Description
On October 26th 1970, in City Auditorium, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. Muhammad Ali fought Jerry Quarry. This was Ali’s first fight since he knocked out Zora Folley in the 7th round on March 22nd 1967. On April 28th 1967, Ali’s career came to a grinding halt after he refused to be inducted into the United States Armed Forces to fight in the war in Vietnam. He was arrested, the New York State Athletic Commission suspended his license and stripped him from his title. All other athletic commissions soon followed suit. Ali stated after refusing the induction, ‘I have searched my conscience and I find I cannot be true to my belief in my religion by accepting such a call.’ Ali was convicted of draft evasion on June 20th 1967, he was sentenced to five years in prison and fined the maximum penalty of $10,000. He remained free from prison on a $5,000 bond while he appealed his conviction.
My Father, Paddy Monaghan was disgusted with the way the authorities were treating Muhammad Ali. The injustice he was going through by taking away his license and forcing him into exile was sickening. Paddy knew he had to do something to help. He began a campaign called “Ali is our Champ”. He went on regular journeys to Speakers Corner, Hyde Park in London, walking up and down Park Lane drawing in huge crowds as he spoke about the injustice that was being done to Ali. Crowds of people were queuing up to sign his petition. Paddy made headline news and before long without him realising, he started the very first Muhammad Ali Fan Club and named The Champ, “The Peoples Champion”. That title became famous all over the world, it was a title the authorities could not take away.
By 1970, the Vietnam War became very unpopular in America. People were now looking on Ali as a very important figure in both the anti-war movement and the Civil Rights struggle. Ali had become a rebuke to the political establishment, a symbol of racial division and a global celebrity. His legal appeals went through the Courts many times with failed attempts in allowing him to return to the ring. Promoter, Harold Conrad visited twenty-two states in the hope he could get a boxing license for Ali. Conrad went to California and stood before the Governor Ronald Reagan who said, ‘no draft-dodger would compete in my State.’ Conrad’s request was promptly denied.
Over the next three and a half years Paddy collected 22,224 signatures worldwide. He sent copies to the WBA and WBC. Then with the help of his friend David Townsend, they took all the original signatures to the American Embassy in London, along with a letter addressed to President Richard Nixon.
In a matter of weeks, the media announced Ali was allowed to fight in the State of Georgia against one of the best heavyweights in the world at that time with only Joe Frazier and Jimmy Ellis ranked above him and that was against the tough “Irish” Jerry Quarry.
The date was set for October 26th 1970 “The Peoples Champion” made his return after three-and-a-half-years in exile.
Round 1 – Ali was on his toes dancing, aggressively punching Quarry time and time again with lightening hard jabs and shooting right hands into his face. In the following round Quarry picked up the pace and caught Ali with a good left hook but Ali quickly retaliated with combinations. Ali used his footwork to keep away from Quarry’s big left hook.
Round 3 – Ali continued to dance and move confusing Quarry and catching him with his shooting jabs. Quarry took Ali to the ropes and sank a few hard shots into his body. Ali shot a crashing right hand which opened a nasty deep cut above Quarry’s left eye. Ali was in complete control but Quarry stood his ground. The bell rang and Quarry went back to his corner with blood streaming down his face. Teddy Bentham, Quarry’s chief cornerman went to work on the cut eye as referee Tony Perez stood over them. The doctor was called, Quarry jumped up from his stool in protest, he walked around the ring then hugged Ali. Tony Perez signaled the fight was over.
Quarry said before being stitched up, ‘It wasn’t a butt and I don’t want anybody saying that it was. It was a right hand.’ Ali said, ‘If he didn’t get cut, I think it might’ve gone ten rounds.’
