Regarding the last of your highlights, Janitor, why would you think Shavers wouldn't toast Michael Spinks? The only real hitter Spinks ever faced, outside of Cooney, at HW made him wonder why he was even in the HW division (that's what he was thinking about whilst getting comfy on the canvas).
You highlighted Big John Tate as someone who could have beaten Shavers? He had a glass jaw. I don't think anyone like that could have survived Shavers' onslaught. He was knocked out cold with one shot from Mike Weaver. Weaver hit very hard but not quite as hard as Shavers. And then Tate was poleaxed by the mediocre Trevor Berbick on the Duran-Leonard undercard in June 1980 in Montreal. In fact, Ezzard Charles as great a boxer as he was probably would have lost to Shavers also. I think my list was wrong on that pick. Shavers by kayo over Charles.
I think in your picks you might be forgetting Shavers didn't exactly have a very good jaw himself. Nor stamina. Sure he'll win a few shootouts, but not all you pick him for he just wasn't quite that good. I must say it's nice to see him appreciated tho. Sometimes the lure and seduction of Earnies immense power and presence can lead us to forget his own frailities and weaknesses. He's a bit of a cult figure, and deservedly so.
Shavers is hit and miss because of his legendary power, weak chin and poor stamina. BUT fighters with open defenses, fighters that relied on exchanging and smaller fighters would all be open to losing to Shavers. Shavers may even pull an upset over Dempsey and Marciano KO'ing either ear;u because they like to exchange. Conversly he could also lose in the early rounds to these 2. Shavers would most likely KO most pre-jack Johnson fighters as not only did he have the power, they had weak defenses and were smaller. Look how Shavers sickenly destroyed smaller men. The only exception is Jeffries but Jeffries was open to being hit so he has a shot here. Shavers would probably KO big oafs like Carnera, Willard and Briggs Shavers may simply overpower and blast out smaller slick boxer types like Tunney, Spinks, Charles, Walcott
Ali and Holmes are 2 of the best ATG's ever...and Shavers held his own with both. While he had lesser loses as well. I would not favor him to beat many of the Champs (outside of todays?), he could certainly hold his own, on a given night against any of them.
I dont see Shavers ko Willard. Shavers is not as agressive as Dempsey. I feel that Big Jess can take him.
I consider Shavers to be more like a shot Cooney than Mike Tyson as a practical proposition. Whatever Cooneys limitations his power was fully up to the hype. Shavers like Cooney was a great puncher but not a great finisher. I wouldnt like my mortgage riding on it but my guess is that Spinks would outbox Shavers and stop him.
I don't see Shavers beating Charles or Walcott both guys are miles more talented then Earnie he would have a punchers chances but he would probably get totally outboxed. I like Shavers but which great fighters did he beat? The guy had amazing power but not much else I would favour him over some champions like Leon Spinks or Burns but not many.