BoxRec

Clash of the big punchers!... this fight could see both men on the floor... Shavers early but Weaver late....

I'm surprised more people didn't jump right on this thread. Earnie Shavers vs. Mike Weaver? Who wouldn't want to see that?

However, you probably already nailed it in your original post. Haven't watched a Weaver fight in too long, but I recall him being a slow starter. Not a good recipe going into a fight with Shavers. But Earnie was prone to punching himself out, so the tide could turn if Weaver made it out of the first three or four rounds.

Still, on a one fight basis, both fighters at their best, I'd have to go with Shavers by an early stoppage.

Yeah, I'm surprised more people aren't into this post... if you put Marcianos name on a post you get about a dozen people straight away!.... Weaver is generally very underrated I think, the guy could fight... not quite as big a puncher as Shavers (who was?) but better stamina which would make things interesting!...

Shavers KO 1 – Weaver used to start slow whereas Shaver would come out bombing.

A thing about Shavers' stamina. He was not the only big puncher who had stamina problems, but I don't count that as a shortage per se in his conditioning coming into a fight. The thing with guys like Shavers (and Foreman) is that they were SOOO committed to throwing bombs, putting huge amounts of effort into every one of their shots, that, if their opponents could manage to last three or four rounds, then all those big shoulder and arm muscles would naturally become weary. Tremendous amounts of energy per punch were used by guys who threw like these guys did.

By contrast, guys like Marciano and Frazier threw much more compact punches. Short, close range punches ... hard punches nonetheless, but not with such a complete commitment to their own shots that they were literally off balance and out of position when they were done throwing, especially if they missed.

You could almost liken it to how pitchers are taught to be in position to field a ball hit back to the mound. Some guys throw pretty hard with a more economical delivery. But that's not usually the case with these guys who can run it up there 98-99 miles an hour. You watch those guys and they're falling off toward first base after the ball leaves their hand (or third for the lefties).

Same kind of thing with Shavers. His whole commitment was to throwing HARD!! So, by the time the 3rd or 4th round came along (if you could manage to last that long), old Earnie was spent.

Mike was a credit tot he sport. In an era of fat boys Mike was always in condition and always did his best to put on a show. I'm not sure he is canny enough to stay away from earnie in the early rounds though. I think every round the fight goes after the 4th pushes the odds in Mike's favour.

Still, I go for the acorn in the 2nd or 3rd

I have to pretty much agree with what you guys have already said. The big danger for Weaver was indeed that he was at times a slow starter this would make things very awkward for him for the first few rounds.

I lean towards the savage hitting Shavers inside 5, but with these two it could realy go either way. The later it goes I would fancy Weaver, however Shavers could box a little to when called for such as when he fought Henry Clark in France, although he was forced to box more that night due to a damaged hand.

And Earnie himself could be caught early as well, Ellis had him in trouble before Shavers dropped him and there is of course the Quarry fight so this one REALLY could go either way.

With regards to Mike Weaver he was one of the few members of 'the lost generation' of 80's Heavyweight that was always in shape and as far as I am aware didn't get into the drugs and drink scene. And for what it's worth I thought Weaver won the rematch with Dokes, just.

To be fair to Shavers a lot of his stamina probs early in his career might be connected to the problems that he had with his manager of the time who never used to get him top sparring or even decent training equipment..... having said that though Weaver was definately a bit stronger in the stamina department... he took Dokes 15 in their second fight (and was robbed I thought) he outlasted Coetzee (another heavy hitter) and koed Tate late. One thing I noticed about Weaver is that he was not as busy a fighter as Shavers... he used to pick his punches and often pose a lot and do little before suddenly throwing a big bomb... perhaps this is why he was able to do well in long distance fights.
Against Coetzee Weaver did little for the first 6 or 8 rounds except laying on the ropes (alaAli) and letting Coetzee hit him (and taking most of the punches on his arms etc) then when Coetzee had punched himself out Weaver came on and koed him in the later rounds.
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