Earnie Shavers vs. Archie Moore(@heavyweight)

**sr71ko** · 08-03-2012, 02:21 PM

This is one fantasy fight that I would have loved to see. You have the all time ko king in Archie Moore(129-145 ko's) vs. the hardest single punching heavyweight of all time in Earnie Shavers. Moore was the light heavyweight king, but he had a decent body of work beating a lot of heavyweights. Moore fought and lost to Ali, Maricano, and Patterson. Ali and Patterson overwhelmed Archie with speed, while Rocky wore down Moore with brute strength and power, yet Moore did deck Rocky and gave the Rock some trouble early on. Would Moore's guile and power overcome Earnie Shavers? Or would Shavers blow Archie away. Shavers had good wins over Norton, Young, Ellis, Tiger Williams, but lost to lesser fighters in Stander and Tex Cobb. He also lost to Quarry by 1st round tko. He also nearly knocked both Ali and Larry Holmes out with big right hands. Shavers was bigger and stronger, but would that be enough. Archie was smart and could put you to sleep. Who wins this one and why?

**mrbig1** · 08-05-2012, 01:54 PM

Shavers is too big and strong. Moore was a p4p alltime great. Just too much power.

**don1234** · 08-05-2012, 04:21 PM

Shavers is big and strong - bigger and stronger than Archie. He would have to win by knockout - something he certainly could do - but if the Old Mongoose got by the first half of the fight relatively unscathed, he would stand an excellent chance of stopping Earnie, whose stamina often deserted him as a bout wore on.

**hagler04** · 08-06-2012, 12:18 AM

I actually like Moore big here. Earnie's lone shot is an early knockout. If Moore survives the initial onslaught, and I think he's crafty enough to do it; he will dominate the middle and later rounds as Shavers tired. People forget Moore beat many guys as big or bigger than Shavers like Baker and Valdez; Earnie's size would be a non-issue for Moore.

**JaKob** · 08-10-2012, 06:04 AM

Originally Posted by hagler04

I actually like Moore big here. Earnie's lone shot is an early knockout. If Moore survives the initial onslaught, and I think he's crafty enough to do it; he will dominate the middle and later rounds as Shavers tired. People forget Moore beat many guys as big or bigger than Shavers like Baker and Valdez; Earnie's size would be a non-issue for Moore.

Yeah i'm just not sure Moore survives. In most cases Moore is crafty enough to get out of dodge but i don't think he has a chance to do this against Shavers. Shavers might very well be the hardest one shot puncher to ever lace up the gloves.

**hagler04** · 08-10-2012, 12:15 PM

Originally Posted by JaKob

Yeah i'm just not sure Moore survives. In most cases Moore is crafty enough to get out of dodge but i don't think he has a chance to do this against Shavers. Shavers might very well be the hardest one shot puncher to ever lace up the gloves.

I think Satterfield was in Earnie's league power-wise and he got KO'd in 3 rounds. Lots of guys less skilled than Moore took Shavers into the later rounds in fights.

**SageBrush** · 08-10-2012, 02:01 PM

I tend to think that its Earnie who is the erratic one here, ..to a degree...he could be vulnerable himself early, the Ellis fight illustrates perfectly the Minefield that was Mr Shavers, Would Archie have failed to finish the Ambush Like Ellis ? Earnies Problem of course would be finding the Target against Archie, If he does, then Archie does not have that Stander, Mercado "Heavyweight" durability to survive a protracted slugfest with a single shot Hitter like Earnie, If Earnie fights Archie like he did Henry Clark in their first fight, then Archie has a good chance, But if Earnie comes at Archie like he did Clark in their second encounter, Like he did Norton, Then i think the writing is on the wall for Archie, and the writing says "Wall about to fall on you.." In this fight i think its Earnie who brings the wrecking Ball...And lands it.

**geannabell** · 08-13-2012, 05:45 AM

I also want to see their fight.

**mrbig1** · 08-13-2012, 07:41 PM

My only question is can Moore take Earnie's body shots. 188 pound Moore may get his ribs broken in this fight. Shavers almost broke Norton in half with a left hook to the body. I know Moore is a all time great. Just way too much power.

**Michael Frank** · 08-14-2012, 12:52 AM

Moore is a much better fighter P4P than Earnie. Still, Shavers is the epitome of why the lighter guys almost always couldn't move up in weight to heavyweight successfully-- the big boys would simply crush them. Shavers is the biggest puncher Moore would have ever faced. Likely a KO5.

I'll agree with Hagler04 about one thing, though-- if this goes more than a few rounds, then I like Moore. Earnie was sub-par--not a top-10 guy-- in a long fight, with exceptions vs. Ali and Roy Williams. If Moore is crafty and remains for 8 rounds, then he's the winner, I feel. Probably by KO in that case.

**JaKob** · 08-17-2012, 09:35 AM

Originally Posted by hagler04

I think Satterfield was in Earnie's league power-wise and he got KO'd in 3 rounds. Lots of guys less skilled than Moore took Shavers into the later rounds in fights.

Satterfield a tremendous puncher himself in p4p sense but Shavers would be a notch above here and physically far more imposing. I'm not saying Moore couldn't get the job done but i think he has to navigate a very thin margin of error to do so. I'd give the edge to Shavers.

**apollack** · 08-17-2012, 02:52 PM

Pick 'em fight. If Earnie catches him it is all over. But not so sure he does. Archie had cagey defense, and could nail Shavers a few well timed and well-placed blows himself. Shavers didn't have the greatest jaw ever either. Plus, we all know that Earnie tended to gas out. But that said, I come full circle with the thought that Shavers had freakish power, so it wouldn't be a fight you'd feel confident about wagering upon.

**JeffR** · 08-17-2012, 08:03 PM

Both men's legend has them greater than they were, Shavers more so. I don't think I would use Satterfield as a barometer here. He was a big puncher, but had no chin. He was KO'd by middleweights and was never really more than a light heavyweight. Shavers could be KO'd, but I doubt a middleweight could do it. Let's not forget that Archie was KO'd more than a few times himself and by guys that I seriously doubt punched as hard as Shavers. I'd say that if Moore lasts 8 rounds he could pull it off, given Shavers's tendency to run out of gas. But I think the chances are good that Shavers takes him out in a few rounds.

**don1234** · 08-18-2012, 09:46 AM

Both men's legend has them greater than they were

Perhaps as a heavyweight - no one in IBRO would put Archie, or Shavers for that matter, anywhere near the top 30 - but as a light-heavy Archie was 100% the real deal.