Earnie Shavers Biography

Earnie Shavers, born August 31, 1944, was an American professional boxer who competed from 1969 to 1995. He was a two-time world heavyweight championship challenger and is recognized as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history. Shavers defeated former world champions Vicente Rondón, Jimmy Ellis, and Ken Norton, along with top contenders Joe Bugner and Jimmy Young. He had a 20–6 amateur record as a heavyweight, recording 14 knockouts, and won 44 of his first 47 professional fights by knockout. Shavers fought again against Larry Holmes on September 29, 1979, for the WBC title at Caesars Palace. He ended his career in 1995 with 76 wins, including 70 by knockout, 23 inside the first round, and 14 losses, seven by knockout. In 1992, he released a video titled Earnie D. Shavers, The hardest one-punch hitter, and later published an autobiography.