BoxRec

15 rounds.

I can't see Patterson not getting caught and taken out somewhere within the first 4 rounds.

If he fights the perfect fight, and avoids Earnie's bomb for 6 or 7 rounds, he can beat him, but that's a big if.

Shavers himself could be KOed. Quarry did than with him in 1. Patterson was an explosive puncher, obviously with a weak chin, but he would have a lot of chances to get to Earnie earlier.

Patty by kayo in 6.

Hard to imagine this going very long.
Shavers was of course a brutal puncher with an OK chin.
Patterson was a hard puncher with a weak chin.

Just going this, Shavers would have the edge. However, Patterson had much faster hands, was a more accurate puncher, and of the two, was better defensively. In short, he was more likely to land.

Looks like it could have gone either way.

hard to pick, they'd each have a good chance of knocking out the other

2 of my favorite heavyweights ever.
I would find it hard to picture Patterson lasting long with Shavers. Floyd was a hard puncher himself but Shavers was an animal.
Floyd would have to be defensively perfect. I do not see it happening.
Shavers wins by ko in 3 or less.

Patterson may survived the first round, but Shavers would quickly wreck him in the second round after nailing him with his huge right hand flush on the chin for a KO win.

Shavers by 5th round kayo.

I think Shavers would turn Patterson into roadkill, just as Sonny Liston did.

Shavers by stoppage, within the first three rounds.

Floyd was the better fighter, no doubt, but he lacked the size and durability to hang in there with a monstrous puncher like Shavers.

1173348 wrote: ↑17 Mar 2023, 21:20 I think Shavers would turn Patterson into roadkill, just as Sonny Liston did.

Shavers by stoppage, within the first three rounds.

Floyd was the better fighter, no doubt, but he lacked the size and durability to hang in there with a monstrous puncher like Shavers.

Agreed.