Mike Quarry ~ Forced To Fight On By Father ~ 'Road To Palookaville'

[Bill Paxtom]

January 1977

Following the 'tough' 10-Round Majority Decision loss to Mike Rossman on
December 11, 1976.

Mike Quarry headed back home to California { Westminster}. After the 'holidays',
Mike headed 'north' in mid-January 1977 and performed in Boxing Exhibitions with
brother Jerry in;
* Northern California .......... {San Francisco, Oakland, Fresno and San Jose}
* Washington .................... {Seattle, Yakima, Eugene, Olympia, Kent and Tacoma}
* Oregon ........................... {Portland and Salem}
* British Columbia, Canada .. {Vancouver and Victoria}
* Alaska ............................. {Anchorage and Fairbanks}

Mike called this his '1977 Pacific Northwest Tour' of ........ 'Booze and Boxing'

Mike Quarry >
"Jerry and I were asked to hit the 'small club venue', where we would make guest
appearances and box 3-Round Exhibitions."

"We usually got {$1500} for the Guest Appearance, then we performed a 3-Round
Exhibition. Our appearance included all expenses, which included; {Hotel and Food},
and 'all-the-booze' we could drink."

"We hit the road like a 'Rock-n-Roll Show'. We partied all night long."

"We were doing '3-Shows' per week in January and early-February in 1977. So
we were making 'good money', and getting 'tanked' for free afterwards.

"When the new WBC Ratings came out on February 3rd, there I was at #8."

WBC Ratings {February 1977}

*** John Conteh
#1 . Victor Galindez {WBA Champion}
#2 . Miguel Angle Cuello
#3 . Mate Parlov
#4 . Lonnie Bennett
#5 . Jesse Burnett
#6 . Len Hutchins
#7 . Yaqui Lopez
#8 . Mike Quarry
#9 . Billy Douglas
#10. Tom Bethea

"Then, on February 5th, I got a call from my Manager {Pete Ashlock} who
informed me that he signed me up for another bout with Mike Rossman."

"Teddy Brenner {Madison Square Garden Matchmaker} offered 'us' a bout for
March 2nd at Madison Square Garden. The fight purse offer was fair, and Pete
agreed to the terms."

"But I was pretty 'pissed-off' that Pete did that, because he never discussed anything
with me {first}. And {second}, he agreed for the bout to held in New York City,
which was Mike Rossman's 'home-base' near New Jersey."

"I had an argument with Pete {my Manager}, and told him that if I lost to Rossman
again, I would be 'finished' as a Top 10 Light-Heavyweight, and would never get a
2nd Title bout challenge."