George Foreman v.s Earnie Shavers

As long as Foreman works behind a steady jab,he'll catch Shavers.

 

Foreman would maim Earnie.

 

Quarry-Shavers all over again.

 

Earnie has far more punching power than Foreman. But he doesn't have George's chin, skills, or physical strength. George might be best off smothering Earnie, swarming him back as Quarry did, not giving Earnie room to unload his heavy artillery. Shavers got winded easily, whereas George's muscular endurance would give out before his lungs began laboring for air. But Foreman could certainly remain effective further into a match than Shavers tended to. George also put his punches together better.

The lighter hitting (relative to Shavers) Ron Lyle was able to match punching power with George, dropping Foreman twice, and causing George to reel about the ring. But Ron had boxing skills and staying power Earnie was deficient in.

George may well need to climb off the canvas to do it, but I'd expect him to stop Shavers within five rounds. While nobody could punch harder than Earnie, I think George, like Ron Lyle, could recover from Earnie's bombs. I don't think the reverse is true.

 

Nobody in history had far more punching power than Foreman.

 

Leroy Caldwell on Foreman and Lyle: "Foreman could punch about the same as Lyle." Leroy Caldwell on Earnie Shavers: "He was the hardest hitting human being I've ever met. He hit harder than Foreman and Lyle combined." (Source: Interview with Leroy Caldwell in, The Sweet Science, by Robert Mladinich. Tuesday, December 12, 2006.)

 

The shoot-out of the century this could be. As much as I like Earnie, it has to be George. Shavers could be beaten when met head-on, Foreman couldn't. George KO3.

 

I haven't been hit by either of them, but am going on the consensus opinions of those who have. Holmes has clearly stated that Shavers hit harder than Tyson, and Mike connected pretty solidly on Larry. I haven't found any accounts of anybody who remembers being hit by Earnie saying Shavers was not the hardest puncher they'd been hit by. But if Leroy Caldwell (who competed against Cleveland Williams, as well as Shavers, Lyle, and Foreman), says that Lyle and Foreman hit about the same, and that Earnie hit harder than Lyle and Foreman together, I'd tend to define that as Shavers having way more power. Leroy Caldwell would be a pretty authoritative and well-qualified source. (Foreman power X 2 = < Shavers power) OR (Foreman power + Lyle Power = < Shavers Power)

 

I'm very surprised you're taking Larry's word, loads of fighters say **** like "Hey the guy I beat up hit much harder than the fella that knocked the **** out of me", especially an unbelievably sore loser like Holmes. Your Caldwell quote is good, as he was beaten by all three and he's obviously a decent chap. Holmes in his situation would say Lyle (how only outpointed him) hit harder.

 

I watched both fighters and really liked them,probably always have favored the big punchers.But George had a helluva a chin,while Earnie stumbled over his, Ron Stander,Quarry etc.If they both waded into each other,and that is how exactly I see these two guys going at.I see both of them Really getting hit,but I cannot visualize Shavers taking a Foreman bomb,getting back up and winning.

 

Is that 'cause Cus D' Amato said so?

 

Or Shavers did and Foreman didn't. No, because I said so.

 

Foreman would crush Earnie Shavers in 1 or 2 rounds.

 

As long as you understand the difference between didn't and couldn't.