[4][5][6] He beat former world heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson and top contenders Ron Lyle, Earnie Shavers, Brian London, Thad Spencer, Buster Mathis, Randy Neumann, Jack Bodell, Mac Foster and Eduardo Corletti.
The damage he accumulated from lack of attention to defense against larger men at the top level, no head guard sparring, and attempted comebacks in 1977, 1983, and 1992 resulted in Quarry developing an unusually severe case of dementia pugilistica.
Quarry supplemented meager boxing pay by working as a tire changer at a Greyhound bus terminal.
He had three draws on his record by the time of his first loss, which came in his 21st bout in July 1966 against crafty spoiler Eddie Machen, known for his feat of breaking Sonny Liston's run of knockouts.
held a tournament to replace Muhammad Ali, who had been stripped of his title for refusing induction into the military after being drafted.
Quarry's first tournament bout was a rematch of his fourth draw fight earlier that year against former world champion Floyd Patterson.
In the final against crafty ex-middleweight Jimmy Ellis, Quarry prior to the bout sustained a broken back from an injury on the diving board at a pool that later developed into gangrene.
Back in Quarry's home state of California, The San Bernardino County Sun proclaimed him the latest "Great White Hope".
In the 7th round, Quarry was bleeding from his nose and had a very large cut under his eye when he took a series of hard punches without moving away or hitting back.
[10] Returning quickly after the loss to Frazier, Quarry won two bouts before meeting Canadian George Chuvalo in December 1969.
It was a very impressive, dominating win by Quarry which figured to put him back in line for another title shot.
At this time, exiled former champion Muhammad Ali had successfully sued to win the right to return as a professional boxer.
Noteworthy among them was a revenge of his earlier draw against tall Tony Doyle at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin with a lopsided decision.
Middleton was the kind of tall, quick boxer with long reach who often gave Quarry trouble in bouts.
Bob Arum promoted the fight, with Ali playing up the obvious racial differences between his black fighters and the white Quarrys.
At the opening bell, Quarry rushed Ali, got under his shoulders and lifted him briefly off the canvas before referee Mike Kaplan separated the fighters.
After Ali, Quarry, now managed by Gil Clancy, bounced back to post another streak of wins.
Despite deterioration in his movement and reflexes, and now having very scarred facial tissue, Quarry gave possibly the two best performances of his career next.
Ron Lyle was 19–0 with 17 knockouts, and the tough ex-convict was in line for a title shot when he met Quarry in February.
Winning that competition, he qualified for the Superstars final that year, and finished fourth to three NFL football players, an impressive showing.
Quarry later claimed to be 'locked out' of big-opportunity fights in 1974 by King, and found himself desperately looking for quality opponents that might get him a title shot.
Staggering him with a trademark left hook at the end of the first round, Frazier then began landing solidly with both hands to Quarry's head and body, beginning a sickening beat down.
Quarry was already on wobbly legs when Frazier dropped with a hard left hook to the stomach just before the bell ending the 4th round.
After landing a few more clean head shots, Louis finally stopped the fight early in the 5th round, a one-sided thrashing.
He continued his television acting work, and had by now briefly helped road-manage the rock band Three Dog Night.
After a win in February 1975, Quarry begged to be put in line for a fight with contender Ken Norton.
When first choices Oscar Bonavena and Jimmy Young bowed out with injuries, Quarry was placed into the Norton bout on 18 days notice.
At age 47 years and 6 months old, Quarry provided nothing more than a 6-round punching bag for the younger fighter, losing all six rounds and the decision.
[20] Jerry's brother, Mike, who had contended for the light-heavyweight championship, was himself beginning to show signs of dementia pugilistica in his later years, and died as a result on June 11, 2006.
A foundation was established in his honor to battle boxing-related dementia, a condition that has afflicted many boxers and brought Quarry's life to an early end.