Earnie Shavers - ESB's Undisputed king of power.

Shavers vs Williams. What a fight!

Earnie didn’t just show later round power - he literally turned it completely around with a single power shot.

In rd 10, Williams picked up from the battering he was giving Earnie in the latter part of rd 9. Shortly into rd 10, all but out, Shavers was given a standing 8 count. At that point, though Williams was somewhat fatigued, he looked okay and he certainly wasn’t the floppy rag doll he was soon to become.

Shortly after the standing 8, Williams was belting Earnie all over again along the rope but then Shavers ripped a SINGLE right hand counter - a real beaut - Williams legs dipped - that drained most of the life force from Williams - suddenly Williams looked like he had little control of himself, threw some awkward shots here and there but really on auto pilot while still on his feet.

Earnie eventually pounded him for a reciprocal standing 8 - we all know how Williams collapsed dramatically thereafter - that was recorded as KO, not a TKO, right? Williams certainly wasn’t getting back up in time.

Of course Williams gave Holmes a real good stoush in his last bout prior to - very good jab which Larry found very disconcerting and I think he hurt Larry on more than a few occasions.

Question: Was Roy Williams ever knocked down otherwise? I’ve never read that he was.

 

As far as I know, nope he wasn't. Which makes Shavers KO particularly impressive that he was the only man to floor and KO him whilst simultaneously displaying frightening late round power that came out of nowhere.

 

Well if that’s the case (no other KDs), you bet and you can see that Williams was one super tough SOB anyway vs Holmes and Shavers.

Henry Clark also had that tell tale loss of body control when he was hit by Shavers in their rematch.

Another excellent performance by Earnie and on that occasion he actually did finish his opponent off in fine style - durable Clark having only been stopped by Liston and Norton otherwise.

 

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Earnie Shavers did fight his way up the ladder as a top contender should, he even put a prime Larry Holmes on the canvas in Sept 1979 before being stopped by the WBC Champion. Shavers did visibly shake World Heavyweight Champion Muhammad Ali on Sept 29 1977 in front of a nationally televised crowd viewing it live on NBC from Madison Square Garden that night. When Ali attempted to dance, he took a thunderous Shavers right hand, stopping a moving Ali in his tracks. Ali though came close to scoring a knockdown in round 15 as Earnie was out of gas, Shavers held on only to lose a unanimous 15 round decision. To Earnie's credit, he did not fall prey to the Rope A Dope which Ali was starting to use as his staple in his title defenses, Shavers just backed away when Ali was laying on the ropes covering up, daring Ali to meet him in ring center.

 

As to Shavers I remember one day when you told me the right hand that dropped Holmes was a hook as I replied to you it was an overhand. These are Shavers words:

"If I had one fight, one moment, I could do over, it’d be in the second fight with Larry Holmes,” a reflective Shavers recalled years later. “The punch I had been trying to land all night finally found its mark. An OVERHAND right caught Holmes flush on the button, and down as if he had been deboned. As I headed to the neutral corner, Holmes didn’t stir. I was the heavyweight champion of the world. All my troubles were finally over. It was the greatest feeling I’d ever had. And it lasted for five whole seconds".

 

I believe Ali had said Foreman was the most powerful, Liston the most intimidating and Frazier the toughest. Anyway I think Foreman had the heaviest hands but Shavers had more snap when he turned one over. That's what put guys to sleep. The explosion right on the target where as with Foreman they see more of his punches coming but it still a thud type of effect.

 

Ali said Shavers hit the hardest, that has never been in doubt.
Maybe Ali said Foreman was the strongest? If so I look forward to the quote.
I agree that Shavers had more snap-I do not know if Foreman had heavier hands, but add in the explosiveness & technique of Shavers & like virtually everyone who fought him said, win or lose, Shavers is King.

Foreman's punches being seen meant that they had less impact relative to their force than someone like Tyson, who did not hit as hard.

The big mistake so many make is equating KO ability to Raw Power.
That involves so much more-total volume of punches, accuracy, fast combinations, finishing ability, stamina to get the opportunity, carrying power late, etc.

Which Shavers was not nearly as good at as his off the charts Raw Power.
Yet still good enough to be World Class in a Golden Era of boxing.

 

Mustn't have been me, mate. I've always thought people who said it was a hook were weird.

 

I'm fairly certain it was a quote from Hauser's book towards the end as he was assessing his career. Anyway it doesn't matter overall I agree with your point.

 

Definitley,Fergy.