Larry Holmes, the former heavyweight champion, has named Earnie Shavers as the hardest puncher he faced in his career, not Mike Tyson. This revelation comes as a surprise to many, given Tyson's reputation as one of boxing's most fearsome punchers.
Holmes fought both men during his illustrious career. He faced Tyson in 1988 when 'Iron Mike' was just 21 years old. Tyson won that fight by stoppage in the fourth round, retaining his WBA, WBC, and IBF titles.
Despite losing to Tyson, Holmes doesn't rate him as the hardest hitter he's faced. That honor goes to Earnie Shavers, whom Holmes fought twice. Their first bout in March 1978 went the distance, with Holmes winning by unanimous decision. In their rematch 18 months later, Holmes won again, this time by stoppage.
Holmes explained his reasoning:
"Earnie Shavers was the hardest I've ever faced but when Tyson hits, he tries to kill you. And Mike can take a good punch, I hit him a couple of times and he kept on coming. Mike knocked the sh*t out of me, he hit me so hard I went 'wooooo'. And he beat me."
Tyson's reputation as a devastating puncher is well-earned. He racked up 44 knockouts in his 50 career wins. At the start of his career, he won his first 19 fights by knockout, with 12 of those coming in the first round.
Shavers, though less famous than Tyson, also had an impressive knockout record. Out of his 76 wins, 70 came by knockout, with 23 of those in the first round. Many boxing experts consider Shavers one of the hardest punchers in the sport's history.
Holmes will get to see his former foe Tyson step back into the ring soon. Tyson is set to fight Jake Paul in November, and Holmes has shared his thoughts on the upcoming showdown.
This comparison between Tyson and Shavers offers a fascinating insight into the world of heavyweight boxing, where power can make all the difference. It also serves as a reminder that sometimes, the hardest punchers aren't always the most famous names in the sport.
