Talk:Jerry Quarry vs. Thad Spencer

A very well-promoted fight disguised this mismatch. Spencer had upset Ernie Terrell to meet Quarry in this round of the WBA Tournament for a successor to exiled Muhammed Ali. The Terrell win stands out easily as Spencer's biggest career win. But it did not keep Spencer from boasting, and many bought what Spencer was saying. Spencer was the bigger fighter 201-193, and jeered Quarry at the weigh-in as too small. He was imitating Ali in a number of ways but Quarry bought none of it. The fight had some racial implications with Spencer dismissing Quarry in the press. Again, more than a few believed him. Quarry nearly sent Thad to the canvas in the first 15 seconds, and would score two knockdowns on the way to a dominating performance. Jerry was judged to have lost just one round in the fight. The fight is actually a clinic in counterpunching, with Spencer, trailing in points, willingly pursuing Quarry into the ropes where the faster Quarry would make him pay. Spencer was rated very high at fight time, and even expected by some to become the WBA champion. So, Quarry's dominating win over him furthered elevated Quarry's rising star. He was the most popular fighter in America at this point. Hindsight shows Spencer was clearly overrated for this match, because few yet believed the white Quarry was yet the real deal.