BoxRec

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:Tornado Sighting!
April 8, 2009 by Felipe Leon

The rumor swirling around Tijuana, MX, is that the former three time welterweight champion and SDFights.com #1 ranked Antonio “Tijuana Tornado” Margarito will be fighting in his hometown as soon as July of this year.

As we all know, Margarito along with his trainer and father figure Javier Capetillo are suspended by the California State Atlethic Commission and subsequently by every other state in the union for illegal hand wraps that were discovered prior to his loss of the WBA welterweight title at the fists of “Sugar” Shane Mosley last January.

“Yes, there is talks of me fighting here in Tijuana in the summer. They have said that it might be against Carlos Baldomir or a Russian,” Margarito said to me in passing a week and a half ago at “Tijuana Thunder”. “They want me to get ranked by the WBC so I can go after Andre Berto.”

The “they” mentioned could only be his promoters Top Rank and in the Mexico fight, Zanfer Promotions, the Mexican faction of the Arum empire.

As far as the Russian mentioned by the “Tijuana Tornado”, it might be WBC #9 ranked Ivan “The Terrible” Kirpa (23-1, 15KO). Baldomir is not currently ranked by the WBC as one of their top ten welterweights but at one point the Gaucho fighter was the WBC welterweight champion before being dethroned by Floyd Mayweather Jr.

It has been confirmed to exclusively to SDFights.com by an official of the Tijuana Boxing Comission that Zanfer Promotions does in fact have a date reserved for the summer.

After Margarito’s trainer Javier Capetillo worked the corner of “Panchito” Arce, Jorge “Travieso” Arce’s brother, earlier this year it has been said in the corridors of the state capitol that his license will not be reinstated by the CSAC in January of 2010 when his suspension is over.

The CSAS considers it a slap in the face for Capetillo to work a corner after he was suspended.

You can only speculate that the CSAC would feel the same way about Margarito fighting in July a mere ten minutes from the border that Mexico shares with the state that suspended him.

According to Bob Arum, Top Rank will not hold a promotion in the state of California as long as the comission up holds the suspension of the former champion.

I for one, would like to see Margarito fight again. Whether its in Tijuana or north of the border, that is a choice he and his team have to make. It is obvious that Margarito’s purse would be much higher in the United States and I find it hard to understand why Margarito would jeopardize higher pay in the future for the opportunity to fight in Tijuana.

He must have much to prove.

ME TOO

Antonio Margarito and his trainer dug themselves into a deep hole. The respect they lost with fans was shared by even a more bitterness. A loss of face within the boxing community.

I posted after the Mosley fight that I'd like to see Tony pick himself up after this. At first I was very upset by what he did. But what is this guy to do? Go around with a scarlet letter on his gloves all his life? For himself and his family,if nothing else,he has to try a comeback. Even if it is a dissapointment, he has to step into the ring again. He'll be clean this time. That will be a plus to start off with.

Tijuana is the best place to begin. He'll have the Tijuaneros in his corner. If he wins,then he proceeds. It's not a thing right now of winning back a championship. It's one step at a time.

Tony Margarito isn't the only fighter that's sinned inside the ropes. Didn't Sugar Shane have a little help with the needle with one of his fights? I want to see Tony come back. Winning the championship isn't important right now.

Tony's biggest victory will be over himself.

Looking into the Crystal Ball . . .

I've done wrong in my life. I understand what professional athletes do in an effort to have an edge. I'm no saint. Maybe something that I've done in my life would offend people as much as I am offended by what Maragrito and company did. Maybe I'd be less irritated about it had Margarito been a 5-to-1 underdog, instead of such an overwhelming favorite.

The only fight of Margarito's that impressed me was his beat down of the Puerto Rican, Cotto. I always favor Mexicans in such a match-up. Los Angeles is a lot closer to Mexico than Puerto Rico, and I have grown up around some great Mexican fighters. Margarito always showed great power, but he wasn't my kind of Mexican fighter. I'm more into the Mexican "masters", and Margarito was far below that level. I felt the same way about Pepino Cuevas, exciting, but not a skilled technician like an Olivares, Saldivar, Medel, Pimentel, Sanchez, Chavez, etc. Still, when he was matched with Cotto I was pleased to see him overpower the Puerto Rican.

Now there is a cloud over that fight as well. I'd be happy to see Antonio fight Cotto again, but I expect to see a completely different fight. I don't know Margarito, have never talked with him, we shook hands once at a WBHOF event. This is purely a personal thing, but I sense that this isn't a guy who will enter the ring with what is necessary to compete successfully with the best of his division. I don't believe that he can beat Cotto a second time, despite his winning so brutally in the first match. When I watched Cotto take a knee, as if he'd been cracked with a baseball bat, I just assumed that he was fighting a guy wearing the legal gloves and wraps. Maybe he was?

Cotto's beat down makes a lot more sense today, the way it played out. I don't believe that Antonio Margarito was special, just a strong Mexican kid who won the title and would have eventually lost it, only to remain in boxing for years past his shelf life. I expected him to go the route of a Yori Boy Campas, amass over a hundred fights, until his battle scarred face and aging legs made it impossible to do so any longer. The only thing different about my opinion today, is that he will hit the skids much quicker, and for much less money, than he would have had his wraps had been clean of that hardening material. I think this was in the cards for Antonio Margarito despite the recent controversy.

He'll still fight, but by the time he's cleared to fight in the States again (if that happens) he will be totally used goods. He'll be "The Villain" matched against some up & comer, who will slice him to ribbons, send his brain into a deeper fog, and further bend a spirit long broken by the perils of professional boxing.

Do I care? No, why should I? He's just another palooka from below the border. One who tried to pull a fast one on an aging L.A. boxer whom I have always respected. Mosely took his "juice", like Roger said, he was no angel. But when the L.A. boy was clean, and old and fighting with nothing more than than the gloves on his hands, he beat the living crap out of the over rated 5-to-1 favorite in his prime.
Let's see if Margarito can do the same.

I'm with you guys who hope he continues to fight, and he will. I know exactly where Antonio Margarito is headed.
Denny Moyer and Ronnie Wilson know the place.


-Rick Farris

Thanks to all for their best wishes.

I'm out of the hospital now. It turns out that I had angioplasty and a shunt inserted in one of my coronary arteries, which was 95% blocked. I have some other blockage, but we can clear it with medicine. I was supposed to get out Wednesday, but I developed a few complications.

I've gone from zero medications to heart, cholesteral, and blood pressure medicine. Oh well - such is life, I guess.

Again, thanks for your best wishes one and all.

raylawpc wrote:Thanks to all for their best wishes.

I'm out of the hospital now. It turns out that I had angioplasty and a shunt inserted in one of my coronary arteries, which was 95% blocked. I have some other blockage, but we can clear it with medicine. I was supposed to get out Wednesday, but I developed a few complications.

I've gone from zero medications to heart, cholesteral, and blood pressure medicine. Oh well - such is life, I guess.

Again, thanks for your best wishes one and all.

Tom . . . I'm glad you are in good hands. Will continue to pray for your recovery. You work in a stressful profession and I suspect you are very good at what you do. Your health is the most important thing in the world. My father had a similar procedure when he was in his mid 60's. He changed his lifestyle and diet. Today, he is a very healthy 85-yrs-old, slim, fit, and stronger than ever. Frank Baltazar met him a few weeks back and can validate my words. Do what is necessary.

-Rick

raylawpc wrote:Thanks to all for their best wishes.

I'm out of the hospital now. It turns out that I had angioplasty and a shunt inserted in one of my coronary arteries, which was 95% blocked. I have some other blockage, but we can clear it with medicine. I was supposed to get out Wednesday, but I developed a few complications.

I've gone from zero medications to heart, cholesteral, and blood pressure medicine. Oh well - such is life, I guess.

Again, thanks for your best wishes one and all.

Tom, glad to hear you're out of the hospital, and that you're fine, but now you're one of us with all the meds. so welcome to our group....

raylawpc wrote:Thanks to all for their best wishes.

I'm out of the hospital now. It turns out that I had angioplasty and a shunt inserted in one of my coronary arteries, which was 95% blocked. I have some other blockage, but we can clear it with medicine. I was supposed to get out Wednesday, but I developed a few complications.

I've gone from zero medications to heart, cholesteral, and blood pressure medicine. Oh well - such is life, I guess.

Again, thanks for your best wishes one and all.

Tom
Glad to hear you're feeling better. Raw Apple Cider vinegar. A teaspoon in the morning. Unclogs the veins and arteries. Rog

P.S. My blood pressure was off the charts. Started taking Cayenne Pepper 3 times a day. Blood pressure went down 30 points.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDPPvsErNQY
"Bad Bad Whiskey"

Amos Milburn

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEpzqLPwG7Q

"One Scotch one Bourbon one Beer"

Originally from Texas, Amos Milburn moved to Los Angeles and soon became a fixture in the Central Avenue music scenes thriving in Watts during the 1940's and 1950's. As you can hear from his piano...

As you can hear from his piano style, Milburn would be a great influence on Fats Domino. He wrote many hits during his day, and was also noted for recording Rudy Toombs' "One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgS7MHLRW4

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Big Cheese And The Jive Rats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfbIYRlrErw
"Caldonia"

Louis Jordan

dagosd2000 wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgS7MHLRW4

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Big Cheese And The Jive Rats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKxj3KbSiYk
Same song by Louis jordan

Charlie Christian

kikibalt wrote:

dagosd2000 wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgS7MHLRW4

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Big Cheese And The Jive Rats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKxj3KbSiYk
Same song by Louis jordan

Frank'ol Pal
The songs back in the day were either about love with beautifull lyrics and singers with great voices or happy songs like this one.

Today everyone is pissed off

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqaFkC0EMmQ
"God Bless The Child"

Billie Holiday

dagosd2000 wrote:

kikibalt wrote:

dagosd2000 wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWgS7MHLRW4

Ain't Nobody Here But Us Chickens

Big Cheese And The Jive Rats

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKxj3KbSiYk
Same song by Louis jordan

Frank'ol Pal
The songs back in the day were either about love with beautifull lyrics and singers with great voices or happy songs like this one.

Today everyone is pissed off

You're right, Rog, now days its all about gangster rap...what shit!!....

You're right, Rog, now days its all about gangster rap...what shit!!....
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Frank . . . "RAP" is "CRAP" without the C.

-Rick

Rick Farris wrote:You're right, Rog, now days its all about gangster rap...what shit!!....
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Frank . . . "RAP" is "CRAP" without the C.

-Rick

"Crap" is right.... :(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUlKtLG7rGY

Walkin' My Baby Back Home

Nat "King" Cole

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q5zarGeHKNU

Magic Moments

Perry Como(he used to be a barber)

The Night I Called Quarry . . .


"City please . . ."
"Uh, Bellflower."
"Business or residence?
"Residence."
"What listing?
"Jerry Quarry. Q-U-A-R-R-Y. I don't know the address."
"I have one listing, Jerry and Kathleen Quarry. That number is . . ."

I did it! I actually had the telephone number of Jerry Quarry, the recently crowned 1965 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champ.
I watched him on TV, as he defeated Clay Hodges in the Western Region Golden Gloves title match, which sent him to the Nationals.

A couple weeks later, in an article written by Los Angeles Herald-Examiner sports editor, Bud Furillo, I learn that the 19-year-old heavyweight from Bellflower had traveled to Kansas City, with the L.A. Golden Gloves team, and had become the only heavyweight ever to score five consecutive KO's enroute to a National G.G. title.

I could visualize the Irish-American heavyweight, his dark blonde hair brushed back on the sides with a semi flat-top.
Now I was going to call him, and see if I could find out where that gym was in the San Fernando Valley, the one they mentioned on TV.
They said it belonged to Jerry's trainer, the "Johnnie Flores Gym."

The TV announcer mentioned that Jerry Quarry began his career at Flores' gym, when he was seven-years-old.
At the time I was twelve. In my mind, I was five years behind schedule. I wanted what Jerry had.

I dial the number. A moment later I hear it ring. A man answers . . ."Hello."
His voice was unmistakably the same one I'd heard when Jerry was interviewed on TV, a couple weeks earlier.

"Hi, are you Jerry Quarry?
"Yeah."

I was now speaking with a man who would turn professional a couple months later.
His pro debut would be a prelim to the World Featherweight title fight fight between champ Vicente Saldivar and Raul Rojas.
He would quickly become a major box-office attraction in L.A. and would twice fight for the World Heavyweight title.
He'd twice fight the great Ali. He'd twice fight Smokin' Joe Frazier. He'd send Earnie Shavers to the showers in less than a round.
He was the best white heavyweight to step into a ring since Marciano.

I had a dream, and it was Jerry Quarry who helped make it possible.
He told me where I could find it and make it come true.

I was just a kid. I called him in the evening, he didn't know me.
I told him I thought he was good fighter, and congratulated him on winning the National Golden Gloves title.
I asked him about the five KO's. He was kind to me, he appreciated my recognition of his accomplishment.
I told him I lived in Burbank. He told me that he had also lived in Burbank, years ago, near Lockheed Aircraft.
There was no place in Burbank where a kid could box. Jerry suggested the Johnnie Flores Gym before I had a chance to inquire.

"The Johnnie Flores Gym is in Pacoima. I'll give you his phone number."
I wrote down the information and thanked Jerry. I told him I would find a way to see him in his pro debut at the Coliseum (and did).

"Good luck, kid." Jerry said.

The next evening, I would call Johnnie Flores' phone number.
The following day I would begin my boxing career.
Thanks, Jerry.


-Rick Farris

Rick:

Take a deserved bow, my friend. That is an inspirational piece you just favored us with and an experience which you must cherish, now and always. You were fortunate to have sensed the class, the utter raw talent of a terrific fighter so very early in his career.

You've been blessed many times over, buddy......good for you.

hap navarro

Rick:

Take a deserved bow, my friend. That is an inspirational piece you just favored us with and an experience which you must cherish, now and always. You were fortunate to have sensed the class, the utter raw talent of a terrific fighter so very early in his career.

You've been blessed many times over, buddy......good for you.

hap navarro

Dongee wrote:Rick:

Take a deserved bow, my friend. That is an inspirational piece you just favored us with and an experience which you must cherish, now and always. You were fortunate to have sensed the class, the utter raw talent of a terrific fighter so very early in his career.

You've been blessed many times over, buddy......good for you.

hap navarro

Thank you, Hap.

Rick Farris wrote:The Night I Called Quarry . . .


"City please . . ."
"Uh, Bellflower."
"Business or residence?
"Residence."
"What listing?
"Jerry Quarry. Q-U-A-R-R-Y. I don't know the address."
"I have one listing, Jerry and Kathleen Quarry. That number is . . ."

I did it! I actually had the telephone number of Jerry Quarry, the recently crowned 1965 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champ.
I watched him on TV, as he defeated Clay Hodges in the Western Region Golden Gloves title match, which sent him to the Nationals.

A couple weeks later, in an article written by Los Angeles Herald-Examiner sports editor, Bud Furillo, I learn that the 19-year-old heavyweight from Bellflower had traveled to Kansas City, with the L.A. Golden Gloves team, and had become the only heavyweight ever to score five consecutive KO's enroute to a National G.G. title.

I could visualize the Irish-American heavyweight, his dark blonde hair brushed back on the sides with a semi flat-top.
Now I was going to call him, and see if I could find out where that gym was in the San Fernando Valley, the one they mentioned on TV.
They said it belonged to Jerry's trainer, the "Johnnie Flores Gym."

The TV announcer mentioned that Jerry Quarry began his career at Flores' gym, when he was seven-years-old.
At the time I was twelve. In my mind, I was five years behind schedule. I wanted what Jerry had.

I dial the number. A moment later I hear it ring. A man answers . . ."Hello."
His voice was unmistakably the same one I'd heard when Jerry was interviewed on TV, a couple weeks earlier.

"Hi, are you Jerry Quarry?
"Yeah."

I was now speaking with a man who would turn professional a couple months later.
His pro debut would be a prelim to the World Featherweight title fight fight between champ Vicente Saldivar and Raul Rojas.
He would quickly become a major box-office attraction in L.A. and would twice fight for the World Heavyweight title.
He'd twice fight the great Ali. He'd twice fight Smokin' Joe Frazier. He'd send Earnie Shavers to the showers in less than a round.
He was the best white heavyweight to step into a ring since Marciano.

I had a dream, and it was Jerry Quarry who helped make it possible.
He told me where I could find it and make it come true.

I was just a kid. I called him in the evening, he didn't know me.
I told him I thought he was good fighter, and congratulated him on winning the National Golden Gloves title.
I asked him about the five KO's. He was kind to me, he appreciated my recognition of his accomplishment.
I told him I lived in Burbank. He told me that he had also lived in Burbank, years ago, near Lockheed Aircraft.
There was no place in Burbank where a kid could box. Jerry suggested the Johnnie Flores Gym before I had a chance to inquire.

"The Johnnie Flores Gym is in Pacoima. I'll give you his phone number."
I wrote down the information and thanked Jerry. I told him I would find a way to see him in his pro debut at the Coliseum (and did).

"Good luck, kid." Jerry said.

The next evening, I would call Johnnie Flores' phone number.
The following day I would begin my boxing career.
Thanks, Jerry.


-Rick Farris

Like Jerry . . .

Like Jerry Quarry, I began my career in the "Johnnie Flores Gym", would win Jr. Golden Gloves championships, and the Western Region Golden Gloves title, and fight in the Golden Gloves National Tournament in Kansas City, and turn pro as a teenager with Flores in my corner, the early bouts all for the Olympic Boxing Club, Just like Jerry. That's where the irony ends.

Jerry Quarry was a great amateur champion, and a great heavyweight contender who made his mark in one of the toughest eras ever in the heavyweight division. Everybody in the top ten was a good fighter. Some were better than others, but all were good. In the early days, the mid-to-late 60's, Jerry was on fire. He would stumble once in awhile, but for the most part, he was one of the most explosive punching heavyweights I ever saw.

Jerry was an L.A. guy, which means he was a body puncher.
Los Angeles had the best Mexican boxers in the world in it's gyms, and Mexican boxers are the best body punchers in the game.
Los Angeles guys learn about body punching early, and Jerry Quarry had great speed, he could be smooth and cagey.

He was known for his brutal double hook, to the body and head.
However, Jerry's biggest bomb was a short, chopping right. The hook usually came right behind it.
He had a great jab, fast, accurate, powerful, an "educated" left hand. Good head movement, when in top shape.

If he didn't work hard in the gym, he'd get winded late, and would appear lazy and unmotivated.
His skin became a liability. He did his share of bleeding. He fell victim to many of the temptations of the era.

He was one helluva announcer on CBS after he first retired in 1975. He was better than any boxer I've seen, aside from Sean O'Grady, at providing reliable ringside analysis from a boxer's point-of-view. However, that wasn't enough for Jerry. And he made a comeback. He blew the TV gig, and years afterwards, as he began to slip, he went to work as a "collector" for an organized crime figure.

I knew he wasn't doing well at the end, but I was shocked to hear he had passed away, at age 53.
Every once in awhile I'll flash on a Jerry Quarry moment from the past. Nothing major, just day-in-the-life stuff, or day-in-the-gym stuff, but I'll see the Quarry family sitting in the bleachers at the Main St. Gym on a saturday, mother, pop, brothers, sisters, kids. Arwanda, Jerry's mother will have packed a picnic lunch. It's a family event. Howie Steindler is cursing in his office . . ."What in the Hell does she think this is, Griffith Park?"

I'd stare at Jack Quarry's knuckles as he sat close by. H-A-R-D was tatooed on the left hand, L-U-C-K on the right.
"HARD LUCK" . . . A Quarry Story.

In the ring, Jerry would warm up with his sixteen-year-old brother, Mike. Mike, unlike Jerry, was a fast, light punching, stick-and-move boxer, who would make the mistake of stinging Jerry with a jab, and then paying a terrible price, one that would often leave him on the canvas in pain. Mike was 16, Jerry 21. Mike weighed 160, Jerry 195. I know brothers often work hard, but Jerry took something out of Mike at a young age.

My memories of Jerry Quarry are warm. My best friend was his sparring partner for the Mathis and Frazier fights in 1969.
From Alan Kit Boursse', I would talk first hand with a guy who had felt the pop of a Jerry Quarry jab, that thudding hook to the body.
I remember Kit sending me a letter from the Quarry camp for the first Frazier fight. It came from Grossinger's Resort, in the Catskills.

Kit Boursse' wrote:

"Jerry is beating up everybody in camp. I'm the only one who isn't injured. Two guys have quit, Dave Centi's ribs are busted. We got a new guy in yesterday, a light-heavy, Charlie "The Emporer" Harris. Harris works Jerry hard, but Jerry doesn't like him, made a racial slur at the guy after knocking him out today. People don't give Jerry a chance, but he's likely to KO Frazier."

Just a few random memories of "Irish" Jerry Quarry.


-Rick Farris

In this not so great photo is my late maternal uncle John Adame and Rosie who was my on and off girlfriend in the early 1950s.
Uncle John was in a wheelchair all his life, but that didn't stopped him from been a hard core boxing fan, in the early 1950s, John, other uncles, my dad and I would go to the fights, this was at a time when evey week was a sell-out at the Olympic and Hollywood Legion, when we would go to the Olympic we would park 3-4 blocks away, I, being the young kid, I had to push uncle John, and being the dick that I was as a teenager I would push him as fast as I could and then let him go, boy that used to piss him off, once inside the venue I would park him as close to ringside as I could and then I would go to the peanut galley to watch the fights.

Rosie? well she was 2-3 years older then me, I learn a lot about the birds and the bees from her...

Rick Farris wrote:

Rick Farris wrote:The Night I Called Quarry . . .


"City please . . ."
"Uh, Bellflower."
"Business or residence?
"Residence."
"What listing?
"Jerry Quarry. Q-U-A-R-R-Y. I don't know the address."
"I have one listing, Jerry and Kathleen Quarry. That number is . . ."

I did it! I actually had the telephone number of Jerry Quarry, the recently crowned 1965 National Golden Gloves Heavyweight Champ.
I watched him on TV, as he defeated Clay Hodges in the Western Region Golden Gloves title match, which sent him to the Nationals.

A couple weeks later, in an article written by Los Angeles Herald-Examiner sports editor, Bud Furillo, I learn that the 19-year-old heavyweight from Bellflower had traveled to Kansas City, with the L.A. Golden Gloves team, and had become the only heavyweight ever to score five consecutive KO's enroute to a National G.G. title.

I could visualize the Irish-American heavyweight, his dark blonde hair brushed back on the sides with a semi flat-top.
Now I was going to call him, and see if I could find out where that gym was in the San Fernando Valley, the one they mentioned on TV.
They said it belonged to Jerry's trainer, the "Johnnie Flores Gym."

The TV announcer mentioned that Jerry Quarry began his career at Flores' gym, when he was seven-years-old.
At the time I was twelve. In my mind, I was five years behind schedule. I wanted what Jerry had.

I dial the number. A moment later I hear it ring. A man answers . . ."Hello."
His voice was unmistakably the same one I'd heard when Jerry was interviewed on TV, a couple weeks earlier.

"Hi, are you Jerry Quarry?
"Yeah."

I was now speaking with a man who would turn professional a couple months later.
His pro debut would be a prelim to the World Featherweight title fight fight between champ Vicente Saldivar and Raul Rojas.
He would quickly become a major box-office attraction in L.A. and would twice fight for the World Heavyweight title.
He'd twice fight the great Ali. He'd twice fight Smokin' Joe Frazier. He'd send Earnie Shavers to the showers in less than a round.
He was the best white heavyweight to step into a ring since Marciano.

I had a dream, and it was Jerry Quarry who helped make it possible.
He told me where I could find it and make it come true.

I was just a kid. I called him in the evening, he didn't know me.
I told him I thought he was good fighter, and congratulated him on winning the National Golden Gloves title.
I asked him about the five KO's. He was kind to me, he appreciated my recognition of his accomplishment.
I told him I lived in Burbank. He told me that he had also lived in Burbank, years ago, near Lockheed Aircraft.
There was no place in Burbank where a kid could box. Jerry suggested the Johnnie Flores Gym before I had a chance to inquire.

"The Johnnie Flores Gym is in Pacoima. I'll give you his phone number."
I wrote down the information and thanked Jerry. I told him I would find a way to see him in his pro debut at the Coliseum (and did).

"Good luck, kid." Jerry said.

The next evening, I would call Johnnie Flores' phone number.
The following day I would begin my boxing career.
Thanks, Jerry.


-Rick Farris

Like Jerry . . .

Like Jerry Quarry, I began my career in the "Johnnie Flores Gym", would win Jr. Golden Gloves championships, and the Western Region Golden Gloves title, and fight in the Golden Gloves National Tournament in Kansas City, and turn pro as a teenager with Flores in my corner, the early bouts all for the Olympic Boxing Club, Just like Jerry. That's where the irony ends.

Jerry Quarry was a great amateur champion, and a great heavyweight contender who made his mark in one of the toughest eras ever in the heavyweight division. Everybody in the top ten was a good fighter. Some were better than others, but all were good. In the early days, the mid-to-late 60's, Jerry was on fire. He would stumble once in awhile, but for the most part, he was one of the most explosive punching heavyweights I ever saw.

Jerry was an L.A. guy, which means he was a body puncher.
Los Angeles had the best Mexican boxers in the world in it's gyms, and Mexican boxers are the best body punchers in the game.
Los Angeles guys learn about body punching early, and Jerry Quarry had great speed, he could be smooth and cagey.

He was known for his brutal double hook, to the body and head.
However, Jerry's biggest bomb was a short, chopping right. The hook usually came right behind it.
He had a great jab, fast, accurate, powerful, an "educated" left hand. Good head movement, when in top shape.

If he didn't work hard in the gym, he'd get winded late, and would appear lazy and unmotivated.
His skin became a liability. He did his share of bleeding. He fell victim to many of the temptations of the era.

He was one helluva announcer on CBS after he first retired in 1975. He was better than any boxer I've seen, aside from Sean O'Grady, at providing reliable ringside analysis from a boxer's point-of-view. However, that wasn't enough for Jerry. And he made a comeback. He blew the TV gig, and years afterwards, as he began to slip, he went to work as a "collector" for an organized crime figure.

I knew he wasn't doing well at the end, but I was shocked to hear he had passed away, at age 53.
Every once in awhile I'll flash on a Jerry Quarry moment from the past. Nothing major, just day-in-the-life stuff, or day-in-the-gym stuff, but I'll see the Quarry family sitting in the bleachers at the Main St. Gym on a saturday, mother, pop, brothers, sisters, kids. Arwanda, Jerry's mother will have packed a picnic lunch. It's a family event. Howie Steindler is cursing in his office . . ."What in the Hell does she think this is, Griffith Park?"

I'd stare at Jack Quarry's knuckles as he sat close by. H-A-R-D was tatooed on the left hand, L-U-C-K on the right.
"HARD LUCK" . . . A Quarry Story.

In the ring, Jerry would warm up with his sixteen-year-old brother, Mike. Mike, unlike Jerry, was a fast, light punching, stick-and-move boxer, who would make the mistake of stinging Jerry with a jab, and then paying a terrible price, one that would often leave him on the canvas in pain. Mike was 16, Jerry 21. Mike weighed 160, Jerry 195. I know brothers often work hard, but Jerry took something out of Mike at a young age.

My memories of Jerry Quarry are warm. My best friend was his sparring partner for the Mathis and Frazier fights in 1969.
From Alan Kit Boursse', I would talk first hand with a guy who had felt the pop of a Jerry Quarry jab, that thudding hook to the body.
I remember Kit sending me a letter from the Quarry camp for the first Frazier fight. It came from Grossinger's Resort, in the Catskills.

Kit Boursse' wrote:

"Jerry is beating up everybody in camp. I'm the only one who isn't injured. Two guys have quit, Dave Centi's ribs are busted. We got a new guy in yesterday, a light-heavy, Charlie "The Emporer" Harris. Harris works Jerry hard, but Jerry doesn't like him, made a racial slur at the guy after knocking him out today. People don't give Jerry a chance, but he's likely to KO Frazier."

Just a few random memories of "Irish" Jerry Quarry.


-Rick Farris

Rick, those stories are way cool from an awesome time in boxing. Most of the time when you tell a story, the events become palpable and I end up sitting in the bleachers with Arwanda checking out the picnic basket. LOL!

Scartissue

Randyman wrote:

kikibalt wrote:

Randyman wrote:Guys, keep my mother in your prayers. She hasn't been feeling well. Lots of things going wrong lately and I'm starting to get a little worried. She'll be 80 this coming May 2nd. What makes it hard is that she lives about 70 miles away and I can't just jump in the car in the middle of the week and check in on her. Jeri and I are driving up Friday night to spend the weekend and Easter with her.

I've been pretty busy with work this last couple of weeks so I haven't had much time to post. I have some catching up to do.

First: Tom. you're in my prayers my friend. I hope all is well with you.

Rog, Happy belated birthday. I hope you had a great birthday.

Randy

Randy, I hope your mom will start feeling better, we here will keep her in our prayers.

Thanks Rick

I am praying, Randy.