Worst Heavyweight Fall in Pro Boxing
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
Briefly, when asked the question, which heavyweight had the greatest rapid fall in pro boxing, many boxing writers will cite fighters who went in the first round in world championship bouts, important crossroads bouts, eliminators and overhyped matchups.
When I have been asked this question, always one name comes to mind……Jack Bodell. Some of my honorable mentions for various reasons include Duane Bobick, Seth Mitchell, Danny Williams, Bernardo Mercado, Audley Harrison, Jose Ribalta, Eddie Gregg and Julius Francis, based on the way their careers faded or ended abruptly on a sour note. However, Bodell always wins the ‘worst fall of the lot’ prize, and the ‘why’ can be explained.
Hands down, Bodell’s last three bouts were the worst fall and goodbye for good of any promising heavyweight ‘contender’ ever seen (if you can call it that). Bodell fought Jerry Quarry at Wembley in London in November 1971, in what supposed to be a step test. Bodell briefly got dropped by a counterpunch and came right back up fighting without the referee, by which time Quarry noticed the southpaw Bodell swinging widely and holding his left hand lead low without defense. Quarry capitalized on Bodell’s weakness by throwing a lightning fast counter right hook over the top which left Bodell helpless, down and out on the canvas, where he was unable to get up and got counted out at 1:04 of the first round.
Jack Bodell versus Jerry Quarry 1971 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dfypx1zTRuQ
Jack Bodell versus Jose Urtain 1971 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fzzVDqraWKU
Jack Bodell versus Dan McAlinden 1972 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLJhiaqkf_o
As if to add insult to injury, Bodell, who had won a 15 round bout for the BBB of C, Commonwealth British Empire, and European heavyweight titles over durable Joe Bugner, returned to the ring 31 days later in Madrid, Spain, where he got stopped in the second round after three knockdowns by 38-3-1 Jose Manuel ‘Ibar’ Urtain and lost the European heavyweight title. Obviously, after losing to Quarry, he should have been suspended and not allowed to fight again so soon, but his European belt was ind anger of being stripped if he did not fight Urtain. Eight months later, in his final ring appearance, Bodell was knocked down and out at 1:31 of the second round by 20-2-2 Danny McLinden and lost his BBB of C and Commonwealth British Empire heavyweight titles in Birmingham, United Kingdom in August 1972. By then, Jack Bodell’s China chin was common knowledge.
Bodell’s last three opponents, whom he lost to, had a combined record of 97-10-7. His previous five opponents before that, whom he beat (including Bugner) had a combined record of 115-41-11. Before that, Bodell had failed in his bid to against ‘Old Enery’, henry Cooper, who decisioned Bodell in 15 rounds at Wembley to retain his BBB of C and British Empire heavyweight titles. Cooper than lost a 15 round decision to Bugner, who Bodell then beat. Cooper was a veteran of 52 pro bouts when he beat Bodell. Put the numbers together, and add one more win, and in his last ten bouts, Bodell fought opponents with a combined pro record of 160-69-29. The numbers represent over 250 bouts of professional experience.
Quarry’s principal losses were to Ali, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton and George Chuvalo. Urtain was good enough to go `5 rounds for the European title with Jurgen Blin in his next bout, and then win a ten rounder over former world champion Vincente Rondon, making 28 ring appearances in the next six years. McAlinden made 20 more ring appearances in the next nine years, his career ending on a fifth round stoppage by top rated heavyweight contender Donavan Razor Ruddock.
Regarding the heavyweight fall, when you examine the critical facts, Bodell fought a dangerous row of experienced opponents as his career hit the nexus. However, none the opponents were of the world class level until he hit Quarry. Bodell, who tried to outgun Quarry, overlooked the critical fact: Quarry is a come forward fighter who counters with a lethal left hook. Give Quarry an opening, and it was lights out for any free target who got hit with the left hook, and lights out to your career as well. It took Quarry 54 seconds to expose the wide swinging southpaw Jack Bodell as a poorly trained fighter of bad habits. Swing wide on a power punching heavyweight shooter, and you will be done. Bodell was done.
When all other British heavyweight boxes are considered, Jack Bodell’s choke remains horrific enough in his prime on the home territory that British boxing fans still cannot live it down years later. Bodwell, now 73 and still living in Derbyshire, still has not spoken about his meteoric career crash. The fight footage tells the story, though. Watch it above from the three YouTube links, and you will agree Bodell’s fall from grace was fast, furious, and convincing. Bodell’s chin, once Quarry exposed it, was open season. As for fellow British heavyweights Julius Francis, Danny Williams, and Audley Harrison, theirs was a story of fighting on long past their prime for the money, taking unnecessary losses for paychecks at advanced age, bouts which they were in all probability not fully prepared for.
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