Who hits harder: Earnie Shavers or Mike Tyson?

Good post Flash!

 

This thread has been done before

Shavers had greater one shot power

Tyson was more lethal though because of his handspeed

He could follow up better

 

Tyson had great power in both hands--but for sheer one punch KO power I'd have to go with Shavers. Look at the film of the fight against Ali in 1977--that right hand that Shavers lands--how in God's name did Ali stay upright?? That's as hard a punch as I've ever seen in a fight!! (Ali's cognitive decline REALLY accelerated after that bout, which was terrible to witness!!)

 

Sounds like Wilder.

I'd put Tyson ahead of him too.

 

77 Ali would have been ktfo by this

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Shavers is ranked #6 and Tyson is Ranked #13 according to the pro's so i think ill go with that.

 

Exactly. It's not rocket science here. It's extremely likely Shavers hit a bit harder and blind freddy knows Tyson was an infinitely better fighter and finisher than Shavers ever was hence he has a better list of victims.

Having said that Tyson's raw power has become underrated in the rush to credit (not you) his handspeed and combinations.

 

Anyone would've been koed by a shot like that, if it landed that cleanly , not just Ali of 1977. If Shavers landed the same shot on Botha, he'd have similar results.
But styles make fights, Ali probably wouldn't get koed by that shot because he wouldn't have been leaning in, and knew how to ride a shot, even in 1977.
2nd, as the announcers noted, Tyson was pretty much done by the time he fought Botha in 1999. He'd become Earnie Shavers by this time in his career. He was Shavers without his heart and mental stability.
I believe 1977 Ali probably outlast 1999 Tyson. That's if Tyson , doesn't get frustrated, and bite his ears twice, or body slams him to to get himself DQ'ed. To save himself from the clowning and beating to come.
It would come down to the mental by this time in both of their careers. Ali's mental toughness shades Tysons by miles.
It's quite possible Ali in 1977 would have an easier time with Tyson of 1999 , than he would if both were prime.

 

Shavers landed plenty of his Sunday best(s) on Ali. Probably about 2 weeks worth at least. There were other very hard punches landed besides.

Earnie was a terrific puncher but IF he was as uniquely powerful as he is often touted, should his strike rate on Muhammad not have at least yielded him a KD of Ali?

Testimonies are often brought out - but a few of the more favoured testimonies have been overturned or at least brought into question by initial nominations of Foreman and Tyson as being the hardest puncher faced - original assertions coming from both Caldwell and Tillis respectively.

Minds can be changed and Earnie could still arguably have been the harder puncher IF the actual difference was concretely discernible - but I do believe there was a bit of wagon jump in nominating Earnie as the clear and away hardest puncher of his era.

I understand Ali’s chin was monumental - but Earnie’s punch was touted just as heavily and appreciably above the rest.

To hypothesise, IF, say, Tyson had exactly the same connection rate as Earnie did - and I do mean exactly - landing his best shots as and when Earnie landed his own, is it not conceivable that Mike might’ve scored at least a KD against ‘77 Ali?

Earnie’s skills and finishing abilities have often been brought into heavy question in order to explain his inability to KO or even put down certain opponents.

Just imo, Earnie did at times prove that he was a skilled puncher, he could put his shots together and he did show off a fair measure of finishing abilities.

Per the available vision and literature, there were guys that Earnie had no problem hitting and following up on, but guys who Earnie still could not put down and/or KO.

When Shavers dropped Homes, it is repeatedly overlooked that Shavers had already clearly hurt Larry earlier in the round (7).

Holmes was only just starting to come back to himself later in that same round when Earnie bombed him with the right hand - for all intents and purposes, was that punch not the perfect finisher without further want from Earnie?

What was Mike’s best or hardest right hand ever landed? Would the punch nominated as such have been enough to not only put Larry down but also out - particularly if Mike had already hurt Larry earlier in the round?

Foreman hit Ali hard, but it was mainly to the body - and even when George’s less than flush shots to the head landed, they truly rang Ali’s bell. Suffice to say, Ali definitely did not take the horrendously flush punches that Frazier did.

Another mind experiment might be to also allow Foreman the exact strike rate Earnie enjoyed against ‘77 Ali and wonder if George might not have hurt Ali even more than Earnie did.

Even against Young, Foreman basically had Jimmy out on his feet from a single left hook - his follow up simply wasn’t so great and certainly no better or even as good as some of Earnie’s - just imho of course. PS - I love Earnie as most of us do.

 

Tyson himself would probably say Shavers. I've seen Tyson say multiple times he didn't think he was anywhere near the hardest hitter ever, it was his speed and technique.

 

Mike Tyson. This shouldn't even be in question if you've watched both men fight.

 

Tyson downplays himself whenever asked questions about his boxing ability. He knows that it goes over well when he does that. He’d probably say Jeanette would beat him.

 

I've never heard Tyson ever say another HW was faster than him or more disciplined than him during his prime run..............he's said there were fighters he thought were tougher, greater, more power, etc...........but never faster. And the guys he's said that about arguably all were. So why would he downplay some things and not others?

 

What pros?

 

About the same power I think but Tyson much more accurate with more snap.