Let’s make it 10 rounds. Pick your best version of each. I’d say for Earnie it’s 1977-79, encompassing the Ali fight through his blast-out of Norton. For Leon, I’d figure either Ali I or the period in 1980 that ended with him beating up Bernardo Mercado. But it’s at your discretion. Who wins and how?
Shavers, knockout. Leon could've crowded out Earnie, but I think that as soon as he goes in on his opponent, he gets caught and flattened.
Real toss up of a fight. Certainly see the Spinks of Mercado breaking down Shavers and stopping him late but also see Shavers landing a bomb and stopping Leon. He had lost to Coetzee in one and was surprisingly hurt by average Alfredo Evangelista before stopping him in 5. If I were to bet I´d but my money on Shavers but it wouldn´t be a big bet!
Spinks did beat a big puncher in Mercado but I just can't fathom Spinks being able to swarm Shavers and be successful. I think Shavers catches him early and bombs him out there similar to the Coetzee fight.
Shavers KO1. But give Leon credit. He wouldn’t be scared and would go right at Shavers. Unfortunately that would be his undoing. As well as a less than sturdy chin at that power level.
Shavers could actually counter, had decent footwork, combinations and was crafty with how he set up punches, he wasn’t crude in setting up punches, he’d annihilate Leon Spinks.
I could see Leon winning a war of attrition. He might smother enough of Earnie’s blunt force and bang away to the body well enough to outwork him and outlast him. But the smart money would be on the Acorn doing the cracking rather than getting cracked and winning by KO.
