Earnie Shavers, a heavyweight legend with knockout power that made opponents quake, fought in one of boxing's golden eras alongside Muhammad Ali. But it's not 'The Greatest' who Shavers names as his toughest opponent.
Shavers turned pro in 1974 and quickly made a name for himself. He picked up wins over Jimmy Young, Jimmy Ellis, and Ken Norton, but fell short against Jerry Quarry and Ron Lyle. His career really took off in 1977 when he got a shot at Muhammad Ali's world title.
Ali won that fight on points after 15 rounds, but it put Shavers on the map. Two years later, he got another crack at the big one against Larry Holmes. He'd already lost to Holmes on the scorecards in 1978, but in the rematch he climbed off the canvas only to be stopped by 'The Easton Assassin.'
That first Holmes fight was a wide points victory, and it left an impression on Shavers. In fact, he rates Holmes higher than Ali. Shavers told Boxing News:
"I think Larry Holmes was the best fighter I ever fought. He was better than Ali. See, they both had great jabs, but Ali's was a flicking jab; Holmes' was a puncher's jab! They were both truly great of course, but I give Larry the edge."
Shavers finished his career with 78 wins and an incredible 70 knockouts. 23 of those came in the first round. He passed away in 2022 at the age of 78, leaving behind a legacy as one of the hardest punchers to ever lace up gloves.
