January 2002 - July 2006 - The Jerry Quarry Foundation

curious. Have Joe Frazier already beaten Buster Mathis(1968) when the tournment
started ? Anyway, I think he would have very likely won the tournment since he
was better than the other guys. He was better than Quarry ( sorry, but the truth
is the truth), Spencer, Whatsmyname, Mildenberger, Bonavena, Leotis Martin and
Jimmy Ellis.|
|8/18/04 09:49:50 AM|Forest Ward|New York City||NYC.com||||10|Some further
thoughts on Joe Frazier.I saw a recent picture of Joe Frazier, sadly, I thought
he looked in poor health. I was aware he had diabetes. I did not know he is an
alcoholic. Although, I am curious about the medical qualifications of the person
that labeled Joe an alcoholic. Was Joe interviewed, was he examimed? Or is this
just an armchair diagnosis.Regarding Joe's speech patterns, I would have
to agree that in recent years it has declined somewhat. Although, on Joe's worst
days he never sounded as bad as Muhammmad Ali has for the last 15 years. Sadly,
Ali can barely talk. Also, Joe's motor skills, and his cognitive skills are
certainly far superior to those of Jerry Quarry in the last years of his
lifeA boxer normally has 2 goals when starting his career, become a
champion, and become wealthy. Sadly, in most cases these goals are not met. A
young fighter does not worry about his health, physically or mentally. He thinks
he will be young forever. The fighters manager is supposed to look after his
health needs and his financial needs. Well, in Joe Frazier's case I think his
handlers did a good job. He became a champion, and became wealthy. In the late
60's he defeated everyone in his path and made good purses. He culminates his
career beating Ali in 1971, for a record purse 2.5 million dollars.Joe,
probably lost some of the hunger in his belly after he beat Ali in 1971. He
beats a few chumps for pocket money, and then loses to Foreman. His handlers
skillfully manuever him to big money purses and another shot at the title. His
handlers did not throw him to the wolves as so many handlers in boxing do to
their fighters.Lets take a look at some of Joes contemporaries from that
period: Jerry Quarry, died prematurely as result of taking to many punches
to the head. Obvious and severe brain damage. Handlers would put him in the ring
against anyone at anytime. Life after boxing, drug and alcohol problems, spent
time in jail, needed supervision and care constantly. No savings or
wealth.Muhammad Ali, obviously brain damaged as a result of boxing. Handlers
would let him fight anyone anytime. Cheated out of most of the money he earned
as a fighter. Cannot speak, sometimes uses a wheelchair. Wife must cut his food
for him.I could go on and on. The point is Joe Frazier did what he had
to do to become champion. And, as an exchampion trying to regain the
championship, he was skillfully handled. Looking at the the quality of the post
boxing life of Frazier, Quarry, Ali. There is no question because Frazier was
handle so well as a fighter, he did not end up tragically like Ali and Quarry|
|8/18/04 10:57:16 AM|Fan|ny||hlep@hotmail||||9|seems to me that everyone is
blaming brain damage on the boxers life style and not the boxing both jerry and
ali had a lot of fights even as young men this and all the sparring and then the
big fight had a 90% effect on these fighters studies show that the sparring is
the worse because there is more of it than the fights them self, studies now
show a gene could predespose a fighter to brain damage. The booze and drugs are
also a part of the cause after the fact. look around you at all the people who
drink and do drugs that are still around with out brain damage yes physical
damage and later on brain damage but these fighters took to many blows to the
head and had to many fights. for people to blame others for the careers these
fights choose seems we do not hold them accountable for their own choses in
life.|
|8/18/04 12:10:15 PM|Kent|La Habra, Ca||kentallenent@aol.com||||10|Angelo,
former champions are often given the luxury of meeting the winner of the
fighters trying to climb the ladder to get a title shot. As I said, Ali was the
exception and he wanted to be as sharp as possible, so when he took on all
comers during his second march to the title he did what ex champions normally