Jimmy Young rates the punchers....

Leroy Caldwell was knocked out by Shavers, Lyle and Foreman. He said that Foreman hit about the same as Lyle, but that Shavers hit harder than both put together. Tillis joined Holmes in claiming that Earnie hit him harder than Tyson. (This isn't too hard to buy for me. Tyson produced a flash knockdown on Tillis which he immediately got up from and winked to his corner after. Shavers dropped him flat on his face with a single shot, and he looked like he was dead for a moment.)

That Young rated Foreman over Lyle rings true to me, as George was far more consistent with his power than Ron. George himself was probably on the receiving end of the hardest punches Lyle ever delivered, and seems to usually place Ron at the top of his list when pressed to chose between opponents like Lyle, Cooney and Morrison.

Jimmy Ellis claimed not to be impressed with Earnie's power, but I don't believe he ever knew what hit him, and nobody else ever sparked Jimmy out for the count like that, even Frazier at his most lethal.

The only person I'm aware of who took solid shots from Shavers who honestly wasn't affected by his power was Jerry Quarry, who claimed immediately after stopping Earnie that he was never hit. Jerry only knew for a fact that Shavers landed on him after viewing the footage the following day. (Earnie, for his part, admits that he connected solidly on Quarry. Among his post fight first impression interviews, Jerry seemed most awed by the power of Mac Foster.)

I'd love to hear details about Earnie's power from Tiger Williams, who probably absorbed more right hand bombs from Shavers (especially to his body) than all of Earnie's other opponents put together.

 

JT, do you have a date for when Jimmy rated these punchers? (Before or after Cooney?)

Even if Young offered his assessment after his career ended, it must be noted that he took Cooney's hardest hooks to his body without any sign of a reaction, and certainly nothing like the agonized distress Gerry inflicted on Lyle's ribs. Cooney won by ripping Jimmy's face wide open with a surprising long right, but Young was never even moved by Gerry's power the way Foreman later was.

Ken won the Garcia rematch by flooring him for the count with a hook to the body. He also buckled Ali's knee with a right to the body in their second match. With Young, Norton dedicated his attack to the body, so Jimmy had ample opportunity to experience Ken's power.

 

The crazy thing is that there's a chance Shavers would have been a cruiserweight today.

:admin

 

I do believe Louis , in his prime, hit harder than Marciano in his prime. No doubt in my mind. I never saw a man take the bombs of a prime Louis like Walcott, Charles and Cockell did from a prime Marciano before going down.

I have not seen any such list of common opponents that fought them both in their prime since it does not exist, unless you happen to know of one. Do you ?

 

HMMMM!! 200 pounds would be very lean for Earnie Shavers to make....... Even in his prime / youth of '73 to '77, Ol' Shavers was normally around 209 to 214 pounds and solid....... Trimming down to 200 pounds even would prolly weaken Shavers to the maxi-pad.........

I also believe Shavers to be naturally trained without enhancing substances or steroids, so that + or - 210 pounds of his was healthy and fitting for him......
bbb

MR.BILL

 

Not as extensive as the one with Shavers and Foreman comparison.

But Walcott and the same sparring partner has commented that 4 punches of Louis felt like 1 of Marciano's (Or something to that effect).

 

He's a myth like the Ghost! Woooooo!

 

Off thge top of my head:

Walcott said that Marciano hit harder (more than once I think).

Beshore said that Marciano hit harder.

Layne said that Louis hit harder (Louis KOd him in an exhibition).

 

You know, I never even considered whether Young was asked to rate those guys before the Cooney fight. I just got overly excited when I saw the title of the thread only to be totally dissapointed when I saw the choice of fighters he had to rate. Also I am well aware of Norton's power. I just don't consider him in quite the same league as the other dudes.

 

I have Walcott and Louis on film from the mid-70s with Curtis Gowdy hosting "That's The Way It Was" with friend Don Dunphy there as well...... They reviewed the two epic fights that Walcott and Louis fought in 1947 and '48.......

Joe Walcott said that Louis was a better "Rhythm" puncher, while Marciano had the better "One Shot" punch.......

MR.BILL:deal

 

Who sparked Lewis? mccall? Rahman?Tua?
And Byrd? Vlad? Ike? Tua......

 

I don't see Shavers making cruiser. He was always between 210 and 214 or so ...

Again, no one fought both men in their primes so no comparison is accurate. I have seen the Walcott comment and believe without question Walcott was trying to address a situation that was sprung on him in an unexpected fashion. He basically said Rocky was a bigger one shot puncher as Rocky loaded up every time with every punch as Louis was more of a combination puncher.