Tim Witherspoon vs Earnie Shavers - who would win in their respective primes?

Whitherspoon by UD. He has the skills to outbox Shavers easily & that's what he would do. but always cautious of that right hand. The power of Shavers would keep Whitherspoon honest & not try for the knock out. Simular to the path's Ali & Holmes took against Shavers.

 

Bad style for Shavers. Tim was a big boxer-puncher with very good skills. Tim wins this one fairly easily by a mid round tko.

 

I think Thomas was even better than Spoon and would have beaten an aging Larry had they fought. Even though Spoon was overweight during his fight with Pinklon, I don't think he could ever beat hiim. Pinklon was very quick and had a great jab. If he had stayed of the drugs, he would have gone very far.

 

Spoon has clearly better boxing skills and speed. A peak Witherspoon is a very dangerous and under rated fighter. He fought an even fight with Larry Holmes early in his career and most of his losses came when he came unprepared to his fights.

Obviously, Shavers is always a dangerous fighter and can end it at any time. But I think if both are at their best Witherspoon wins by early KO or clear UD.

 

Of course, we would have to give Earnie Shavers a puncher's chance against virtually any fighter in history including those who actually beat him. But, the prospect of a lucky shot is not how the outcome of fantasy matchups should be decided. Witherspoon possesed a greater ability to hurt shavers with a much more well rounded arsenal than Earnie had to inflict on Tim. He also had much better endurance and a greater capacity to withstand a punch. Additionally, Witherspoon fought an awkward style that even the smartest of fighters had difficulty figuring out, and Shavers was certainly no scientist.

I agree with anyone who picks Witherspoon by an early to mid round stoppage or KO. This is just a very bad matchup for Shavers from a lot of different standpoints.