James Tillis vs. Earnie Shavers
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Earnie Shavers 209 lbs lost to James Tillis 217 lbs by UD in round 10 of 10
- Date: 1982-06-11
- Location: Caesars Palace, Outdoor Arena, Las Vegas, Nevada, USA
- Referee: Joey Curtis
- Judge: Herb Santos 92-96
- Judge: Lou Tabat 92-96
- Judge: Chuck Minker 91-97
James "Quick" Tillis, pushed to the limit by veteran Earnie Shavers, survived a ninth-round knockdown and finished strong to score a unanimous 10-round decision over the aging heavyweight.
The fight, which occurred outdoors, took place on a day in which temperatures reached 100 degrees.
Notes
- James Tillis 21-1 (17 KOs) vs. Earnie Shavers 68-10-1 (64 KOs)
- Tillis entered ranked as the # 4 heavyweight contender by the WBA.
- Fight was on the undercard of Larry Holmes vs. Gerry Cooney.
- Shavers, 37, was 13 years older than Tillis.
- At 217 pounds, Tillis was fighting at his heaviest to date.
Quote
- "The baddest n**** I fought was Earnie Shavers. That n**** can make July into June and made me jump over the mother******' moon! That n**** hit so hard, he'll bring back tomorrow. Muhammad Ali told me he hit him so hard, he shook his kin folk in Africa. He hit me so hard, I thought I was on the corner smoking a cigarette and eating a spam sandwich. That's how hard that n**** hit. - James Tillis in a 2010 interview.
Source: Crawford, Percy. "James Tillis: "It ain't like it used to be" (2010, Aug 4) www.fighthype.com Article