Lord_Hillcrest]

Prevent a slip ? That was a legit punch from Quarry , the ref stopped him from falling .

[@Lord_Hillcrest]

@@DarkFlames3 Yep he was going down .

[@thatguyoverthere11]

@@Lord_Hillcrest @Dark Flames I see people have been using my comment as a springboard to build fantasy land, without KZbin telling me. Look, there's nothing to say, if you're just going to belch the contrary at me come hell or high water, but if you go to the aforementioned time and slow it down to the slowest playback speed KZbin offers (1/4), you WILL see Quarry miss and pull Norton foreward by their arms getting linked. Nobody looking for what really happened who sees that will side with you.

[@markunrau2493]

the raspy voice commentator John is the best...great fight and good to point out anyone's chances like Shavers getting ko'd in 1 by Quarry then getting Norton in 1

[@mickelsmickle8668]

What great fighter's

[@MichaelSimmons.]

You could hit Quarry with a sledge hammer, and you couldn't knock him down. He was the toughest fighter I ever saw. Great fight guys.

[@E.Carrillo]

Jerry Quarry can never finish a fight. He is always being stopped.

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

He isn't stopped. He's stopped by cuts, referees, doctors, cornermen......

[@sconner6822]

Both great guys rest in peace

[@jimmyd4153]

I watch Kenny train for this fight as a 17 year old kid at Grossingers Hotel in NewYork. Inspired me to go into boxing myself.

[@shadicalplayz8932]

Quarry gave norton helluva fight, you can see it in the 3rd round

[@pukulu]

Norton was strong as heck on the inside. His chin was not the best but it was good enough in this fight. Quarry didn't quite connect with his biggest punches or the fight could have had a different result. It was a great fight, very competitive for awhile, although Quarry's defense abandoned him and Norton just killed him as the fight progressed. The cut around Quarry's eye impeded his vision and probably had something to do with Quarry's poor defense.. Still, Quarry wanted to continue as the fight was called off, probably wisely.

[@aidanjalbert7180]

That 3rd round was epic

[@SingleTax]

Quarry is one of the reasons why the cruiserweight division was created.

[@jp3923]

SingleTax, you have a point. Jerry and Floyd Patterson were made for that weight class and would have dominated it.

[@ogdocvato]

Jerry Quarry soaks up powerful head shots like a wild boar.

[@neiloshodges2816]

And he paid a very high price for it.

[@ogdocvato]

Neilos Hodges Did he ever.

[@AWinkandSmile]

Quarry fought in one of the greatest heavyweight divisions of all time.

[@kevinquinn3763]

May Quarry and his brother RIP.

[@threerings1345]

Amazingly Ken Norton said he got that physique without ever lifting weights his entire career. He credited genetics and years of extremely hard, dedicated gym work during training.

[@TWS-pd5dc]

I was lucky enough to meet Norton at an autograph show a few years before he passed away. I mentioned the Quarry fight but he swore he was not hurt in the 3rd round, just wanted to let Quarry punch himself out. Said Quarry stung him a few times but he was not in any real trouble. Probably he was telling the truth. Quarry by that time in his career was pretty much spent and besides, he only had about 3 weeks to train for this fight. Big mistake, Norton was a very good fighter, Quarry never should have taken the fight unless he had the usual 2-3 months to train for it.

[@danielalejajimenezalvarado1170]

Descansen en paz!!

[@miketyson1240]

a "prime" Quarry does not beat Norton. He does better but still loses

[@munchkiecocoa4531]

Jerry would have beaten Norton unquestionably. He was far more skilled and took take a great punch. Even coming out of retirement with only two weeks of training he gave Kenny a lot to think about for 3 rounds until cut.

[@6400az]

Watch this sequence here. Norton backs Quarry into the corner and hits him with everything he's got, Quarry responds and has Norton on his bicycle. The refferee does something weird here and breaks them up, the announcers did'nt even noticed anything 18:05

[@bigboy501]

That was definitely strange.

[@davidbrandel1311]

6400az when the referee waved them back into action Norton was holding his left dangerously low. A hard overhand right by Quarry might have been enough to do the trick, but I think he was still trying to wrap his head around Lo Bianco breaking them up seconds earlier. He’s wide open and he probably wouldn’t even have seen it coming.

[@robertfullerjr802]

I'm damn proud of both my dudes .....i respect cats thay can fight not scratch (nowadays)Kenny and Jerry got my props👊

[@kevinmunday5782]

i wish jerry had retired like he said he would if he lost this fight . he was pretty good at the start but as the fight wore on, as so often before and sadly later quarry took way too many head punches. His corner just kept wheeling him out round after round, when it was obvious jerry was beat. his heart kept him up but his head couldnt take it. so sad how it all ended for jerry quarry....

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

If Quarry's arms were as long as his heart, he would have been heavyweight champion at some point. Then there was the problem of those cuts. Guy would develop a gash over his eye just listening to the national anthem.

[@thatguyoverthere11]

Can't say I get the Jerry Quarry fans claiming "prime" Quarry would have won. The Quarry they're referring to had difficult, dead-even fights with Jimmy Ellis and Floyd Patterson. Ken Norton had difficult, dead-even fights with Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes. Do I even need to say more?

[@polymath7]

+itstheblueguy Norton also got clobbered by Ernie Shavers, who Quarry starched in one round. You have to be careful with comparisons like this.

[@thatguyoverthere11]

+polymath7 Norton was pushing 36 when that happened, a year and two matches after enduring the fight of both his and Larry Holmes' life. Should we also take into account how Quarry in his late 30s could barely beat 23-25-2 James Williams? How he lost to 3-4-1 Ron Cranmer next? How he lost to an aged, won-1-of-his-last-6-fights Eddie Machen? How he got knocked out by George Chuvalo, during his prime? I'm guessing not.

[@polymath7]

itstheblueguy Quarry was already experiencing dementia pugilistica by his late thirties. Shavers was only two years younger than Norton, but I guess that could mean a lot if you actually think Norton deteriorated precipitouslyin the year since his fight with Holmes. (Who, by the way, handed Norton his ass in one of the most falsely reported fights of the seventies. Like Ali-Foreman, that wasn't even close to close.)

[@thatguyoverthere11]

+polymath7 Not that he was at his PEAK against Homes, but... yeah, it's really not debatable. In his fight right after Shavers, and then the one after that, Norton had trouble overpowering Scott LeDoux and Tex Cobb, who weren't in the same league as anyone being discussed here. When you're an active boxer, your 30s are Russian roulette. As each number goes by, you're more likely to be shot. The list of fighters who didn't have it anymore at 34, while long, is a lot shorter than 36. (Not to mention that Shavers, the ultimate glass cannon, is already a poor point of comparison, even without the age factor. Either he knocked you out first or you knocked him out first - or he just didn't show up. There were virtually no exceptions not named Muhammad Ali. Should we debate whether Ron Stander and 32-31 Bob Stallings were better than Norton too, while we're at it?) Also, Norton's fight with Holmes not even close? Says you and nobody else in history, including Larry Holmes. There's still discussion today on whether Norton was the actual winner of that one.

[@mdmcdd1117]

Prime Quarry knocks him out!!!

[@EvGGuNNeR]

+Christopher David D. For sure.

[@mdmcdd1117]

Yeah late 60's early 70's.

[@jonbathurst4936]

yeah surprised Norton got this one.

[@alfonsecoppola5938]

Quarry,too tough and brave for his own good throughout his career

[@kevinmahon7848]

Wow 3rd round better then 1st round Quarry Frazier. On this 45th anniversary God Bless My Hero Jerry Quarry and Ken Norton.

[@eutelio1]

Ken Norton winner ... mmmhhh ....

[@ferkanferkanovich5968]

those times boxers are really more exciting

[@mrtruthforever]

People forget that Jerry Quarry was basically a lightheavy weight who spent a career fighting some of the greatest true heavyweights in the history of the sport with a conservative boxing style. There is no doubt that a career of being pounded by bigger fighters lead to his tragic dementia. He was a true "fighter" in every sense of the word.

[@robertdecker146]

Basically A cruiserweight you mean. Quarry weighed 207 in this bout and I can clearly see that he was carrying excessive weight around the midsection area. His prime weight was 190-197. Quarry was born in 1945. Height 6'-0 -1/4" , reach 72". His prime years were basically between 1967-1973. Between 22-28 years of age.

[@carltonbanks5470]

What led to his dementia was lack of defense. He simply got hit way too often. His size had nothing to do with that since 200 - 205 was a common weight for heavyweights back then. Both Ali and Norton were around 205 in their 1st fight.

[@mrtruthforever]

@@carltonbanks5470 Ring magazine cited that Ali weighed 216.5 (217) and Quarry' weighed 197.5. The Ring Announcer mistakenly (or intentionally) announced Ali's weight at 213, making the difference look smaller. But Ali's team wanted a smaller opponent for his comeback trail.

[@carltonbanks5470]

@@mrtruthforever None of that has anything to do with what I just stated. Weight has nothing to do with lack of defense. Size over 190 has enough punching power to floor anyone. Weight has nothing to do with a boxer's skill level. Can you comprehend? Stop with these lame ass excuses that dont make any sense. Ali was 190 when he beat Liston.

[@mrtruthforever]

@@carltonbanks5470 What does the fact that Ali beat Liston in a questionable fight with the famous punch that couldn't crush a grape have to do with physics? Force is equal to mass time acceleration. In your imagination weight differentials over 190 pounds don't effect Force? Go back to school.

[@Curtis75156]

Quarry was pretty much shot at this time. He looked dreadful in the 2nd fight vs Frazier in June 1974, no snap on his punches no muscle tone. Even in the tune fight before Frazier Jerry looked horrible against Joe Alexander, getting dropped before stopping Alexander. Norton originally suppose to fight Oscar Bonavena, but Oscar pulled out, and Quarry took the fight on 2 weeks notice. 207 lbs was actually very heavy for Quarry, as he usually weight just under 200 in the latter part of his career.

[@6400az]

Looking at it again. The ref. helped keep Norton form falling 18:40

[@ddland45]

+6400az I just saw that too! Norton was clearly staggered by Quarry and his knees buckled before the ref jumped in and separated them. Damn! Given how brittle Norton's jaw was, I wonder what might have been.......

[@6400az]

+ddland45 Had him in trouble . Quarry was an excellent finisher, tags Norton one or two more times it's lights out. Don't know what the hell the ref was thinking.

[@counterstriving]

+6400az The only punch from Quarry that connected flush at all or looked to have any power was the left, but that was AFTER the ref had already gotten there.

[@6400az]

counterstriving I see what you're saying.... there where two fairly good rights before though. One seemed like it hit him on the chin, the one that had Norton's knees buckling was the right just before the left hook.Caught him on the forehead.

[@counterstriving]

+6400az I wish we could see a replay from one or two other angles. I just watched in slow motion, and those rights look to me like they just barely grazed Norton. Did Norton trip on something? (which would explain why the referee came over). Considering how things went for the following minute it didn't seem that Norton was much affected by whatever had happened.

[@perkinsvalentine]

I doubt Quarry would do anything different in his life, such as Ali. The Golden age of the heavyweights and undisputed champions immortalized these guys, champions and contenders alike. Everyone fought everyone at their best. Even Ali had to fight a dozen times between Frazier 1 and the Forman fight, had to fight his way back. Make no mistake promoters gave the game a good screwing after these guys made boxing huge.

[@jodtan9256]

one of the best bouts.

[@joeygonzo]

Quarry was 207 but he drank a gallon of water before the weigh in. And has steel in his shorts. True story.

[@counterstriving]

With Quarry it was a matter of how far he could get before getting cut.

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Exactly, counterstriving. As soon as Quarry got that gash over his right eye, he new it was now or never, and punched himself out. His already questionable defense got worse with fatigue and he became a pinata. But, before he got cut...that was the Quarry nobody wanted anything to do with.

[@pnutbutrncrackers]

Brutal, punishing fight. Terrible coming together of factors for Quarry: out-sized (as usual), poor head movement against a quicker man with a withering jab, and ironically his amazing ability to take a punch. All of these combined for a nightmare of an outing for Jerry. Wouldn't be a bit surprised if this fight was a major contributor to his later tragic deterioration. His brother thought so. Hard to watch.

[@miraposajehano4309]

Quarry was the Irish version of Canadian George Chuvalo: an incredible punching bag that could sustain heavy damage without ever falling down. He took successive beating from Ali, Frazier and Foreman before he fought Norton, he was, in my eyes back then today, a punch drunk fighter whose best fights were behind him.

[@George18798]

Size doesn't matters. They would have dominate heavyweight division with easy nowadays and there is no doubts about it.

[@deppyjohn7]

I have NEVER seen a boxer take so many clean hard punches, so many of which jolted his head from side to side, than Quarry - what a chin and WHAT a brave man! I reckon this fight alone must have contributed greatly to Jerry's dementia problems he suffered before he died at a relatively young age. R.I.P., Jerry - you sure deserve to.

[@tomquinn7896]

God speed Jerry and Ken!

[@kbhfreedomtreehead897]

Quarry had no business other than needing cash to be in the ring at this point. Just a shell if himself at this point. His last great fight even though a loss was against Frazier. Sad to see this battering.

[@jakelamotta2387]

18:37 Why tf did the ref step in. Guy needs his face belted. Quarry could argue he had Norton buckling.

[@KC0462]

I agree norton was going down

[@mikemccarthy1398]

Sadly quarry's granite chin ended up being he's downfall in life. Best era in heavyweight history.

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Lots of fighters have this happen. Quarry, Ali, Frazier, Holifield and Hearns, just to name a handful, seemed/seem to have degenerative brain conditions.

[@eulissbeniot9024]

He destroyed Quarry

[@lunitari74]

Holy crap, what a fight!!!

[@bolt4694]

Quarry - "Why am I doing this for a living?"

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Bolt, this may explain why. "It's like being in love with a woman. She can be unfaithful, she can be cruel, but it doesn't matter. If you love her, you want her, even though she can do you all kinds of harm. It's the same with me and boxing. It can do me all kinds of harm but I love it." - Floyd Patterson

[@lionelwitherspoon5410]

Quarry was a good fighter. If they had a cruiserweight divison he would have been a champion. He was too small for the heavyweights.

[@mariastenljung9159]

When I look back at this fight, Quarry did a lot better than I remembered, the last punches by Norton was brutal

[@Agorante]

Norton was a big strong fighter with a limited style. But it was exactly the right style to beat Quarry. Jerry Quarry beaten a lot of good fighters in his time but he was too brave for his own good. He stood right in front of his opponent and traded big shots. Norton it - appears in this footage - had arms a foot longer than Quarry. Quarry was doomed.

[@Jon-up3st]

Quarry had not fought or trained in over a year. That was the difference.

[@sportshistorybuff]

Not entirely true. Quarry beat George Scrap Iron Johnson a month or two before this fight. The fight was a ten round decision for Jerry in Hawaii. Not sure how much training he did for Johnson but it is a fact Quarry took the fight with Norton on ten days notice, and was stoned on cocaine when he agreed to the fight over the phone. One letter writer to Ring Magazine said Quarry looked like he trained for the fight on pizza and beer.

[@anthonydileonardo8156]

I always wanted to see a Jerry Quarry/Ron Stander bout

[@JackChiefton]

Quarry displayed STAGGERING defense…yeah with his face.

[@harryking9674]

If Jerry only could punch he had a big heart but he never had big power he would fight anyone

[@DrSeuss-nv9hw]

Yes, a bigger punch, longer arms, better defense and cut-proof skin. A few more inches taller would have helped, too. RIP to both warriors. Thank y'all for the memories.

[@troythorne8939]

The Quarry brothas were the whipping boys for the soul brothas😂

[@munchkiecocoa4531]

Fuck you.

[@pretorious700]

Jerry "bobblehead" Quarry.

[@JackChiefton]

😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣

[@itsgleneaton4883]

I felt so bad for Jerry looking at the expression on his face for the 5th round. He had more heart then his head could endure. He was a winner though because he worked hard and he made it. It’s not just who wins the fight but it’s the fight that a person puts in that shows their true character and he was a champion through and through.