Earnie Shavers vs Joe Frazier for the Hvywt Title

Is this at a time when the fight could have been made, or prime for prime?

 

It could end early for Frazier, if Shavers landed early. But Shavers didn't have the tools G.Forman had. If Frazier got by 4 or 5 rds, he dominates the fight stops Shavers in 10rds.

 

Longhorn 71 damn thats a good one

 

Yes good match up. Shavers gets lucky in first round and catch s Joe with a cracking right , Joe jumps up straight away but is on shaky ground. Joe throes a left but is caught again. Down twice the bell ends. Second round shavers comes out fast trying to follow up but Joe whips in a thumping left and it's shavers down. Up he gets and Joe is on fire throwning fast deadly hooks. Shavers gets trapped on the ropes and Joe sends him face first.. Down and out,!!!

 

There is a reason why this fight never happened by the way, and it had nothing to do with Frazier!

 

It might not be popular but im going to say it regardless Frazier had big problems against PowerPunchers.
Bonavena sent him down to the canvas twice, Bonavena was no lethal puncher in my eyes. Not featherfisted either.

Shavers KO in 4 or less.

 

I stand to be corrected but I don't think Shavers was ranked very high during most of Fraziers reign. He didn't really make waves until he KO'd Ellis in 73.

 

Joe has to be heavily favored. Only way I can see shavers winning this is if he got Joe in trouble early and prevented him from getting off the hook. Problem is he wasn't always the best finisher.

 

This is a great post and every ones giving great answers this buds for all yall

 

Of course anyone who can whack like Earnie has a chance but really we are talking about two levels of fighters here. One is elite and a h2h nightmare and the other was a mid table contender type. Earnie was slower, less skilled, less durable, and when it comes down to stamina they are night and day.

If Joe gives Earnie room to wind up on his punches then he might be in strife but when did Joe ever do that? Joe will keep the fight in close and not give Shavers room or time to load up especially with the body attack he'll bring. Shavers didn't take it to the body at all well and I see this being a major problem with a body puncher like Joe.

After a relatively close opening two rounds in round 3 Joe steps up his attack and will hurt Earnie to the body then stun him with a follow up hook. Shavers was notoriously poor at defending himself when hurt (as the Quarry fight clearly shows) and either froze up or panicked and Frazier was a great finisher and Joe will batter him to the head and body till Earnie hits the floor. Earnie was gutsy and will get up but Joe will be all over him and the referee stops the contest with a helpless Shavers copping a pasting.

Frazier TKO 3 Shavers.

 

Any body know why they didnt fight ?

 

I don't know what the month to month ratings looked like between 1970-73. But the rings "annual" listings didn't feature shavers in its top10 for most of Frazier's title reign. The first time Earnie appeared in the rankings was in 1973 at #6 and that's right around the time Joe lost the crown. Once his belt was gone, Frazier was basically interested in chasing down money fights. Rematches with Quarry and Ellis were pretty safe bets to win again. Ali and Foreman were all about the cash.. shavers was too high risk and low reward especially for a guy who never had a love of big punchers.

 

Shavers had trouble with fighters who had a excellent left hook. Jerry Quarry
destroyed Shavers with left hooks in one round . Frazier left hook was even more
devastating than Quarry. Frazier in his first fight against prime Quarry won in
the ring fight of the year 1969. Shavers will be fully prepared as he said he
underestimated Quarry so Frazier by ko in 4 rounds

 

Shavers did not have the chin to get into any prolonged give and take battle with a great huge puncher. Everyone knew Joe was a slow starter so Earnie tries to blitz him immediately after the round one bell rings. He may hurt or knock Frazier down but at some point a counter hook by Frazier catches Shavers on the button. He goes down and out. Frazier KO within two rounds.