Just How Good Was Earnie Shavers.

[GABBY]

Watched a DVD the other night, clips of his fights, looked pretty good in his prime, the fight he had with Ali was great that second round was fantastic, i no he never got a world title was he unlucky or just not good enough, i thought he was unlucky he went in with the best and his record is impressive, whats your views on earnie .

[therealdeal]

Arguably the hardest puncher ever.

But, his chin betrayed him.

[cpnasty]

He was extremely powerful

[Amsterdam]

If the guy had a chin that backed up that great punching power, he'd have likely been an ATG at HW, but that's not how it goes. He was a pretty crafty guy overall, more so than your David Tua types of power hitters.

[MrSmall]

Hell no, he wasn't no punk bitch like Jab Zudah.

[GABBY]

To give you a good analogy he is another Zab Judah, good but not great and could not win the big one.



:thumbsup thanks, i really am trying to find out more about him, watching the clips he had a great right hand, but seemed to tire after about 6 rounds even though he went the distance with some,
think i may have to see if there is a book out about him, cheers:good

[GABBY]

Awesome raw power and strength, crappy stamina and shaky chin. One of those guys who if he didn't get you out of there early(and he was capable) then he would likely tire and wilt late. Always capable of landing the big punch though.



thats exactley what i thought watching him, and as amsterdam says i think he could of been up there with the all time greats.
So he was good enough then ????
just unlucky:huh

[Amsterdam]

thats exactley what i thought watching him, and as amsterdam says i think he could of been up there with the all time greats.
So he was good enough then ????
just unlucky:huh

Several problems -

Glass chin, bad stamina, fell in love with his power early on and didn't refine some of the technique's that could have protected that glass chin and set up his power better, even though he was more crafty than a Tua type.

Give him an iron chin, he'd have been much more effective.

[jyuza]

Several problems -

Glass chin, bad stamina, fell in love with his power early on and didn't refine some of the technique's that could have protected that glass chin and set up his power better, even though he was more crafty than a Tua type.

Give him an iron chin, he'd have been much more effective.

With an iron chin he would have been an absolute monster.

[GABBY]

That was great, thanks sweetpea.

[Amsterdam]

Interesting that you have an interest in Shavers, most UK posters couldn't care less of the non-ATG fighters of yesteryear.

[GABBY]

Interesting that you have an interest in Shavers, most UK posters couldn't care less of the non-ATG fighters of yesteryear.



well i had always been aware of him, but never saw many of his fights, then i got this DVD after watching it i just wanted to find out more of his boxing career. I have met him, but he's a very quiet man, and i would never question him on the subject, thats why i am trying to find out how good he really was. I like all the ATG better than todays ( heavyweights) .

[Raggamuffin]

I recently read somewhere that he was planning a comeback at age 52

[tpuz]

I recently read somewhere that he was planning a comeback at age 52He is now 62 years old. Although he did fight when he was 50.

[Holmes' Jab]

He was one of the hardest punchers in HW history given that fact alone he'd stand a very live chance against anyone without the most granite of chins, if he caught 'em flush early on in a fight

What betrayed Earnie was mediocre boxing skills, suspect stamina and a weak chin. He was (on his grade A game) a very formidible conender, though I can't think of that many Top 20 ATG fighters who he could realisticially beat prime-for-prime.

That said the guy truely is a character, one of the genuine gentlemen of boxing.

[GazOC]

:thumbsup thanks, i really am trying to find out more about him, watching the clips he had a great right hand, but seemed to tire after about 6 rounds even though he went the distance with some,
think i may have to see if there is a book out about him, cheers:good

You know he works the door at Yates in Liverpool?

[David B]

it was an exhibition bout

[Zakman]

Awesome raw power and strength, crappy stamina and shaky chin.

That's Earnie Shavers in a nutshell. He was probably my favorite fighter growing up, but although a great hitter, if you got him past the first few rounds, he was very beatable.

[Raggamuffin]

He is now 62 years old. Although he did fight when he was 50.

Absolutely right
a comeback at 62, a deathwish maybe ????

[Titan1]

If Earnie had fought a Mike Weaver, Leon Spinks, or a John Tate, maybe the story would've been different.

[joe33]

As someone said here earlier,he used to be a doorman here in the uk for many years,bet most of the young guys and girls drinking there never knew he was once a very good heavyweight fighter,i remember seeing a report about it a few years back,seemed quite sad,did he not make lots of dosh back then?

[Senya13]

Tua was more skilled than Shavers, it's not even debatable, just watch the film of both. Tua knew about defense, something Shavers had no clue about.