Earnie Shavers vs. Floyd Patterson

[sr71ko]

There was a game on the original Playstation called Legends of the Ring if my memory serves me correctly, and on that game I would match Shavers vs. Patterson and each time it would be a great fight. Therefore, I wonder would a dream fight of Shavers vs. Patterson be a mismatch or a great fight. Patterson had a glass jaw, but was good in several other areas and he beat several good fighters. Patterson's ko of Henry Cooper was far more decisive than Ali's victory, Patterson was amazingly able to beat bigger and stronger fighters in George Chuvalo and Oscar Bonavena. Shavers was a huge puncher but also had chin problems and stamina was very inconsistent/questionable. Would Patterson outbox or stop Shavers late, or would Shavers shatter that glass jaw? Who wins/why?

[Steve McV]

In a three-fight set, I'd take Patterson two out of three. But somewhere in that series, Shavers is gonna land one... light's out. But otherwise, I'll back Floyd all the way/

[Enswell]

Originally Posted by sr71ko

There was a game on the original Playstation called Legends of the Ring if my memory serves me correctly, and on that game I would match Shavers vs. Patterson and each time it would be a great fight. Therefore, I wonder would a dream fight of Shavers vs. Patterson be a mismatch or a great fight. Patterson had a glass jaw, but was good in several other areas and he beat several good fighters. Patterson's ko of Henry Cooper was far more decisive than Ali's victory, Patterson was amazingly able to beat bigger and stronger fighters in George Chuvalo and Oscar Bonavena. Shavers was a huge puncher but also had chin problems and stamina was very inconsistent/questionable. Would Patterson outbox or stop Shavers late, or would Shavers shatter that glass jaw? Who wins/why?

I always thought too much has been made of Floyd's so-called China chin. Many of those knockdowns had more to do with Floyd's poor balance than an inability to take a punch.I read somewhere that one leg being shorter than the other was a contributing factor, as well as a bad habit of bringing his feet together. Only Ingo and Liston really knocked him out.Both were big punchers, so no disgrace there.

Patterson-Shavers? Floyd's typically slow start could could be a problem, but I lean towards Patterson.

[hawk5ins]

At Heavyweight. He gets nailed by Shavers, he's done. Plain and simple.

Now, WILL Earnie reach Floyd? I think there is a very good chance in that happening.

Patterson stays out of harms way and Earnie wears out and get's tired, I can see Floyd winning this bout, pretty easy.

But I would not say that Earnie only has a "Punchers chance". I think he has a "Punchers probability".

"Only Ingo and Liston really knocked him out.Both were big punchers, so no disgrace there."

So too was Earnie Shavers.

Hawk

[TKO11]

I'm on the fence with this one. Earnie was big, hit a ton and had some speed and skill. But Floyd had better defence, better footwork and the fastest heavyweight hands this side of Muhammad Ali. And Earnie wasn't exactly known for how sturdy his mandible was either.

I actually think that Floyd's bob 'n weave could be pretty effective against Shavers, coupled with his aggression. Hard to hit while laying on the pressure and firing some awful good shots himself? I think this is a decent recipe for finding Shavers' chin fast and often.

That being said, if Earnie hits him well it's done. Of course, that goes for pretty much everyone against Shavers.....

[sr71ko]

I am also on the fence with this fight as well. Maybe it was poor balance and one leg being shorter than the other, rather than having a weak chin. Regardless, Patterson did not have a glass heart or glass balls. This guy was a natural supermiddleweight and beat several good heavyweights. Patterson gave Chuvalo a good fight and landed his share of bombs on Chuvalo. Maybe this fight would be similar to Shavers-Ellis, but I'm not sure.