Prime Joe Frazier vs. a prime Earnie Shavers?

[NYDominican]

A prime Joe Frazier against a prime Earnie Shavers.

What advantages (If any) would Joe have over Earnie?

What advantages (If any) would Earnie have over Joe?

What do you see happening in this fight?

Who would win?


Why?

[Othro]

Shavers had power . Frazier had everything else . I'd definitely pick Frazier in this one

[fightscorecollector]

If Frazier goes past 3 rounds it over.....Frazier has Shavers breathing out of his ass by the 6th round and wins by kO 7

[Ambling Alp II]

That's prett much how I see it as well. Shavers had the power advantage. Usually, Shavers was the faster starter which could help him. There would have been a lot of fireworks. Too bad this fight didn't happen.

[Vladimir5555]

Frazier KO in midrounds

[evrenb]

Shavers was a decent fighter with Awesome power. Frazier was just plain awesome. I figure he would keep out the way of Earnie's bombs (although Earnie did have a cheeky uppercut) and stop him mid rounds.

[gilgamesh]

Frazier could be a bit of a slow starter sometimes so I think Shavers might be able to land some big shots on him and either drop him or shake him up early, but as someone else said. By the time the fight gets into the 3rd and 4th round, he'd start breaking down Shavers and wearing him out something fierce and would finish him pretty emphatically around the 7th or 8th round.

[Badhusker]

After seeing Frazier get knocked down multiple times and stopped by Foreman, I would give Shavers a legit puncher's chance.

[yancey]

After seeing Frazier get knocked down multiple times and stopped by Foreman, I would give Shavers a legit puncher's chance.

You didn't see the prime Frazier against Foreman, bud.

The prime buzz saw version of Joe Frazier, circa 1969-70, mops the floor with Shavers.

[Ambling Alp II]

After seeing Frazier get knocked down multiple times and stopped by Foreman, I would give Shavers a legit puncher's chance.

You certainly would have to. Shavers wasn't nearly as good of a finisher as Foreman though; he sometimes let guys off the hook when they were hurt. Frazier may have survived if he got hurt early against Shavers.

[SenorPipino]

Shavers wasn't a particularly huge heavyweight. He wouldn't have the physical advantages that Foreman had over Frazier.
Shavers could be hurt, and Frazier would do the hurting in a fight that wouldn't last 3 rounds.
Quarry stopped him quick. Ellis almost had him out in the first. Frazier would have turned the trick rapidly too.

[Ambling Alp II]

I guess anything is possible, but Frazier stopping Shavers in less than 3 rounds is pretty unlikely. Frazier often started slow, and never stopped any heavyweight contender in that short of time.
Except for the Quarry fight, Shavers never got stopped that early except for his very last fight when he was about 50.

It really is too bad this fight didn't happen. It could have. It would have been exciting while it lasted.

[Cutman Scabbers]

Why didn't this fight happen?

[yancey]

Why didn't this fight happen?

Oh, I'm sure someone will come along and say that Frazier ducked him.

To my recollection, Shavers became prominent well after the time Frazier had lost the title. Frazier only fought a few times after losing the title and those fights were with more prominent fighters than Shavers.

[evrenb]

After seeing Frazier get knocked down multiple times and stopped by Foreman, I would give Shavers a legit puncher's chance.

You didn't see the prime Frazier against Foreman, bud.

The prime buzz saw version of Joe Frazier, circa 1969-70, mops the floor with Shavers.

Yancey..when was Ali's prime?

[SenorPipino]

I guess anything is possible, but Frazier stopping Shavers in less than 3 rounds is pretty unlikely. Frazier often started slow, and never stopped any heavyweight contender in that short of time.
Except for the Quarry fight, Shavers never got stopped that early except for his very last fight when he was about 50.

It really is too bad this fight didn't happen. It could have. It would have been exciting while it lasted.

Of course it's known that Frazier was a slow starter, but he certainly had the power to exploit Shaver's chin.
Quarry stopped him quick and Lyle took him out in the 6th. Neither was an ATG. Frazier was.
Unlike most fighter, Frazier would have come right at Shavers. It was what he knew and it's what he always did.
That aggressiveness would have paid off with an early victory. Of course taking the fight right to Shavers would be dangerous, but I have the feeling that the Acorn would have been on the defensive like he was against Ellis.
This time a miracle punch wouldn't be there to save him.

[misterpunch]

frazier all day

[Ambling Alp II]

Frazier-Lyle would have exciting as well.

[raylawpc]

Why didn't this fight happen?

Timing.

[warriorpoet]

I know this is not an original answer here but I'd go with Frazier by a late stoppage but giving Shavers a puncher's chance.

[wvboxer]

Shavers wasn't the mauler Foreman was. Foreman had that thing where he pushed Frazier, establishing distance & breaking his rhythm.

I just watched the Frazier / Ramos fight & Joe really got rocked there so Shavers has a shot early.

[energie]

anyting can happen when you have earnie shavers power / but if i laid down $1000 it would be on joe frazier

[elmersalsa]

The great Joe Frazier all the way.

[illinijoejoe]

Shavers really was a fringe contender until 1976. At that point Frazier was about done. Even though Shavers beat Ellis he was quickly dispatched by Quarry and he even retired briefly in late 73 early 74. He then lost to Bob Stallings and was way out of the picture. He really didn't return to prominence until beating Roy Williams and Howard Smith and getting the title shot. Lyle would have been a much more likely mid 70's opponent for Frazier.

[Caractacus]

actually I think at one point Joe Frazier was scheduled to fight Earnie Shavers at Madison Square Garden in February 1978.
in his planned comeback.