*Boxer Jerry Quarry dead at 53* 
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TEMPLETON, California (Ticker) -- Former heavyweight boxer Jerry
Quarry, who twice fought Muhammad Ali and lost two title shots,
died today.  He was 53. 

Quarry died at 6:50 p.m. EST, a Twin Cities Hospital spokeswoman
said.  He was admitted Monday with pneumonia but had been
suffering for years from a condition known as dementia
pugilisitica, which is brain damage caused by repeated blows to
the head. 

The progressive malady, similar to Alzheimer's disease, left the
once-affable Quarry virtually helpless and in the care of his
family. 

The Los Angeles native compiled a 53-9-4 professional record
with 33 knockouts.  He won his first 20 bouts before losing a
10-round decision to respected heavyweight Eddie Machen in 1966.
Quarry bounced back to win his next 10 fights, twice defeating
former champion Floyd Patterson in 1967. 

After Ali was stripped of the World Boxing Association crown,
Quarry lost a disputed 15-round title bout to Jimmy Ellis on
April 27th, 1968.  Fourteen months later, he got another shot at
the belt, but was knocked out by Joe Frazier in the seventh
round in New York. 

On October 26th, 1970, Quarry was Ali's first opponent after his
3 1/2-year exile and proved easy pickings.  Ali knocked him out
in the third round on his road back to the championship and sent
him to the canvas again in the seventh round on June 27th, 1972.

Quarry, whose younger brother, Mike, was a light heavyweight
contender, fought a virtual who's who of 1970s heavyweights. He
stopped Ron Lyle in 12 rounds in February 1973 and scored a
first-round knockout of Earnie Shavers 10 months later. 

Frazier knocked Quarry out again in June 1974 and Ken Norton
also beat him by knockout in March 1975.  He fought again in
1977, then was inactive until 1983, when he posted victories
over a pair of no-name opponents. 

Out of money and already showing signs of blunt force trauma,
Quarry returned to the ring on October 30th, 1992 and lost in
six rounds to Ron Cramner. 

Two years earlier, he launched the non-profit Jerry Quarry
Foundation to prevent other athletes from following his
footsteps.