Patterson gets to him early more times than not. Floyd hit plenty hard enough to ice him and had the superior handspeed & combination punching Don't get me wrong - if Shavers was going to beat a champ, Floyd's on that list of guys he has a realistic chance against...but that doesn't mean I'd favor him to do the job. His shortcomings seem to be getting glossed over here while Floyd's are amplified. I'll say Patterson takes a trilogy, but Shavers could get him once.
Patterson by a country mile, including a stoppage anytime from round 1 to round 15. Patterson could flatten him early, catching him with a massive speedy blow or wear him down through accumulated punishment over time. I personally think there's a large gap in quality between the two fighters and it mostly negates Patterson's relative weakness to the best of the best, punching wise. Of course if they fight 25 theoretical times, Shaver's will catch him. But if I had to put money on a probable outcome between the two, well, it would still be a Patterson stoppage. Shaver's threw the right hand from another time zone. Hard to land that punch, loaded up like that, on a good boxer in their prime, one with skills.
Patterson fought Muhammad Ali two times, Sonny Liston two times, Archie Moore, Joey Maxim, Jerry Quarry two times, Oscar Bonavena, Jimmy Ellis, Ingemar Johansson three times, George Chuvalo, Henry Cooper and Eddie Machen ... and he was "protected?" Why? Because he didn't fight Frazier? Shavers was down nearly as much as Patterson, against lesser competition, and Earnie couldn't box like Floyd. Floyd hit hard enough to drop Quarry. Floyd could win the fight boxing or punching. Earnie could only win by outslugging Floyd and Earnie was certainly capable of doing that. True toss-up. But I'd favor Floyd by stoppage. I don't think Earnie could last 15 with Floyd. Floyd wouldn't take two minutes of the round off like Ali did.
I agree it mostly depends on who lands cleanly first, but Patterson is much much faster and more skilled so more often than not that should be him.
great statement...Chuvalo with a little more natural talent...could have been close to the top in the late 60's.
Patterson, pre-fight, reviews all "fake beards" at sites on-line (if the internet existed back then)?
Hard to pick Shavers in this fight. Patterson by miles the better boxer and he hit plenty hard himself. That said, if Shavers landed one of his bombs flush, with Patterson's chin, he'd probably kill Patterson and any of his family within a mile radius. Id say 70-30 to Floyd.
Depends on how Patterson holds up mentally ... if he's as intimidated by Shavers as he was with Liston, yeah, a quick stoppage. Personally, I don't think so - not that Shavers wasn't intimidating, but Liston was in a league of his own. If he's not upset psychologically and holds himself together, Patterson can win either via decision or KO.
"with a little more natural talent"? He didn't have that; he failed anytime he had a shot at a 'signature' win. Mike DeJohn? a light Doug Jones? Quarry? (fluke). Tho a true 'tough out' in any era I see a string of UD losses anytime he stepped up against top flight comp. Rademacher beat him. Cleroux won 2 out of 3, Patterson simply outworked him taking both hard LH's to the body and major shots to Floyd's head. Despite the relatively close scoring I had Patterson at 7-4-1 or 8-4-0 take your pick. Plus George always seemed to complain every time he lost a fight, always a whiney boy tho I do love him as a fighter.
Ezzard Charles, not Floyd Patterson, is the most decked HW champion. Shavers better get him out of there quick because he had some of the worst stamina ive ever seen.