Earnie Shavers: Should He Be in the Hall of Fame in Canastota?

[elmersalsa]

Should this former hard-hitting heavyweight contender, Earnie Shavers, should be in the hall of fame?

He won 32 fights in a row.
He won 26 fights in a row by knockout.
Was a top ten heavyweight contender for most of the 1970s decade.
Had a decent longevity.

Among his greatest wins:
W10 Vicente Rondon
WTKO3 Jimmy Young
WKO1 Jimmy Ellis
WKO1 Ken Norton
WTKO2 Joe Bugner

But, at the same time he has lost to:
L15 Muhammad Ali in a thrilling title fight.
LTKO1 Jerry Quarry
LTKO11 Larry Holmes in a thrilling title fight.
LTKO5 Ron Stander....He shouldn't lost that fight. It may hurt his standing in the ballot.
LKO6 Ron Lyle

His losses to Randall "Tex" Cobb and James "Quick" Tillis were at the tail end of his career in the 80s decade.

What was missing from him to make it to the hall?

Or he could get into the hall with that resume?

Is there another high point of his career that I am not aware of?

Your thoughts.

[tiny_acres]

I'm one of Shavers biggest fans. I loved watching him back in the day.
And as one of his biggest fans I still could not evn imagine him ever getting into the HOF.
He just didn't do enough against great competition to be considered.
Biggest win was Norton, beyond that he lost his big fights.
Great entertainment but far from HOF worthy and that is not a knock on him or his career

[margaret thatcher]

a no for me, his achievements arent good enough to overcome the patchiness of his record

[oogiebe]

One of my all time favs and a great watch, but never approached hall of fame level. I'm not so sure it's even a close call.

[scorpio83]

I wish Shavers should get in, but it would take forever for the International Hall of Fame to lower the bar and have great contenders to get inducted. If legends like Langford, Bivins and Burley got in, why not Earnie Shavers? That is my question.

[oogiebe]

I wish Shavers should get in, but it would take forever for the International Hall of Fame to lower the bar and have great contenders to get inducted. If legends like Langford, Bivins and Burley got in, why not Earnie Shavers? That is my question.

On what merit does Earnie get in? Love the guy, but really now.

[gp.]

If he goes to Canastota, then as long as he pays his $15 I see no reason they shouldn't let him in. He's a nice guy from all accounts, doesn't cause trouble; I don't really understand why anyone would have a problem with him visiting.

[margaret thatcher]

[HomicideHenry]

It's always been my view that to be in the HOF one must've been either a champion, or was so dominant as a contender being blocked out of the title shot for corrupt reasons.

In recent years it seems as though the HOF has dropped it's standards, and it's largely because virtually all the big names are already in the HOF and they need somebody to put in every year.

Much as I like Earnie, he simply doesn't fit the criteria. There are a lot of contenders out there who never became champion who I personally think were a lot better overall than he was. If we're going to go down that route then Jimmy Young ought to be in the HOF for being robbed against Ali and Norton and having beaten Foreman.

[Ambling Alp II]

Liked the first sentence.

"It's always been my view that to be in the HOF one must've been either a champion, or was so dominant as a contender being blocked out of the title shot for corrupt reasons."

The key word being "champion"; not just a WBS titleholder.
And of course being a champion should not automatically mean a guy should be in the HOF. It should just be a minimum standard to be considered.

Rare exceptions do need to made:
As mentioned not getting a deserved title shot. i.e. Sam Langford.
Not winning a title because someone else happens to be an ATG at the same time.
Getting the raw end of officiating when fighting for the title.

[Caractacus]

I thought that he was already in the Boxing Hall of Fame.

[margaret thatcher]

earnie's best argument isnt his resume of wins and losses, but the fact that many regard him as the hardest puncher in boxing history. it's what separates him from others.

he has a special place in boxing history for that. if his record were the exact same, but his kos were decision wins, and he gave ali, holmes, etc tough fights with his silky smooth skills rather than power, he'd hardly be as famous

he's a no for me though

[Controversial]

No I don't think he should be

[Caractacus]

just out of curiosity, what heavyweight contenders (that never did become champion)are now in the Hall of Fame ?

[elmersalsa]

just out of curiosity, what heavyweight contenders (that never did become champion)are now in the Hall of Fame ?

Harry Wills
Sam Langford
Joe Jeannette
Sam McVeay
Young Stribbling
Jimmy Bivins

[klompton]

No, but they just inducted some woman whose entire career was a lie and who lost her only fight so he'll probably get in.

[tiny_acres]

No, but they just inducted some woman whose entire career was a lie and who lost her only fight so he'll probably get in.

I guess I missed that. Who is it???

[Controversial]

No, but they just inducted some woman whose entire career was a lie and who lost her only fight so he'll probably get in.

I guess I missed that. Who is it???

Jackie Tonawanda

[Ambling Alp II]

just out of curiosity, what heavyweight contenders (that never did become champion)are now in the Hall of Fame ?

Harry Wills
Sam Langford
Joe Jeannette
Sam McVeay
Young Stribbling
Jimmy Bivins

Also:
Peter Jackson
Charley Mitchell
Jake Kilrain
Joe Choynski
Tom Sharkey
George Godfrey

Probably someone else that we are missing.

[Caractacus]

George Chuvalo ?

[Ambling Alp II]

That would be another hard no.

[Caractacus]

well if Jerry Quarry isn't in the Hall of Fame yet, then something is seriously wrong.

[Ambling Alp II]

Jerry Quarry doesn't have a case either.

[HomicideHenry]

These are one of those instances I have to agree with Alp. Quarry is one of those guys who was in a lot of good fights and he was a good fighter but he was not an all-time great. He lost to Frazier and Ali and Norton, never fought Foreman, and even though he knocked out Shavers he also lost by knockout to Chuvalo.

There are a lot of guys who are sentimental favorites and Quarry was loved by a lot of people but I don't think he would have been a champion in a lot era's despite a lot of people claiming he could have been a champion had he not been in the 1970s.

He was really wide open to the countered. Sure he was tough and he could give it back but if he was around today he would most likely have been a cruiserweight, and I can't see him beating a lot of the great cruiserweights.

[margaret thatcher]

lol obviously quarry shouldnt be in dudes