Power-Earnie Shavers

Don't know if he still does but not long ago saw a documentary about Shavers on TV ... He was living in Liverpool in the UK and was a doorman at a pub/nightclub. I bet no one messed with him!

 

Actually i think someone in here used to go there when Earnie was on the door. Imagine what his right hand would do with no glove

:yikes

 

Apparently, he's an ordained minister or reverend of some sort.

 

I believe he attended Jerry Quarry's funeral.

 

Exactly right. Not to mention former middleweight/lightheavyweight Vincente Rondon going the distance with Shavers.

Shavers had big right hand punching power but a lot of trouble landing it on world class boxers, he never really beat a live contender. His uppercut on Ellis was impressive though, as was his stoppage of Norton (after he just gave Holmes hell)... although to be fair, Norton was at the end of his career. Cooney finished him quicker in brutal fashion.


There is no doubt that Shavers hit hard as hell. However, some people say "well, there's big punchers, and then there's Shavers" which is ridiculous in my opinion. For instance, compare the right hands that Tyson and Shavers landed on Holmes. Both looping rights that send Holmes down. In both cases Holmes gets up on rubbery legs, but in Tyson's case, Holmes falls down with not even a punch landing after he got up. Holmes was somewhat older against Tyson, but it does show you how they are at least on similar levels.

 

Here's my short take

We can't definitely say Shavers is beyond doubt the hardest hitter ever, but we can definitely speculate and throw his name in at the extreme upper end of the mix.

Earnie's ability held him back in utilizing his enormous power vs the much better fighters.

No-one can say anyone ever definitely hit harder than Shavers.

His incredible power is evident also vs Ali, he hurt him badly with single right hands and this IMO puts him right into the top echelon of names.

Personally i think Shavers had a smidgeon more one shot power than Tyson, but of course wasn't anywhere near as complete offensively.

 

And your point is? Everyone knows Dunn had a terrible chin. What I was saying is that a likely explanation would be that Williams, who was hardly the most skilled fighter on the planet, couldn't land properly on the awkward and defensively minded Richard Dunn.

 

I know, and I was saying look at all the guys who had no problem landing. I see so many poster saying Williams was a terror, I beg to differ, he was not skilled nor was he a big puncher. My point is Shavers could hit but when he moved up in class he had trouble landing. I saw the Ellis fight and Jimmy almost had him out but got caught by a right uppercut and that was Jimmy's last fight. Bob Stallings 21-26 record dropped Shavers for a 9 count and beat him over 10 rds. Earnie also could could not stop former lightheavy Champ Vincente Rondon who was Ko'd in 2 by Bob Foster. Shavers could hit but had stamina problems and trouble with quality

 

I think Earnie hit the hardest. I can't say it like it's a fact, but I can base my opinion based on what people who fought him and other hard punchers have said. Ali and Holmes are the biggest names that said he hit the hardest, and that's a huge compliment considering all of the big punchers they faced. Ali faced guys like Liston, Foreman, Frazier, Bonavena, Quarry, Foster (Mac), and Mathis. Holmes faced guys like Weaver, Norton, Williams (Roy "Tiger), Witherspoon, Tyson, Mercer, Holyfield, and McCall. Both of them said Earnie hit the hardest. Holmes said Tyson was the sharpest puncher he ever faced though, which can be more deadly.

 

I'm not aware of anybody who remembers being hit by Earnie who did NOT say he was the hardest puncher they were hit by. (Jerry Quarry did not know he'd been hit until he saw the footage the next day. Jimmy Ellis claimed not to be impressed by his power, but I don't think Jimmy ever knew what hit him.)

The classic comment by Leroy Caldwell always sticks in my mind. "Foreman hit about the same as Lyle. Shavers hit harder than Foreman and Lyle put together.":scaredas:

 

I'd say Shavers arguably has the hardest right hand in the history of heavyweight boxing. More than Joe Louis, Lyle, Liston, Foreman, Lennox Lewis and Tyson, who are generally considered the biggest heavyweight punchers ever.

Shavers left hand was very powerful as well, but nowhere near as strong as his right. I think Foreman has the greatest combination of overall power in both fists and I think his left was harder than Shavers' left but not his right. Liston's power in both hands is almost as frightening as Foreman's but neither man had the right hand that Shavers possessed. Prime Mike Tyson is quicker than all of them but his overall right hand power is less than Shavers. Lennox Lewis I'd say has the most accurate right and of all the big punchers mentioned, only to be disputed by the accuracy of Joe Louis' right hand.