Sad story of boxing brothers

Jerry Quarry never won a world title, but even George Foreman admitted to be wary of him.

“When I became heavyweight champion of the world I dodged him purposely,” Foreman once said.

Quarry fought in the 1960s and ‘70s and is still regarded as one of the best heavyweights never to have won a world title. The story of his career has now been told in a biography by Steve Springer and Blake Chavez.

Hard Luck: The Triumph and Tragedy of 'Irish' Jerry Quarry is published by Lyons Press, and is a 298-page hardcover book.

Quarry joined the professional ranks in May 1965 and fought during what is considered the golden age of heavyweight boxing.

In a career of 66 fights he faced world champions Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier and Floyd Patterson twice each, as well as Ken Norton and Jimmy Ellis.

From 1968 to 1971 he fought most of the best heavyweights around and did so well that he was voted as World’s Most Popular Fighter four times by Boxing Illustrated.

Born on May 15, 1945, at Bakersfield’s Kern Medical Centre, he grew up with an abusive father.

His younger brother Mike, a top light-heavyweight who lost in a challenge to Bob Foster for the WBC and WBA light heavyweight titles in June 1972, was often forced to spar with his much bigger brother.

“The sparring between the two can best described as sick and brutal. And it would remain so for years to come. They tried to tear each others’ heads off,” according to the book.

ELLIS PARK TENNIS STADIUM

Mike, who had 81 professional bouts, fought in South Africa in March 1974. He lost on points over ten rounds to Pierre Fourie at the Ellis Park Tennis Stadium in Johannesburg.

After Jerry’s second fight against Ali, he went on the road with a rock group. His sister Wilma later said he had “heroin issues”. He overcame the problem but his body had been badly abused.

After retiring from the ring, the brothers spent more time together, often drinking heavily. Mike liked to hang outside “gin joints”, harassing other drinkers. He won a lot of fights in the parking lots those days.

Jerry tried to earn a living selling motor homes and used cars, but this never worked out. In 1990 he began having intermittent short-term memory loss and those closest to him recognised that things were not right.

It did not stop him from returning to the ring at the age of 47 to fight, in October 1992, one Ron Cramer. It was about nine years since his previous fight.

They met at the Holiday Inn Trade Centre in Aurora, Colorado, where there was no Boxing Commission. Jerry took a beating over six rounds. The next day he could not even remember that he had been in a fight for which he was paid $1 050.

In 1995 he was diagnosed with Dementia Pugilistica, a condition that leads to loss of cognitive function and Parkinson’s disease.

Jerry’s health deteriorated rapidly. His niece Sheri later said, “At one point I’d compare him with a five-year-old.”

Sometimes he needed help to shave and shower. Late in 1998 he contracted pneumonia. On January 3, 1999, six days after being admitted to hospital, he died at the age of 53 Mike was later also diagnosed with Dementia Pugilistica and died on June 11, 2006.

The book is a compelling but at times disturbing read.

Springer is the author or co-author of eight books, including the New York Times bestseller American Son: The Oscar De La Hoya Story. He was also a journalist for the Los Angeles Times for 25 years.

Chavez is a professional writer who attended the California Pacific College of Law.