Earnie Shavers - ESB's Undisputed king of power.

Wow can you imagine a Shavers that focused on combos and speed with a good trainer? He had so much raw power, that even glancing shots could get guys in trouble.

 

Yeah, I know, right? That was some crazy sh*t. People shouldn’t be allowed to post whilst under the influence (PUI)…..there should be breathalyser locks on keyboards……IF ONLY that was my excuse. SOBER as a judge…..wait, that’s an oxymoron……rephrase: as SOBER as a judge SHOULD be…..

 

The 15th was pretty great. Ali was shot by that point in his career, and beat up to hell and beyond exhausted at the end of that fight, he somehow channeled a bit of his younger self and went into an all out assault. That's the champion/warrior heart.

He really should have retired after that.

 

Muhammad Ali vs Earnie Shavers

1 Ali
2 Shavers
3 Ali
4 Shavers
5 Ali
6 Shavers
7 Shavers
8 Shavers
9 Ali
10 Ali
11 Ali
12 Ali
13 Shavers
14 Shavers
15 Ali

143-142 Ali

Thats how i had it last time i watched it, not a robbery just a close fight that could of gone either way. For me while Ali was clowning about for the first 9 rounds or so, Shavers could of been more active and took it to Ali, but Shavers was concerned about his stamina so fought pretty cautiously and reserved himself.

Shavers had a slight lead after the first 9 rounds, but Ali started to turn it up a notch in the last 5 rounds or so. And he nicked it based on that and winning the last round, no robbery here just a close fight.

 

Yeah, great insight and self awareness on Earnie’s part. It’s easy to see why he’s one of the most liked fighters - including amd most notably amongst his peers. Someone referenced the YOUNG fights - I’d love to see those - to put Young down, even if Jimmy was green, is no mean feat - and to put a once bitten and presumably twice as shy Young down hard again in the rematch and relatively early (4th round) is something to really crow about.

Lyle is something of an enigma to me. Watch the HL reels and the man had an hellacious, killer punch - but sometimes THAT Ron didn’t appear to turn up - perhaps needing equal and opposite artillery coming his way to truly ramp him up (see Foreman and Shavers fights). I’m sure Ronnie had his punch in potential v Caldwell but as Leroy describes, he didn’t land much so throwing Lyle into the mix for comparison to George and Earnie (who both stopped/KO’d Shavers) isn’t completely equitable.

The irony was Caldwell suggesting he was more cautious and mobile v Ron due to Lyle being superior in speed to Foreman and Shavers…..but there was also the small issue that Ronnie could punch like hell, LOL.

 

Actually, it was a very good performance on Earnie’s part even though he lost (imo) and for what it’s worth, that was Earnie’s opinion also.

It was clearly a more considerately paced and metered Shavers. When he rocked Ali in round 2, many say Ali duped Earnie into thinking that Ali might’ve been okay delaying any follow up by crucial seconds….maybe…but tbh, Ali did recover quickly and I’m sure Earnie already held premed discipline not to shoot his wad too early and gas himself out.

And, there were many head twisting shots to come after the fact of round 2 anyway…..for damage incurred in a single fight, particularly by an older, already shop worn body - a very bad fight for Ali in its own right.

 

Oh man I agree, it was a good effort on part of Shavers. I think Ali took more punishment in this fight than any other. Full stop. But I do genuinely find it to be an impressive fight on both sides given the weaknesses and circumstances of each fighter. Only Ali could be in the onset of Parkinson's, and still pull out a winning performance. Is it Ali's best fight? No. Ali's style relied on a body his mind couldn't move the way it used to. But Ali proved he was a champion at his core even when his facilities began to fail him, on the night he fought Shavers.

 

Totally agree on all points. And, while I believe Ali won, I can still appreciate and understand some variances in people’s scoring - because it often comes down to the all important yet often grey area of comparative punch quality and definition of same.

Like, say, how many softer punches, even partially blocked punches by Ali equal one Earnie Howitzer punch?

LOL, we could debate til the cows come home on such things but, all in all, I still tab it for Muhammad - viewed in due context, his last great fight and he did almost put Earnie out at the 11th hour which, IMO, was more due to Ali’s late punching surge than Earnie’s own fatigue.

 

Absolutely agree. That fight is a contentious one. I think Earnie wasn't ready when Ali anchored himself in the 15th and started really throwing with accuracy. He got caught off guard, in the same vain to how Foreman surprised Moore. Not that it was Ali's plan like it was Foremans, but Earnie had been on the end of Ali's 'featherduster' jab (as it was dubbed by Frazier) , and weak combinations then all the sudden in the final round Ali starts to seriously throw, and hit over and over again. Must have confused the hell out of Earnie.

 

Yeah, whatever the plan was - which was prob expecting Earnie to blast away and tire early - which of course didn’t pan out - Earnie wasn’t going to be suckered - so ultimately , it morphed into desperate fighting in the Championship Rounds.

Of course Ali was duly wary of Ernie’s power, particularly when he tasted it first hand - but there was not one ounce of fear or timidity - I mean, my god, it was Earnie Shavers - but there’s Ali, like old faithful, still fighting his fight as best he could, upholding a ridiculously sturdy chin. Amazing.

 

We agree that Foreman was better & more dangerous than Shavers. But that is comparing a World Class fighter to an ATG.
If Louis did not swing for the fences-you are right about his style-anything is possible with a fairground/bolo shot.
But likely he showed what he had-better than everyone mentioned, a devastating combination puncher-but not necessarily because he was a little smaller, not the hardest hitter around.

Hitting really hard & being arguably the GOAT-at least in achievement-doe snot mean it is likely shot for shot he struck anyone the very hardest.
I'll bet at least Baer & Two Ton Tony among his vanquished opponents hit harder, & doubt he would have disagreed.

We cannot know how much difference there is between a Foreman & a Shavers, but it cannot be too much.
Because in any sport which has numerous competitors for years, even the most outlier new records are something under 10%.
Like Bob Beamon & Mexico City...Even breaking 5% over the next best ever is very unusual.

 

Yeah JT, he’s not too shabby, is he?

I missed the days when I used to be the new Wunderkind on the block. Ah well, the torch has to be eventually passed.