Kalli Knoetzee vs Earnie Shavers (WBA Title)

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Il Duce, Dec 26, 2010.


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  1. Il Duce

    Il Duce Boxing Addict Full Member

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    sweet sci,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,Thanks

    The May 1979 WBA ratings were;
    #1 Kallie Knoetzee
    #2 Earnie Shavers

    The WBA proposed the two fight for the vacant title, in South Africa.
    The WBA and the South African backers were convinced Kallie Knoetzee would beat a faded Shavers
    for the vacant Title.

    But Shavers, who Knocked-out Ken Norton in March 79', signed a letter of agreement to fight WBC Champ Larry Holmes
    later in the year.

    That would leave Knoetzee against Gerrie Coetzee for late 1979, in an optional defense.

    With Earnie Shavers dropping out, that left
    #1 Kallie Knoetzee
    #3 John Tate
    #4 Leon Spinks
    #5 Gerrie Coetzee

    The WBA, at first wanted to have Knoetzee vs. John Tate for the vacant title, but
    recoiled, when WBA officials believed John Tate would stay in America with the
    title if he beat Knoetzee, freezing Gerrie Coetzee out.

    So the WBA had an elimination tournament, with #1 vs #3, and #4 vs #5.
    South African white fighters vs. American black fighters.

    In which, would pretty much guarantee, at least one South African fighter, fighting for the
    WBA Heavyweight Title later in the year.
     
    Il Duce, Dec 28, 2010
    Il Duce, Dec 28, 2010
    #16
  2. sweetsci

    sweetsci Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Interesting. I didn't know about all that; just what I wrote in my post. Thanks!
     
    sweetsci, Dec 28, 2010
    sweetsci, Dec 28, 2010
    #17
  3. zadfrak

    zadfrak Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    The thing is why did Shavers management select a Holmes fight instead? He was schooled by Holmes the first fight. What weakness had Holmes acquired in the meantime to think they could beat him? He was a major underdog in that rematch. DKP?

    A Knoetze bout just seems so much more winnable For Earnie and not having to deal with that mobility of Holmes.
     
    zadfrak, Dec 28, 2010
    zadfrak, Dec 28, 2010
    #18
  4. Il Duce

    Il Duce Boxing Addict Full Member

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    ZAD,

    Plain and Simple,,,,,,
    Earnie Shavers was offered much more money to fight Larry Holmes.
    I have to check the $$ numbers, but I think Shavers got $750,000 for the Holmes fight. (Larry Holmes got $3,000,000)

    And he needed it, because he was able to buy a new house in Trumbull County, Ohio for
    $575,000 'Cash'.

    The fight in South Africa for the vacant title, I think he was only offered $200,000.
     
    Il Duce, Dec 28, 2010
    Il Duce, Dec 28, 2010
    #19
  5. Il Duce

    Il Duce Boxing Addict Full Member

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    M,

    Following Earnie Shavers Knock-out over Ken Norton, Don King got Shavers to sign a
    promissary letter to fight Larry Holmes in September 1979.

    Included was a $250,000 deposit, and the promise that Shavers could not take a
    warm-up fight, which may jeopardize the Title fight, unless it was approved by Don King.

    Of course, Earnie Shavers turned dwn the $200,000 offer for the WBA Title in South Africa.

    On May 25, 1979, in Ridgefield, Ohio, Shavers fought Eddie Pourette, and KO'd him in '3'.
    A 'safe fight', Eddie Pourette was Earnie Shavers sparring partner.

    Larry Holmes fought Mike Weaver in June 1979, then Shavers in September.
     
    Il Duce, Dec 28, 2010
    Il Duce, Dec 28, 2010
    #20
  6. Senor Pepe'

    Senor Pepe' Boxing Junkie banned

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    A good read,,,,,,,,,

    Kallie Knoetzee #1 WBA versus Earnie Shavers #2 WBA

    A 1979 bout for the vacant WBA Heavyweight Championship.

    What happened....
     
    Senor Pepe', Mar 27, 2012
    Senor Pepe', Mar 27, 2012
    #21
  7. fists of fury

    fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    The SABBoC had a lot of pull with the WBA those days. I forgot that Knoetze was rated that highly, but I think some strings behind the scenes were being pulled there.

    Anyway, fun fight. A very fun fight. Both heavy-handed and both more or less marginal in a lot of other areas.
    One of those 'wham, bam, thank you ma'am' type fights. I dunno who'd win...

    Knoetze wasn't all that, but he gave Gerrie Coetzee one hell of a fight, so you never know.
     
    fists of fury, Mar 27, 2012
    fists of fury, Mar 27, 2012
    #22
  8. fists of fury

    fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    This is how Knoetze looks today, more or less. Mike Schutte is also there, as you'll see, but he died a few years ago.
    I don't have audio at work so I'll have to watch at home and translate, if anyone wants me to.
    (They're just telling jokes though. Both Knoetze and Schutte had reasonable success as comedians.)

    [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gRVQF5bckQ&feature=player_detailpage[/ame]
     
    fists of fury, Mar 27, 2012
    fists of fury, Mar 27, 2012
    #23
  9. Senor Pepe'

    Senor Pepe' Boxing Junkie banned

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    Fist,,,,,,

    Excellent post,,,,,,,,,

    When Earnie Shavers blasted out Ken Norton in the 1st Round, in March 1979,,,
    it threw the World Rankings into a twisted-pretzel.

    Once Earnie signed with Don King, the WBA scrambled to put on a fight for
    the vacant WBA Heavyweight Championship.

    Enter, Kallie Knoetzee and Leon Spinks.

    The bout was scheduled, and set to take place in Florida, for June 1979.

    But the State Department would not re-issue Kallie Knoetzee a Visa, due to
    a previous civil rights matter in South Africa.

    Knoetzee had earlier fought in Florida, in January 1979 when he knocked out
    #10 WBA-ranked Bill Sharkey. That fight did not go off without issues, as
    there were protests from civil rights leaders as to why Kallie Knoetzee was allowed to
    enter the United States, when he was under investigation for civil rights violations
    in his home country.

    Also, Leon Spinks refused to go to South Africa at that time, stating that he hated that
    country. The WBA wanted to re-schedule the bout to Monte Carlo, but Leon had reservations
    about fighting Knoetzee, as he was getting pressure from black leaders to not fight a
    South African.

    Politics,,,,,,,,,,,,as usual
     
    Senor Pepe', Mar 27, 2012
    Senor Pepe', Mar 27, 2012
    #24
  10. zadfrak

    zadfrak Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Man, that Leon Spinks management. i bet anything that is hardly used as a business model at Wharton.

    Any management would not allow their guy and his personal life and habits, take a fight with Ali in New Orleans. That city and training for Leon is not going to work & that's the sort of details they should never agree to.

    What do they do next? Take Leon to Monte Carlo. Good call. And fight a guy he had not faced as a heavyweight--a legitimate big hitter. So Coetzee destroys him in a round. Why take the fight? They sidestep Norton and then turn around and don't even look after anything other than immediate financial gain.

    Boxing is a tough enough sport, but just try finding successful careers from the guys w/ poor management .
     
    zadfrak, Mar 27, 2012
    zadfrak, Mar 27, 2012
    #25
  11. fists of fury

    fists of fury Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Good stuff, Senor Pepe. I'm loving your contribution to this forum.
     
    fists of fury, Mar 28, 2012
    fists of fury, Mar 28, 2012
    #26
  12. Senor Pepe'

    Senor Pepe' Boxing Junkie banned

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    Thank you Fists,,,,,,,,,,,,,

    On Leon Spinks in early 1979,,,,,,,

    He was training on Budweiser,,,,,and wrecking Corvette's.

    His new manager properly avoided Kallie Knoetzee, who punched too hard,
    and they petitioned the WBA to get Gerrie Coetzee instead.

    Leon had also brought in a new trainer, Henry Grooms.

    The WBA needed Leon Spinks for name recognition in the WBA
    Elimination Tournament, so they switched up the opponents.

    In Coetzee, Leon Spinks and his manager (?) got who they wanted,
    a fighter who did not look that dangerous in 1978 (decision wins
    over Ibar Arrington and Randy Stephens), and a fighter who
    had hand problems.
     
    Senor Pepe', Mar 28, 2012
    Senor Pepe', Mar 28, 2012
    #27
  13. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Yes really, that goes double for me!:good
     
    red cobra, Mar 28, 2012
    red cobra, Mar 28, 2012
    #28
  14. Senor Pepe'

    Senor Pepe' Boxing Junkie banned

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    The WBA mechanisms began to work,,,,,,,,,,

    Right after Muhammad Ali sold the WBA Crown to Bob Arum for $400,000
    in May 1979.

    Though Muhammad Ali was retired in mid-1979, he really wasn't.

    He was just waiting to see how the WBA Championship worked out.
     
    Senor Pepe', Mar 28, 2012
    Senor Pepe', Mar 28, 2012
    #29
  15. frankenfrank

    frankenfrank Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    and triple 4 me
     
    frankenfrank, Mar 28, 2012
    frankenfrank, Mar 28, 2012
    #30
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