#9 Ron Lyle vs #7 Earnie Shavers 'September 13, 1975'

When we think of Earnie Shavers everybody thinks of his big right hand, and to a certain extent, rightfully so.

But Earnie could knock you dead with his left hook also, as we see in the Lyle fight.

Earnie's left hook was the initial punch that hurt Norton so badly in their fight.

Watching replay reminds of how well heavyweights could move at one time. Neither of these guys were thought of as very gifted "boxers", but comparing them to today's slugs their boxing skills look pretty damn good.

 

This was the only heavyweight fight I've seen in person. I thought Lyle put Shavers down with a punch to the chest during the fight. Does anyone remember that?

 

I was there too. Don't remember that, but I was far from ringside. I think my hands still hurt from clapping when Lyle put him in a heap for the win. kind of like Tate--Weaver and you knew it was all over.

One thing Lyle does not get credit for is his ability to fight with his back on the ropes. So many guys cannot do this and that is especially true in recent times....it 's almost to the point now where a guy unfamilar with the ropes backs up to them, the fight is about over.

Certainly not true with Ron Lyle. I can remember thinkng it was stupid for Lyle to be there--but we'd just seen that same thing with Ali against Foreman. Very very tough place to make a living with those guys bombing away when they're fresh.

 

Quarry owned both of them but in this one Shavers typically had his opponent badly hurt then fizzled and got stopped, still exciting match-up that made for one of the best Ring magazine covers ever ...no that was Lyle-Pires

http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/File:73Feb.jpg

 

Maybe the best heavyweight slugfest of all time I wish it was live on network T.V so there could've been better quality and commentating to go along with it. The crazy thing was Lyle's next fight after this one was his epic war with Foreman, talk about a tough way to make a living.

 

Great fight.

 

A great scrap; I've got it tho the silent version which, I'm sure, many of you have. When great left hooks are mentioned, why is Earnie never in the mix? Had that shot landed mid-2nd round, Lyle would have been out like a light!
Everyone seems to drool over the Earnie big right and ignore the left.
IMO both could be had by big shooters if they could survive early.
Their careers show that.
When Quarry fought Lyle in early 73 he said he hit him with a left hook in the 1st and he saw Lyle's knees buckle. Jerry said he realized all the hype with this guy might be a bit overrated.
Make no mistake about it, had Foreman fought Lyle prior to Ali frying his brain, Ron wouldn't have lasted thru the second round.
A great fight tho. I still watch it a few times each year.

 

You got that right!

 

Quarry Shavers was like Morrison Bent ... Shavers threw caution to the wind, tried to bomb Jerry out fat and got caught .. just a dumb strategy and I've wondered how it might have played out if Earnie used a bit more auction .. Lyle was simply exposed as slow a foot and Jerry basically boxed his head off .. funny how styles make fights ... I'd pick either guy over Norton but Norton likely (not for sure ) destroys Jerry at any point with his reach, jab and style ... go figure..

 

Great exciting slugfest. The first out of two in less than twelve months that Ron was involved in.

 

Quarry was already finished when he fought Norton. He also took the fight on short notice. Two years earlier and I see Norton getting knocked out.

 

Wrong, I had ringside to both fights, Quarry had a chin and he and Shavers mixed it up, Jerry chin held up better....Mac Foster it was a body breakdown then the head and against Lyle, Quarry hurt Ron and Staggered him and Big Ron was reluctant to wade in after that...Quarry gave Lyle angles ....As far as Norton, I disagree with you, Quarry was a shot fighter at that point, he admitted he was doing coke and drinking and should have never entered the ring but even in that condition Jerry staggered Norton real bad but the ref separated the fighters and Quarry missed Kens dance...

IMO a conditioned Quarry would hurt Ken enough possibly drop and stop him or drop him and win a UD.....Quarry was not in Frazier's class, not in Ali's class and mentally knew it but the Big sluggers like those mentioned above Quarry could handle...I even give him a good chance to upset Big George in career 1...Norton had a jab to trouble Quarry but Jerry would get into the body and head and either win a UD with KD's of Ken or stop Ken and I go with the later.

By the way Shavers could hit but he also had some exciting losses, Cobb,Mercado,Stander,Quarry,Holmes,Ali and Lyle was another were he fizzled after having the other guy hurt or on the deck...

 

Wrong ?

Shavers came out bombing and was himself badly rocked eighty seconds in ... what's that, a feeling out process ?

Lyle took the bombs of Foreman and Shavers, two much , much bigger hitters than Quarry and came up throwing .. he did not back off from them, he did not back off of Quarry, he simply out beat, period.

Please show us where in the Norton Quarry fight tape Quarry badly shook up Norton.

 

Admittingly, Jerry was a last second sub (wasn't Bonevena the initial choice) but in the 2nd or 3rd, Jerry's left hook, or right, staggered Ken and put him against the ropes. To be honest, Jerry was gone and toast at that fight. pvp? Who knows?