January 2002 - March 2004 - The Jerry Quarry Foundation

accidents. Everyone who boxes has injuries to the brain. Degree, how they
present themselves, and how visible they are do vary though. The average
fighter's career isn't that long, and symptoms start appearing about ten years
after retirement. In most cases, that means they're mid-30s/crowiding 40. Ali
was still fighting then. That would make it more tempting to assign his
condition to one particular fight, rather than to a whole career. I do think the
heavy hitters of career two were mostly responsible, though all the fights
against lesser opponenets that went the distance contributed some too. I wonder
how he feels about his choices?|
|12/9/03 10:48:56 AM|John Gerard|NYC||rock289z@yahoo.com||||10|PETE: Patterson
ducked too many top contenders to be called a "great champion". Cleveland
Williams would have run him out of the ring in three rounds and Cus Damato knew
it and guided him accorindgly. But Floyd was always a gentleman and a very
gracious winner and looser. His title defense against Pete Rademacher who never
had a pro fight was inexcusable even by today's circus standards.|
|12/9/03 12:14:00 PM|Massimo|Rome||4||||10|John-I have read that
Patterson fought very well in therematch with Ali' and that he was winning
onpoints ! Patterson was 37 years old and Ali' only 30 years old at the time
of the fight. Do you think that that was just a bad night for Ali'? Ali'
defined Patterson the most skillful fighter he ever fought ! He beat Johannson
twice, Machen, Chuvalo and Bonavena and drawed with Quarry...Not bad !|
|12/9/03 12:32:42 PM|John Gerard|NYC||rock289z@yahoo.com||||10|MASSIMO:
Patterson was not a bad fighter by any means. He had very fast hands and a good
left hook. I honestly believe had he fought as a light heavy he would have been
perhaps the greatest light heavy ever. Regarding the second Ali fight: I don't
remember it being that close. |
|12/9/03 01:18:33 PM|Forest Ward|South Carolina||joekevin@cs.com||||10|John G.,
I agree with you utterly and entirely with both posts about
Patterson.About 20 years ago I bumped into Patterson at some club fights
and we had a little chat. I mentioned to him that he could have been the
greatesy lightheavyweight champ ever. Floyd replied,"I rather be the
heavyweight champion for one day, than the lightheavyweight champion for 10
years." Floyd, certainly had a long and distinquished record. But John, your
right! What Patterson and D'Amato did with the championship by ducking worth
while challengers was a disgrace.|
|12/9/03 01:19:10 PM|Kent|La Habra, Ca||kentallenent@aol.com||||10|I haven't
seen the second Ali/Patterson fight in years but while I don't remember it being
as close as Patterson being ahead at the time Ali stopped him, Patterson did do
better than in their first match.In the first Ali/Patterson fight, while
it appeared embarrasing for Patterson to have to endure such a one sided
beating, it is Patterson's corner and the referee who should be embarrased for
allowing the beating to go on for so long, 12 rounds. They should have stopped
it a long time before they did. Patterson has nothing to be ashamed of as he
showed a lot of heart in the fight and no one can question Patterson's courage.
Patterson was a great fighter.I agree that Patterson's reign was not one
of the best because he avoided fighter such as Machen, Folley, C. Williams, and
Liston (for a long time), but it wasn't his fault, it was Cus, his manager's
decision, who by the way was not in the corner the night Ali fought Patterson
the first time.|
|12/9/03 02:48:21 PM|kookoo|ny||kookooclock000@yahoo.com||||10|I WOULD SAY THAT
JERRY HAD A LOT OF ONE TOO MANY FIGHTS FRAZIER 2 , NORTON , AND THAT BUM RON
CRAMER THAT HE FOUGHT AT AGE 47!! I MUST SAY THOUGH IT WAS THE NORTON FIGHT THAT
CAUSED THE MOST DAMGAGE OF ANY FIGHT, I THINK JERRY TOOK ONE OF THE WORST
BEATING EVER IN THAT FIGHT, IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN STOP AT THE END OF THE 3RD, I
LOVED IT WHEN GERRY COONEY BEAT NORTON WITHIN A INCH OF HIS LIFE, HE WAS A
SELFLOVING COCKY JERK , HE HAD IT COMING AND I LOVED IT!!|
|12/9/03 03:12:46 PM|Massimo|Rome||4||||10|I guess that I have to throw my book