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

[Bill Paxtom]

Friday ~ February 6, 1981

Sydney, Australia

~ Mike Quarry Talks About Career, and Upcoming Bout ~

The once handsome fighter with the boyish-looks, now has the 'scarred'
face of an older fighter. Only 1-month shy of Age 30, Quarry looks completely
worn down. His once tight-body, is now a 'soft' torso.

Mike Quarry>

I have been here for nearly 2-Weeks getting ready. I was supposed to fight
Bunny Johnson last Sunday {February 1st}, but the Promoter {Peter Foster}
pushed it back another week to do more promoting.

That was good, because it gave me an extra week to prepare. I've lost 6 1/2
Pounds since I've been here, and I feel just about right.

They are expecting 4000 plus on Sunday at the Horden Pavillion, but they are
hoping for a turn-out of close to 5000.

I've been staying here at the Hilton Hotel, where they treat me great. This is
a 4-Star Hotel, with all the 'specialties'. This young 18 year-old Promoter is
doing the right thing for the boxers. All 'First Class' accommodations.

This kid is going to be big in the future. He's really bright, and has some good
advisors with him.

As for my career. This 'is it'. I win here, and then it's Tony Mundine next. I'm
ready for {Bunny} Johnson. I'll box a little, then 'Rope-a-Dope' some, and then
take him out in the 8th Round. He's an old veteran, but he's still got a little
something left, so I'll have to wear him down some before opening up.

I just have to be careful early, for the first 4 or 5 Rounds. I'm not as fast as I once
was, but I'm still clever in the Ring when I want to be. When it's all on the line,
that is when I'm at my best.

Regarding my career >

I was on a roll in 1976. I was supposed to fight John Conteh for the WBC Championship,
and then he pulled out {claiming a bad cold}. It was total 'Bullshit'.

Then I accepted a 'foolish' bout. It was on December 11, 1976. It was back in
New York City. I lost a tough10-Round 'Majority' Decision to Mike Rossman. It was a
'mistake' to fight him in New York City, because he was a Madison Square Garden fighter.

He was 'Jewish', and I got jobbed by '2' Jewish Judges. I watch the film of that bout
all the time, and I won that fight. It was 'close', but I won it.

[Bill Paxtom]

Sunday ~ February 8, 1981

Horden Pavillion ~ Sydney Australia

Promoter ........... Peter Foster {Age; 18}
Attendance ........ 1250 {Capacity; 5800}
Gate Receipts ..... $10,000

* Mike Quarry - 62-11-6 {16 KO's} ~ 5' 11" ~ 183 lbs. ~ {Age; 29 years, 11 months}
vs.
* Bunny Johnson - 53-15-1 {31 KO} ~ 5' 11" ~ 181 lbs. ~ {Age; 33 years, 10 months}
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

~ A Hard Day For Quarry, Battered By Bunny ~

American -Mike Quarry was 'thumped' by British Light Heavyweight Champion
Bunny Johnson, and was eventually stopped by a TKO in the 7th Round.

Quarry came out boxing in the 1st-Round, but by the {2:00 Mark} he was taking
punishment, as the 'muscular' Jamaican 'tore' into him with wicked hooks to the
head and body, rocking him into Ropes. Quarry was in 'survival-mode' for the last
30-Seconds of the Opening Round.

To avoid getting tagged, Quarry went to fast-moving and circling in Rounds 2 and 3,
as Johnson {181 lbs.} pursued with hooks to the body.

In Round 4, the American was able to get off with some 'quick-leads', and did hold
off the Jamaican with a series-of-flurries. Johnson was wild with some of his counters,
and in one exchange he missed Quarry with a right-hook and spun around 270*,
ending up with his back towards Quarry.

With Johnson in a near defenseless position, Quarry moved in fast, and delivered
'2' left-hooks into the left-side of Johnson's head, and right-hand into the back.

Referee - Alf Weymark called a break, 'warned' Quarry for the infraction.

When action resumed, Quarry continued with his best Round of the bout.

In Round 5, Quarry went back to boxing-and moving for the first-half of the session
as Johnson waited to counter. But the 'soft' American {183 lbs.} started to slow down
over the second-half of the session, and went to the ropes and played 'Rope-A-Dope'
as Johnson moved in and worked the body.

In Round 6, Johnson moved in close on Quarry who laid on the Ropes, and the Jamaican
dished out 'heavy-punishment', by slamming in heavy-hooks to the head and body, as
Quarry was trying his best 'Muhammad Ali' Rope-A-Dope imitation.

Quarry 'foolishly' dropped-his-hands and invited Johnson to hit him in the chin
as the Jamaican was slamming away with a 'two-fisted' attack. Johnson then came
up with 'darting' left-hand to the head that staggered Quarry at the {2:43 Mark}.

Johnson then opened up with a ''two-fisted' barrage to the head, and dropped
Quarry at the {2:57 Mark} of the Round. Quarry got up at the '8-Count' after
the Bell had sounded.

In Round 7, Johnson pursed a 'spent' Quarry as there was 'no relief' for the American,
who was forced back into the Ropes and to take heavy-punishment.

Johnson raked over a 'near defenseless' Quarry with several barrages to the head,
forcing Referee - Alf Weymark to call the bout over at the {1:10 Mark} of Round 7.

After Bout Comments

Mike Quarry >
"There goes my career. I said that I had to win, or it was over."

"I was doing fine until the 6th Round, and then he 'head-butted' me. I have never
been butted so hard. It was like getting hit with a baseball bat."

Bunny Johnson >
"I came into the bout in great shape. He was 'not', as he started to fade by the 5th Round.
He was not going to beat me in the shape that he was in."