Earnie Shavers Explained

Earnie Shavers
Realname:Earnie Dee Shaver
Nickname:
  • The Black Destroyer
  • The Acorn
  • Puncher of the Century
Weight:Heavyweight
Height:6 ft
Reach:79 in
Birth Date:31 August 1944
Birth Place:Garland, Alabama, U.S.
Death Place:Virginia, U.S.
Style:Orthodox
Total:91
Wins:76
Ko:70
Losses:14
Draws:1

Earnie Dee Shaver (August 31, 1944 – September 1, 2022),[1] best known as Earnie Shavers, was an American professional boxer who competed between 1969 and 1995. A two-time world heavyweight championship challenger, he is known as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history. He scored 70 knockout wins, including 23 in the first round, for a 76.7% overall knockout rate.

Shavers twice unsuccessfully challenged for the heavyweight championship, losing to Muhammad Ali in 1977 by a 15-round unanimous decision and to Larry Holmes in 1979 by a TKO in round 11. He hurt Ali in the second round and knocked down Holmes in the seventh round. Shavers defeated former world champions Vicente Rondón, Jimmy Ellis, and Ken Norton, as well as three-time European heavyweight champion Joe Bugner and top heavyweight contender Jimmy Young.

In 2001, Shavers released an autobiography, Welcome to the Big Time. After retiring from boxing, he continued to attend boxing events as a special guest, autograph signer, and motivational speaker.

Early life

Earnie Dee Shaver was born on August 31, 1944, in Garland, Alabama. He was one of nine children born to Curtis and Willie Belle Shaver, and worked on a cotton farm with his family. Shavers credited the strenuous labor on the farm for helping to build his muscular physique and formidable strength. While still a boy, his family was forced to flee their home after his father was threatened by the Ku Klux Klan, over money owed for a mule.[2] [3]

The family moved to Youngstown, Ohio. Shavers attended Newton Falls High School, where he excelled in track and football. He worked at the nearby General Motors assembly plant in Lordstown.[4]

Amateur career

Shavers started boxing at the late age of 22. Before turning professional, he had a short but notable amateur career, winning the 1969 National AAU heavyweight title.[5]

In March 1969, National Golden Gloves director Tony Mange said Shavers "carries a hefty punch".[6] He had nine straight knockout wins before he was himself knocked out by the 230-pound (104 kg) West German Horst Koschemann.[7]

Highlights

Cleveland Golden Gloves, Cleveland, Ohio, 1968:

National Golden Gloves, Salt Lake City, Utah, March 1968:

United States National Championships, Toledo, Ohio, April 1968:

National Golden Gloves, Municipal Auditorium, Kansas City, Missouri, March 1969:

United States National Championships, San Diego, California, April 1969:

USA–FRG Duals, Cincinnati Gardens, Cincinnati, Ohio, June 1969:

Ohio State Fair Amateur Boxing Tournament, State Fairgrounds, Columbus, Ohio, August 1969:

National Team Selection Eliminator, Fort Campbell, Kentucky, October 1969:

Shavers posted a 20–6 amateur record as a heavyweight and recorded 14 knockouts (with half of those losses also by knockout.)[8]

Professional career

Early bouts

Known as the "Black Destroyer", Shavers won 44 of his first 47 fights by knockout; mostly against unremarkable opposition. This included 27 consecutive knockouts, of which 20 were in the first round. He suffered setbacks with a unanimous decision loss in his 3rd bout to Stan Johnson, who was a replacement opponent for Wayne West, and a 5th-round KO loss to then undefeated Ron Stander.

He began to rise to the upper ranks of the heavyweight division after he hired Cleveland-based promoter Don King to be his manager. His wins included one over a novice Jimmy Young who later became a world championship contender. Stepping up the class of his opposition, he came to public prominence with a first-round KO of one time WBA heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis. His progress was halted when he was KO'd in the first round by Jerry Quarry, which was followed by another loss to a journeyman Bob Stallings. Shavers then had a thunderous match with hard hitting Ron Lyle but was stopped after 6 brutal rounds. He then knocked out hard hitter Howard Smith and beat powerful prospect Roy Williams in a brutal back and forward battle in which Shavers was nearly knocked out, a match Shavers maintained was one of the toughest of his career.

Fighting champions

Shavers vs Ali

See main article: Muhammad Ali vs. Earnie Shavers. Shavers fought Muhammad Ali at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 1977.[9] Coming into the bout, Shavers had a record of 54–5–1, with 52 knockouts. Ali nicknamed Shavers "The Acorn" because of his shaved bald head. The fight was shown in prime time broadcast television by NBC, which rarely did prime time fights (ABC tended to get the Ali fights) and had the judges' scoring announced after each round to help avoid any controversial decision. Ali's cornerman Angelo Dundee asked Baltimore matchmaker Eddie Hrica to watch the broadcast in the dressing room and signal on the scoring. In the second round, Shavers hurt Ali with an overhand right. Ali play-acted that he was seriously hurt, and Shavers hesitated. On the scorecard they exchanged rounds. Ali won the fifth decisively. To win the fight Ali had to survive the last three rounds. Shavers, whose stamina was suspect before the fight, came alive in the 13th round. In the 14th, he battered Ali about the ring. Before the 15th, according to Sports Illustrated boxing writer Pat Putnam, "Ali was on very wobbly legs."

Realizing Ali needed to last three more minutes, Dundee told him, "You don't look so good. You better go out and take this round." In a furious final round, the two men tagged each other, but Ali closed strongly, nearly dropping Shavers in the last 20 seconds. He won a unanimous decision. The next day, Garden matchmaker Teddy Brenner encouraged Ali to retire by stating the Garden would never make another offer to host an Ali fight. Brenner also thought that Shavers deserved the nod against Ali. The fight made the cover of Sports Illustrated, with "ALI'S DESPERATE HOUR" featuring a photograph of Shavers scoring with an overhand right.[10] Ali's fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco also urged Ali to retire after noting the punishment Ali had absorbed against Shavers. Ali later said Shavers was the hardest puncher he ever faced, comparing him favorably to Joe Frazier and George Foreman.[11] Ali also stated that "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk back in Africa" - a quip Ali had previously used to describe other hard-hitting opponents.[12]

Shavers vs Holmes I

Shavers, being the No.3 WBC contender, then fought No. 4 WBC contender Larry Holmes at Caesars Palace for an elimination bout for the WBC world heavyweight title, the winner to face WBC heavyweight champion Ken Norton. The fight happened at Paradise, Nevada on March 25, 1978. Holmes won by a 12-round unanimous decision.

Shavers vs Norton

In a mandatory title challenge eliminator Earnie Shavers knocked out former champion Ken Norton in the first round. The victory is widely regarded as the best win of his career and earned him a bout with WBC champion Larry Holmes.[13]

Shavers vs Holmes II

Shavers and Holmes fought once again on September 29, 1979, again at Caesars Palace, this time for the WBC title. Shavers knocked Holmes down in rounds seven and nine but after taking a series of punches in the eleventh round and seeming defenseless, the referee stopped the fight awarding a TKO win for Larry Holmes. Holmes, known for his ability to take a punch, later said that Shavers's knockdown blow in the seventh round was the hardest he had ever taken in his career.

Later career

The Holmes rematch was the last big fight for Shavers. In 1980, in a wild slugfest he was stopped in the eighth round by durable prospect Randall "Tex" Cobb. Prior to the Cobb fight, Shavers had undergone eye surgery for a detached retina. (Since eye surgery was not nearly as refined then as it is today, the majority of boxers retired for good after that kind of injury. In the words of Duane Ford of the Nevada Athletic Commission, a detached retina for a boxer was like an AIDS diagnosis[14]). Shavers had not fully recovered from the surgery when he came back for the Cobb fight. He never again fought for the world title. In 1982 he fought Joe Bugner, also on the comeback trail. Bugner was knocked down in the first, and was stopped by cuts in the second round.

Shavers continued to fight professionally for several years, retiring in 1995 after losing to Brian Yates. Many thought he should have retired after his upset loss to lower contender Bernardo Mercado. Shavers had a similar retinal eye injury as Sugar Ray Leonard.

Comeback

Shavers attempted two abbreviated comebacks–—a fight in 1987, and two in 1995, in the second of which he was KO'd by Brian Yates in round 2. After this loss, Shavers retired for good.

Shavers has been named among the top-10 punchers in boxing history by The Ring and others.[15] [16]

Shavers finished his career in 1995 with a record of 76 wins (70 by knockout, 23 inside the first round, with 52 in the first 3 rounds), 14 losses (7 by knockout), and 1 draw.

Fighting style

Shavers was an exceptionally heavy puncher who stalked his opponents, setting them up for his thunderous right, which was responsible for many of his knockouts, although Angelo Dundee in a Sports Illustrated mid-1970s article said "He can get you out of there with any kind of shot", referring to Shavers's ability to inflict damage with a left hook, right cross or right uppercut. Several boxers famous for their tough chins had fallen to Shavers's punches, including Bugner and Ellis who were felled by his uppercut.

Shavers would throw punches against any legal area he could reach, exposed or covered, relying on his tremendous power to wear down his opponents and exploiting any opening. His fighting stance produced a short and powerful image. His chin was his weakness. He could however "box" as well as slug. Notably, he injured his right hand early in a 10-round match against rated craftsman Henry Clark and responded with a strong jabbing performance to beat Clark, himself noted for his jabbing ability, on points.

Video and book

Shavers published a video of highlights of his career in 1992 titled Earnie D. Shavers, The hardest one-punch hitter, and later an autobiography.

Life after boxing

Shavers retired in 1983 after retinal problems were discovered. After retirement, he became an ordained Christian minister and moved to Phoenix, where he preached for many years. He moved to England to pastor a church there in the early 2000s. He was on the Benny Hinn TV show several times.

During the early 1980s while preparing for the feature film Rocky III, Sylvester Stallone explored the possibility of using a real heavyweight boxer in the role of James "Clubber" Lang by inviting Earnie Shavers to spar with him. Shavers initially refused to hit Stallone with anything other than a soft jab. This frustrated Stallone, who asked Shavers, "C'mon Earnie, show me something real." Earnie responded by punching him once near the liver, forcing an immediate retirement; Stallone later said: "that nearly killed me. I went straight to the men's room and threw up".[17] However, according to Rhonda Young, the film's casting director, the reason why he was eventually not chosen for the part is that his voice was too high-pitched and not menacing enough (Joe Frazier was also considered).[18]

Shavers visited Ali several times and he said that he, Ali, and George Foreman became very good friends over the years. Foreman, when asked about toughest and hardest punching opponent he ever met in the ring, said:[19]

Shavers accepted the invitation of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International[20] to preach at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

He also worked in Liverpool in the UK, as head of security at Hannah's bar, where he was very much respected. Until 2009, he worked at Yates' Wine Lodge in Liverpool "meeting and greeting". On occasion Shavers was a troubleshooting referee in professional wrestling after his retirement.

He was also a Patron of The Shannon Bradshaw Trust,[21] a children's charity based in Warrington, Cheshire, helping children with life-threatening conditions, and their families.

Shavers spoke to pupils at Barr Beacon Language College in Walsall. He also gave a speech on 26 February 2008 at The Streetly School in Walsall, which was based upon helping kids make the right decisions in life.

Personal life

Shavers was married to his high school sweetheart, Laverne Payne. They had five daughters, Tamara Shavers, Cynthia Shavers, Catherine Shavers-Long, Carla Shavers, and Amy Shavers-Perkins. He also has four daughters and one son from other relationships. He had 24 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Shavers made a guest appearance on the Irish TV program The Late Late Show hosted by Ron Lyle where the two fighters discussed their previous bout that had happened a month earlier. Shavers was a frequent visitor to the pub Roddy Bolands in Dublin. There is a signed picture of Shavers drinking a pint of Guinness on the wall there.

Death

Shavers died at age 78 on September 1, 2022, from a short illness at his daughter's home in Virginia.[22]

Professional boxing record

ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
91Loss76–14–1Brian YatesKO2 (10), Nov 24, 1995
90Win76–13–1Brian Morgan8Sep 19, 1995
89Win75–13–1Larry SimsKO2 (10), May 16, 1987
88Loss74–13–1George Chaplin9 (10), Mar 1, 1983
87Win74–12–1Phil ClinardTKO5 (10)Feb 18, 1983
86Win73–12–1Rahim MuhammadPTS10Jan 29, 1983
85Win72–12–1Tony PereaRTD6 (10), Nov 5, 1982
84Win71–12–1Al JonesKO3 (8)Dec 13, 1982
83Win70–12–1Phil ClinardTKO2 (8)Oct 14, 1982
82Win69–12–1Chuck GardnerKO2 (10), Sep 5, 1982
81Loss68–12–1Walter SantemoreUD10Aug 17, 1982
80Win68–11–1Billy Joe ThomasKO5 (10)Jun 22, 1982
79Loss67–11–1James TillisUD10Jun 11, 1982
78Win67–10–1Danny SuttonTKO7 (10)May 15, 1982
77Win66–10–1Joe BugnerTKO2 (10), May 8, 1982
76Win65–10–1Ali HaakimPTS10Apr 22, 1982
75Win64–10–1Jeff SimsKO5 (10), Dec 11, 1981
74Win63–10–1Mike RodgersKO2 (10), Sep 9, 1981
73Win62–10–1Terry MimsKO2 (10), Jul 29, 1981
72Win61–10–1Ted WadkinsTKO2 (10), Oct 17, 1980
71Loss60–10–1Randall CobbTKO8 (10), Aug 2, 1980
70Win60–9–1Leroy BooneUD10Jun 14, 1980
69Loss59–9–1Bernardo MercadoTKO7 (10), Mar 8, 1980
68Loss59–8–1Larry HolmesTKO11 (15), Sep 28, 1979
67Win59–7–1Eddie ParotteTKO3 (10)May 25, 1979
66Win58–7–1Ken NortonKO1 (12), Mar 23, 1979
65Win57–7–1Harold CarterKO3 (10)Dec 4, 1978
64Win56–7–1John GirowskiKO4 (10), Oct 9, 1978
63Win55–7–1Harry Terrell1 (10), Jul 20, 1978
62Loss54–7–1Larry HolmesUD12Mar 25, 1978
61Loss54–6–1Muhammad AliUD15Sep 29, 1977
60Win54–5–1Howard SmithKO2 (10), Apr 16, 1977
59Win53–5–1Roy WilliamsKO10 (10), Dec 11, 1976
58Win52–5–1Henry ClarkTKO2 (10), Sep 28, 1976
57Win51–5–1Henry Clark10Mar 28, 1976
56Win50–5–1Tommy HowardKO3 (10), Nov 13, 1975
55Loss49–5–1Ron LyleTKO6 (12), Sep 13, 1975
54Win49–4–1Oliver WrightTKO3 (10), May 8, 1975
53Win48–4–1Rochell NorrisTKO10 (10), Apr 9, 1975
52Win47–4–1Leon ShawKO1 (10), Feb 11, 1975
51Draw46–4–1Jimmy Young10Nov 26, 1974
50Loss46–4Bob StallingsUD10Nov 4, 1974
49Win46–3Roy WallaceKO1 (10), May 16, 1974
48Loss45–3Jerry QuarryTKO1 (10), Dec 14, 1973
47Win45–2Jimmy EllisKO1 (10), Jun 18, 1973
46Win44–2Harold CarterKO1 (10), May 12, 1973
45Win43–2Jimmy YoungTKO3 (10), Feb 19, 1973
44Win42–2Leroy CaldwellKO2 (10), Oct 25, 1972
43Win41–2A J StaplesTKO1 (10), Sep 19, 1972
42Win40–2Vicente RondónUD10Aug 26, 1972
41Win39–2Lou BaileyKO2 (10), May 5, 1972
40Win38–2Bob FelsteinTKO5 (10), Apr 22, 1972
39Win37–2Charley PoliteKO3 (10), Apr 6, 1972
38Win36–2Elgie WaltersKO2 (10), Feb 15, 1972
37Win35–2Ted GullickKO6 (10)Feb 1, 1972
36Win34–2Del MorrisKO3 (10), Nov 28, 1971
35Win33–2Cleo DanielsKO2 (10)Nov 23, 1971
34Win32–2Elmo HendersonKO4 (10), Oct 28, 1971
33Win31–2Charlie BostonKO2 (10), Oct 16, 1971
32Win30–2Pat DuncanKO5 (10)Sep 28, 1971
31Win29–2Richard PittmanKO1 (10)Aug 11, 1971
30Win28–2Bill McMurrayKO1 (10), Jul 13, 1971
29Win27–2Bill HardneyKO1 (10), Jun 29, 1971
28Win26–2Chuck LeslieKO10 (10), Jun 10, 1971
27Win25–2Willie JohnsonTKO4 (10), Apr 24, 1971
26Win24–2Mac HarrisonKO2 (10), Apr 21, 1971
25Win23–2Young AgababKO1 (10)Mar 24, 1971
24Win22–2Steve CarterTKO1 (10)Mar 3, 1971
23Win21–2Dick GoshaTKO5 (10), Feb 17, 1971
22Win20–2Johnny MacKO3 (10)Feb 3, 1971
21Win19–2Nat ShaverKO1 (6)Jan 15, 1971
20Win18–2Lee EstesKO2 (8)Jan 6, 1971
19Win17–2Bunky AkinsKO1 (6), Dec 7, 1970
18Win16–2Johnny MacTKO4 (8)Nov 18, 1970
17Win15–2Johnny HudginsKO1 (6), Oct 14, 1970
16Win14–2Don BranchKO1 (6)Sep 12, 1970
15Win13–2Jim DanielsKO1 (10)Aug 29, 1970
14Loss12–2Ron StanderKO5 (8), May 11, 1970
13Win12–1Frank SmithTKO4 (6)Apr 14, 1970
12Win11–1Ron AsherKO1 (8), Mar 23, 1970
11Win10–1Art MillerTKO1 (6), Mar 10, 1970
10Win9–1Abe BrownTKO5 (6), Jan 27, 1970
9Win8–1Joe ByrdTKO3 (6), Jan 24, 1970
8Win7–1Abe BrownTKO1 (6), Jan 7, 1970
7Win6–1Gene IdeletteTKO2 (6)Dec 23, 1969
6Win5–1Chico FroncanoKO1 (4), Dec 18, 1969
5Win4–1J. D. McCauleyKO2 (4), Dec 4, 1969
4Win3–1Lee RoyKO3 (6), Nov 21, 1969
3Loss2–1Stan Johnson4Nov 13, 1969
2Win2–0George Holden1 (6), Nov 11, 1969
1Win1–0Silas Howell1 (4), Nov 6, 1969

Notes and References

  1. News: Earnie Shavers, regarded as one of the hardest punchers in boxing history, dies at 78. sports.yahoo.com . Kevin . Iole . September 2, 2022. May 6, 2023.
  2. Web site: Maloney . Christopher . October 31, 2022 . Earnie Shavers . Encyclopedia of Alabama.
  3. Web site: Rawling . John . February 6, 2001 . The baddest bouncer in Liverpool . July 27, 2024 . The Guardian.
  4. News: Gauntner . Mike . September 14, 2022 . Funeral set Saturday for boxer Earnie Shavers at Newton Falls High School . July 27, 2022 . WFMJ News 21.
  5. https://web.archive.org/web/20060616134223/http://boxing-records.com/palm/voirpalma.phtml?boxeur=shaverea.html Earnie Shavers Amateur Record
  6. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/62241431/ Two Ohio Heavies To Bid for Titles
  7. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/104560378/ U. S. Boxers Take Germans Tonight
  8. https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/100724725/ U.S., German Boxers Meet Here Friday
  9. News: Remembering Ron Lyle . ESPN . 2011-11-28 . 2012-03-15 . Kieran . Mulvaney.
  10. News: 70 reasons to celebrate Muhammad Ali . ESPN . 2012-01-17 . 2012-01-17 . Tim . Keown.
  11. Web site: Muhammad Ali About Earnie Shavers HARDEST PUNCHER.flv. . 2022-09-13.
  12. Web site: Junior's close Shave with ring legend Ernie. The Star. Bob Westerdale. 2007-09-04. 2008-02-07.
  13. Web site: James Slater . James Slater . On This Day: Earnie Shavers caramelises Ken Norton . Boxing News . February 13, 2023 . Mar 23, 2018.
  14. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSTPGdLxkqQ&t=225 Duane Ford of Nevada State Athletic Commission, on the Sugar Ray Leonard's retirement.
  15. Web site: Ranking the 10 Most Powerful Punchers in Boxing History. Briggs. Seekins. . 15 August 2018.
  16. News: Top Ten Hardest Punchers in Boxing History - The Daily Banter. The Daily Banter . 15 March 2013. 15 August 2018.
  17. Book: Romano, Frederick V. . The boxing filmography: American features, 1920–2003. McFarland & Company . August 27, 2004 . 171. 978-0-7864-1793-3 .
  18. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: Mr. T biography (1999). .
  19. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: Web site: George Foreman On Tyson & Hardest Punchers . . 2011-11-02 . 2016-10-02.
  20. Web site: Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International FGBMFI UK & Ireland empower men for life. 15 August 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305021842/http://fgbmfi.org.uk/fgbmfi/index.asp. 5 March 2016. dead.
  21. http://www.shannonstrust.org.uk Shannon Bradshaw Trust
  22. Web site: Earnie Shavers, Hard-Punching Heavyweight, Is Dead at 78. The New York Times. September 3, 2022.