Earnie Shavers - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Earnie Dee Shaver better known as Earnie Shavers, is an American former professional boxer

Boxing

Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...

and is widely considered along with George Foreman as the hardest punchers of all time. Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...

, Joe Bugner

Joe Bugner

József Kreul "Joe" Bugner is a Hungarian-born British-Australian former top heavyweight boxer. He holds triple nationality, being a citizen of Hungary and a naturalized citizen of both Australia and the United Kingdom where he learned to box and spent his peak years.Born in Szőreg, a southeastern...

, Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

, Randall "Tex" Cobb, Ron Lyle

Ron Lyle

Ron Lyle was an American professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He is considered to have been one of the best contenders of his era. He was a crowd-pleasing power puncher.-Early life:...

and Ken Norton

Ken Norton

Kenneth Howard Norton Sr. is a former heavyweight boxer. He is best known for his 12-round victory over a peak Muhammad Ali where he famously broke Ali's jaw, on March 31, 1973, becoming only the second man to defeat Ali as a professional .He and Ali...

all credited Shavers as being the hardest puncher they had ever faced in the ring.

Shavers took up boxing at the late age of 22, yet two weeks later he won his first ever fight by a first round knockout

Knockout

A knockout is a fight-ending, winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts, Karate and others sports involving striking...

, against Jim Daniels. Earnie worked out daily in Warren

Warren, Ohio

As of the census of 2000, there were 46,832 people, 19,288 households and 12,035 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,912.4 people per square mile . There were 21,279 housing units at an average density of 1,322.9 per square mile...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...

. He was generally in and out of the top ten ratings for no less than about a ten year period.

10 on Ring Magazine's list of 100 greatest punchers of all time. His right uppercut and cross were his two biggest shots. But as Angelo Dundee once respectfully said 'He can get you out of there with any shot'.

Amateur career

Prior to turning professional, Shavers had a short but notable amateur career and was the 1969 National AAU Heavyweight Champion.

Early Professional career

Known as the Black Destroyer, Shavers compiled an impressive record at the start of his career, winning 44 of his first 47 fights by knockout, mostly against unremarkable opposition. His KO streak included 27 knockouts in a row and over 20 victories were in the first round alone. However he suffered setbacks with losses to Ron Stander

Ron Stander

Ron Stander is a boxing referee and former professional boxer from Council Bluffs, Iowa, who was once a challenger for the heavyweight championship of the world....

and Stan Johnson.

He began to rise through the ranks of the heavyweight division after he hired a Cleveland

Cleveland, Ohio

Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...

-based promoter and ex-con named Don King to be his manager. His wins included a novice Jimmy Young

Jimmy Young (boxer)

Jimmy Young was a fast highly skilled Philadelphia heavyweight boxer who had his greatest success during the 1970s, when he most notably beat George Foreman, and many fans felt also Ali . He also fought many top names...

who would later become a top contender. Stepping up the class of opposition, he came to public prominence with a first round KO of one time WBA

World Boxing Association

The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...

heavyweight champion Jimmy Ellis

Jimmy Ellis

James Albert "Jimmy" Ellis is a retired boxer from Louisville, Kentucky. He fought in what some consider to be the greatest heavyweight era of all-time, which included Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman, Jerry Quarry, Floyd Patterson, Oscar Bonavena, Earnie Shavers and George Chuvalo among...

. However his progress halted when he was KO'd in the first round by 'white hope' Jerry Quarry

Jerry Quarry

Jerry Quarry , nicknamed "Irish" or “The Bellflower Bomber,” was an Irish-American heavyweight boxer. Quarry was rated by Ring Magazine as the most popular fighter in the sport, 1968–1971, and was one of the biggest stars of arguably the greatest era in the history of the heavyweight division.-...

which was followed by another loss to a journeyman Bob Stallings. Shavers then had a thunderous match with hard hitting Ron Lyle

Ron Lyle

Ron Lyle was an American professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He is considered to have been one of the best contenders of his era. He was a crowd-pleasing power puncher.-Early life:...

but was stopped after 6 brutal rounds. He then knocked out hard hitter Howard King and beat Roy Williams in a back and forward battle. The latter Shavers always said was one of the toughest of his whole career.

Shavers v Ali

Shavers fought a somewhat past his peak Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...

at Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden

Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...

on September 29, 1977. Ali nicknamed Shavers "The Acorn" because of his shaved bald head, unlike early appearances. The fight was shown in prime time broadcast television by NBC, which rarely did prime time fights (ABC tended to get the Ali fights) and had the judges' scoring announced after each round to help avoid any controversial decision. Ali's cornerman Angelo Dundee

Angelo Dundee

Angelo Dundee is an American boxing cornerman. He is best known for his work with Muhammad Ali , and has worked with 15 world boxing champions, including Sugar Ray Leonard, José Nápoles, George Foreman, Jimmy Ellis, Carmen Basilio, Luis Rodriguez and Willie Pastrano.-Professional career:Born in...

had a crony in the dressing room watching the broadcast, and would get signals from his friend on the scoring. In the second round, Shavers hurt Ali badly with an overhand right. Ali exaggerated his motions enough that it seemed he might be play acting and Shavers hesitated. They exchanged rounds scorewise, Ali won the fifth in a big way. By the final round Ali had already won on the scorecards although some viewers felt Shavers deserved to win. All Ali had to do was survive the last three rounds. But Shavers, whose stamina was suspect before the fight, came alive in the 13th. In the 14th, he battered Ali about the ring. Before the 15th, according to the story by Sports Illustrated's great boxing writer Pat Putnam, Ali was on very wobbly legs. Ali was always very resilient.

Though knowing Ali needed only to last three more minutes, Dundee told him, "You don't look so good. You better go out and take this round." In a furious final round, the two men tagged each other, but Ali closed strong, almost dropping Shavers over the last 45 seconds. He took a unanimous decision, but the next day, Garden matchmaker Teddy Brenner tried to encourage Ali's retirement by stating the Garden would never host or make an offer to host another Ali fight. Brenner also thought that Shavers deserved the nod against Ali. The fight made the cover of Sports Illustrated, with "ALI'S DESPERATE HOUR" over a shot of Shavers scoring with an overhand right. Fight doctor Ferdie Pacheco

Ferdie Pacheco

Dr. Ferdie Pacheco was the cornerman for multiple boxing champions, most famously Muhammad Ali, for whom he was also a personal physician. Beginning in the late 1970s, Pacheco was a TV boxing analyst for several networks, most notably Showtime. Pacheco is also a prolific author and painter...

also urged to Ali to retire after noting the damage Ali had absorbed against Shavers. Ali later said Shavers was the hardest puncher he ever faced, famously stating "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk back in Africa" although Ali had used this amusing punch line in reference to various hard hitting opponents.

Shavers v Norton/Holmes

In a mandatory title challenge eliminator he knocked out former champion and Ali beater Ken Norton

Ken Norton

in the first round, possibly the best win of his career.

Shavers then fought for the title against skilled champion Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

at Caesars Palace

Caesars Palace

Caesars Palace is a luxury hotel and casino located on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada, an unincorporated township in Clark County, Nevada, United States in the Las Vegas metropolitan area. Caesars Palace is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment Corp....

in Las Vegas

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...

on September 29, 1979, exactly two years after his defeat by Ali. Shavers knocked Holmes down in round seven but was himself knocked out in round eleven after taking punishment. Holmes, known for his ability to take a punch, later said that Shavers' blow was the hardest he had ever taken in his career.

Later career

The above Holmes bout was the last really big match for Shavers. In 1980, he was knocked out in the seventh round by durable prospect Randall "Tex" Cobb. He'd never again fight for the world title. In 1982 he fought Joe Bugner

Joe Bugner

, also on the comeback trail. Bugner was knocked down in the first but was stopped on cuts in the second.

Shavers continued to fight professionally for many years afterwards only finally retiring in 1995 after losing to Brian Yates. Many thought he should have retired after his upset loss to lower contender Bernardo Mercado

Bernardo Mercado

Bernardo Mercado was a heavyweight boxer briefly ranked as the top contender for the title of champion in 1980 by the WBC.Born in Montería, Colombia on January 16, 1952, Mercado was once a sparring partner for Argentine heavyweight Oscar Bonavena, before turning professional on November 15, 1975.Of...

. Shavers had a similar retinal eye surgery to Sugar Ray Leonard.

Fighting style

Shavers was a heavy-handed puncher who stalked his opponents in order to set them up for his thunderous right, which accounted for many of his knockouts. Sometimes ungraceful and without accuracy, Earnie was known to exhaust himself before round 7, perhaps lack of proper training facilities, and critics argued he rarely won a bout that went longer than 8 rounds. But he fought Ali well for 15 rounds and Holmes for 11. Earnie would throw punches against any legal area he could reach, exposed or covered, relying on his tremendous power to wear down his opponents and exploiting any opening. In fighting stance he made a short and powerful image. His chin was perhaps not as strong as ideal. He could 'box' too as well as slug. Famously he hurt his right hand early in a 10 round match against rated Henry Clark and then nearly jabbed Clarke's head off, beating him at his own game as it were, to win on points.

Video and Book

Shavers published a video of highlights of his career in 1992 titled 'Earnie D. Shavers, The hardest One-Punch Hitter', and later an autobiography.

Life after boxing

Shavers retired in 1983 after retinal problems were discovered. After retirement, he became an ordained Christian

Christianity

Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...

minister and moved to Phoenix

Phoenix, Arizona

Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...

, where he pastored for many years. He moved to England to pastor a church there in the early 2000s. He has been on the Benny Hinn

Benny Hinn

Toufik Benedictus "Benny" Hinn הין; born December 3, 1952) is a televangelist, best known for his regular "Miracle Crusades" – revival meeting/faith healing summits that are usually held in large stadiums in major cities, which are later broadcast worldwide on his television program, This Is Your...

Television

Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...

show several times.

During the early 1980s while preparing for the feature film Rocky III
Rocky III
Rocky III is a 1982 American film that is the third installment in the Rocky film series. It is written and directed by and stars Sylvester Stallone as the title character, with Carl Weathers as former boxing rival Apollo Creed, Burgess Meredith as Rocky's trainer Mickey, and Talia Shire as Rocky's...

, Sylvester Stallone

Sylvester Stallone

Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone , commonly known as Sylvester Stallone, and nicknamed Sly Stallone, is an American actor, filmmaker, screenwriter, film director and occasional painter. Stallone is known for his machismo and Hollywood action roles. Two of the notable characters he has portrayed...

explored the possibility of using a real heavyweight boxer in the role of James "Clubber" Lang

Clubber Lang

James "Clubber" Lang is a fictional character and antagonist that appeared as Rocky Balboa's rival in the 1982 film Rocky III. He was played by the popular "bodyguard to the stars" Mr. T, who was 29 years old when the film was launched...

by inviting Earnie Shavers to spar with him. Shavers initially refused to hit Stallone with anything other than a soft jab. This frustrated Stallone, who asked Shavers, "C'mon Earnie, show me something real." Earnie responded by punching him once near the liver, forcing an immediate retirement; Stallone later said: "that nearly killed me. I went straight to the men's room and threw up".

Shavers has visited Ali several times and he says he, Ali, and George Foreman

George Foreman

George Edward Foreman is an American two-time former World Heavyweight Boxing Champion, Olympic gold medalist, ordained Baptist minister, author and successful entrepreneur...

have become very good friends over the years. Shavers accepted the invitation of the Full Gospel Business Men's Fellowship International to preach at the 2002 Commonwealth Games

2002 Commonwealth Games

The 2002 Commonwealth Games were held in Manchester, England from 25 July to 4 August 2002. The XVII Commonwealth Games was the largest multi-sport event ever to be held in the UK, eclipsing London's 1948 Summer Olympics in numbers of teams and athletes participating.After the 1996 Manchester...

in Manchester

Manchester

Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...

.

Amongst other things, Earnie also works in Liverpool

Liverpool

Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough of Merseyside, England, along the eastern side of the Mersey Estuary. It was founded as a borough in 1207 and was granted city status in 1880...

in the UK, as head of security at Hannahs' bar, where he is very much respected. Shavers was a troubleshooting referee in professional wrestling

Professional wrestling

Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...

for a little while after his retirement.

He is also a Patron of The Shannon Bradshaw Trust, a children's charity based in Warrington

Warrington

Warrington is a town, borough and unitary authority area of Cheshire, England. It stands on the banks of the River Mersey, which is tidal to the west of the weir at Howley. It lies 16 miles east of Liverpool, 19 miles west of Manchester and 8 miles south of St Helens...

, Cheshire

Cheshire

Cheshire is a ceremonial county in North West England. Cheshire's county town is the city of Chester, although its largest town is Warrington. Other major towns include Widnes, Congleton, Crewe, Ellesmere Port, Runcorn, Macclesfield, Winsford, Northwich, and Wilmslow...

, helping children with life threatening conditions, and their families.

Earnie has given a speech to pupils at Barr Beacon Language College in Walsall

Walsall

Walsall is a large industrial town in the West Midlands of England. It is located northwest of Birmingham and east of Wolverhampton. Historically a part of Staffordshire, Walsall is a component area of the West Midlands conurbation and part of the Black Country.Walsall is the administrative...

. Earnie also gave a speech 26 February 2008 at The Streetly School in Walsall, which was based around helping kids make the right decisions in life.

Personal life

Shavers was married to Laverne Payne and has eight daughters, Tamara, Cynthia, two daughters named Catherine, Carla, Amy, Lisa, Natasha and a son named Earnie Jr.. He also has eleven grandchildren. Shavers was a guest appearance in the Irish TV programme "The Late Late Show" hosted by Ron Lyle where the two fighters discussed their previous bout that had previously happened a month earlier. Shavers was a frequent visitor to the pub "Roddy Bolands" in Dublin. There is a signed picture of Shavers drinking a pint of Guinness hung up on the wall there.

Comeback

Shavers made a short comeback in the late 1980s and early 1990s. After a few wins and losses he retired for good in 1995, after being defeated by Brian Yates, by a KO in round 2.

In 2003, Shavers was ranked number 10 among boxing's greatest punchers in history by Ring Magazine. Shavers was given the title of "puncher of the century" and, within the sport of boxing, is widely considered to be the hardest puncher of all time.

Shavers finished his career in 1995 with a record of 74 wins (68 by knockout, 23 inside the first round), 14 losses and 1 draw.

Professional boxing record

Brian Yates
|KO
|2
|24/11/1995
|align=left|

Ho-Chunk Casino

Ho-Chunk Casino is a Native American casino located in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. The casino is owned by the Ho-Chunk tribe.-External links:*...

, Wisconsin Dells

Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin

Wisconsin Dells is a city in south-central Wisconsin, with a population of 2,418 as of the 2000 census. It straddles four counties: Adams, Columbia, Juneau, and Sauk. The city takes its name from the dells of the Wisconsin River, a scenic, glacially formed gorge that features striking sandstone...

, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

Brian Morgan
|PTS
|8
|19/09/1995
|align=left|

Omaha

Omaha, Nebraska

Omaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...

, Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

Larry Sims
|KO
|1
|16/05/1987
|align=left|

Cincinnati Technical College Gymnasium, Cincinnati, Ohio

Ohio

George Chaplin
|DQ
|9
|01/03/1983
|align=left|

Civic Center, Baltimore

Baltimore

Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...

, Maryland

Maryland

Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...

Rahim Muhammad
|PTS
|10
|29/01/1983
|align=left|

El Paso

El Paso, Texas

El Paso, is a city in and the county seat of El Paso County, Texas, United States, and lies in far West Texas. In the 2010 census, the city had a population of 649,121. It is the sixth largest city in Texas and the 19th largest city in the United States...

, Texas

Texas

Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...

Tony Perea
|KO
|7
|05/11/1982
|align=left|

El Paso

El Paso, Texas

, Texas

Texas

Phil Clinard
|TKO
|2
|14/10/1982
|align=left|

Duke's Country Nightclub, Tulsa

Tulsa, Oklahoma

Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...

, Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...

Chuck Gardner
|KO
|2
|05/09/1982
|align=left|

Wales

Wales, Wisconsin

Wales is a village in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States, first settled by Welsh immigrants. The population was 2,523 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Wales is located at ....

, Tulsa

Tulsa, Oklahoma

, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Walter Santemore
|UD
|10
|17/08/1982
|align=left|

Blackham Coliseum

Blackham Coliseum is a multipurpose arena in Lafayette, Louisiana. It was built on the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus in 1949 as the home to the then-named SLI Bulldogs, now called the Louisiana–Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns men's basketball teams. It remained the home for the men's team...

, Lafayette

Lafayette, Louisiana

Lafayette is a city in and the parish seat of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, on the Vermilion River. The population was 120,623 at the 2010 census...

, Louisiana

Louisiana

Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...

Billy Joe Thomas
|KO
|5
|22/06/1982
|align=left|

Astro Arena

Reliant Arena

The Reliant Arena, formerly the "Astroarena", is a 350,000 square feet sports center in Reliant Park, in Houston, Texas, USA. It is one of the state's major arenas and convention centers. Reliant became the home of the Women's National Basketball Association's Houston Comets for what proved to...

, Houston, Tulsa

Tulsa, Oklahoma

, Texas

Texas

James Tillis
|UD
|10
|11/06/1982
|align=left|

Caesars Palace

, Houston, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

The Las Vegas Valley is the heart of the Las Vegas-Paradise, NV MSA also known as the Las Vegas–Paradise–Henderson MSA which includes all of Clark County, Nevada, and is a metropolitan area in the southern part of the U.S. state of Nevada. The Valley is defined by the Las Vegas Valley landform, a ...

, Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

Danny Sutton
|TKO
|7
|15/05/1982
|align=left|

Yorktown Aircraft Carrier, Charleston

Charleston, South Carolina

Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...

, South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

Joe Bugner

|TKO
|2
|08/05/1982
|align=left|

Reunion Arena

Reunion Arena was an indoor arena, in the Reunion district of downtown Dallas, Texas . It held 18,293 for basketball and 17,001 for ice hockey.It was demolished in November 2009 and the site was cleared by the end of the year.-History:...

, Dallas, Texas

Texas

Ali Haakim
|PTS
|10
|22/04/1982
|align=left|

Grand Traverse Hilton, Traverse City, Michigan

Michigan

Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....

Jeff Sims
|KO
|5
|11/12/1981
|align=left|

Queen Elizabeth Sports Centre, Nassau

Nassau, Bahamas

Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...

Mike Rodgers
|KO
|2
|09/09/1981
|align=left|

Civic Center, Lansing

Lansing, Michigan

Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...

, Michigan

Michigan

Terrel Williams
|KO
|2
|29/07/1981
|align=left|

Civic Center, Saginaw

Saginaw, Michigan

Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...

, Michigan

Michigan

Ted Hamilton
|KO
|2
|17/10/1980
|align=left|

Auditorium

West Palm Beach Auditorium

The West Palm Beach Auditorium was a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in West Palm Beach, Florida. It was built in 1965, at the intersection of North Congress Avenue and Palm Beach Lakes Boulevard. It was home to the West Palm Beach Blaze ice hockey team and Florida Bobcats arena football team. It...

, West Palm Beach

West Palm Beach, Florida

West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...

, Florida

Florida

Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...

Randall Cobb
|TKO
|8
|02/08/1980
|align=left|

Joe Louis Arena

Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...

, Detroit, Michigan

Michigan

Leroy Boone
|UD
|10
|14/06/1980
|align=left|

Riverfront Coliseum

U.S. Bank Arena

U.S. Bank Arena is an indoor arena, located in downtown Cincinnati, Ohio, along the banks of the Ohio River, next to the Great American Ball Park. Completed in September 1975, the arena seats 17,556 people...

, Cincinnati, Ohio

Ohio

Bernardo Mercado

|TKO
|8
|02/08/1980
|align=left|

Great Gorge Resort, McAfee

McAfee, New Jersey

McAfee is an unincorporated area within Vernon Township in Sussex County, New Jersey, United States. The area is served as United States Postal Service ZIP Code 07428....

, New Jersey

New Jersey

New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

|TKO
|11
|28/09/1979
|align=left|

Caesars Palace

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Eddie Parotte
|TKO
|3
|25/05/1979
|align=left|

Richfield

Richfield, Ohio

Richfield is a village in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,286 at the 2000 census. The village and the adjacent Richfield Township are approximately equidistant between the downtown areas of Akron and Cleveland...

, Ohio

Ohio

Ken Norton

|TKO
|1
|23/03/1979
|align=left|

Hilton Hotel

Las Vegas Hilton

The Las Vegas Hilton is a hotel, casino, and convention center in Las Vegas, Nevada. It is a joint venture between Colony Capital, which owns 60 percent, and New York City-based REIT Whitehall Street Real Estate Funds, which owns the remaining 40 percent...

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Harold Carter
|KO
|3
|04/12/1978
|align=left|

Saginaw

Saginaw, Michigan

, Michigan

Michigan

John Girowski
|KO
|4
|09/10/1978
|align=left|

Coliseum

Hampton Coliseum

The Hampton Coliseum is a multi-use cultural, entertainment and sports arena in Hampton, Virginia. Construction on the arena began on May 24, 1968 and the venue opened in 1970 as the first large multi-purpose arena in the Hampton Roads region and the state of Virginia, opening a year prior to...

, Hampton

Hampton, Virginia

Hampton is an independent city that is not part of any county in Southeast Virginia. Its population is 137,436. As one of the seven major cities that compose the Hampton Roads metropolitan area, it is on the southeastern end of the Virginia Peninsula. Located on the Hampton Roads Beltway, it hosts...

, Virginia

Virginia

The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...

Harry Terrell
|RTD
|2
|20/07/1978
|align=left|

The Dome Civic Center, Virginia Beach

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Virginia Beach is an independent city located in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area of Virginia, on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay...

, Virginia

Virginia

Larry Holmes

Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....

|UD
|12
|25/03/1978
|align=left|

Caesars Palace

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Muhammad Ali

Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...

|UD
|15
|29/09/1977
|align=left|

Madison Square Garden

, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

, New York

New York

Howard Smith
|KO
|2
|16/04/1977
|align=left|

The Aladdin, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Roy Williams
|KO
|10
|11/12/1976
|align=left|

The Aladdin, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Henry Clark
|TKO
|2
|28/09/1976
|align=left|

Yankee Stadium, Bronx, New York

New York

Henry Clark
|PTS
|10
|28/03/1976
|align=left|

Pavillon de Paris

The Pavillon de Paris was a large concert space in Paris, France, located near the Porte de Pantin Métro stop, on the northern edge of the city. With a seated capacity of approximately 10,000 spectators, the Pavillon was the city's largest indoor music arena throughout its brief operating history...

, Paris

Paris

Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...

Tommy Howard
|KO
|3
|13/11/1975
|align=left|

Howard Johnson's, Monroeville

Monroeville, Pennsylvania

Monroeville is a home rule municipality in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located about east of the city of Pittsburgh, Monroeville is a bustling suburb with mixed residential and commercial developments...

, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...

Ron Lyle

Ron Lyle was an American professional boxer in the heavyweight division. He is considered to have been one of the best contenders of his era. He was a crowd-pleasing power puncher.-Early life:...

|TKO
|6
|13/09/1975
|align=left|

Denver, Colorado

Colorado

Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...

Oliver Wright
|KO
|3
|08/05/1975
|align=left|

Steelworkers Hall, Baltimore

Baltimore

, Maryland

Maryland

Rochelle Norris
|KO
|10
|09/04/1975
|align=left|

Binghamton

Binghamton, New York

Binghamton is a city in the Southern Tier of New York in the United States. It is near the Pennsylvania border, in a bowl-shaped valley at the confluence of the Susquehanna and Chenango Rivers...

, New York

New York

Leon Shaw
|KO
|1
|11/02/1975
|align=left|

Orlando

Orlando, Florida

Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...

, Florida

Florida

Jimmy Young

Jimmy Young (boxer)

|PTS
|10
|26/11/1974
|align=left|

Capitol Center, Landover

Landover, Maryland

Landover is an unincorporated community in Prince George's County, Maryland, United States, within the census-designated place of Greater Landover. The Prince Georges County Sports and Learning Complex is in Landover...

, Maryland

Maryland

Bob Stallings
|UD
|10
|04/11/1974
|align=left|

Felt Forum, New York

New York

, New York

New York

Roy Wallace
|KO
|1
|16/05/1974
|align=left|

Civic Auditorium

San Jose Civic Auditorium

San Jose Civic Auditorium, known as the San Jose Civic, is a sports arena and concert venue, located in downtown San Jose, California. The 3,000-seat venue is owned by the City of San Jose, is managed by Team San Jose and is booked by Nederlander Concerts.It was created through a joint venture...

, San Jose

San Jose, California

San Jose is the third-largest city in California, the tenth-largest in the U.S., and the county seat of Santa Clara County which is located at the southern end of San Francisco Bay...

, California

California

California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...

Jerry Quarry

|TKO
|1
|14/12/1973
|align=left|

Madison Square Garden

, New York

New York

, New York

New York

Jimmy Ellis

|KO
|1
|18/06/1973
|align=left|

Madison Square Garden

, New York

New York

, New York

New York

Harold Carter
|KO
|1
|12/05/1973
|align=left|

Arena

Windsor Arena

Windsor Arena is an indoor arena located in Windsor, Ontario. Its capacity is approximately 4,400 with standing room. The arena's ice is an asymmetrical by or...

, Windsor

Windsor, Ontario

Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...

, Ontario

Ontario

Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....

, Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

Jimmy Young

Jimmy Young (boxer)

|TKO
|3
|19/02/1973
|align=left|

Spectrum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania

Leroy Caldwell
|KO
|2
|25/10/1972
|align=left|

High School Gym, Newton Falls

Newton Falls, Ohio

Newton Falls is a city located within Newton Township in Trumbull County, Ohio in the United States. The population was 5,002 at the 2000 census...

, Ohio

Ohio

A J Staples
|KO
|1
|22/09/1972
|align=left|

Moonlight Gardens Ballroom, Canton

Canton, Ohio

Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...

, Ohio

Ohio

Vicente Rondon

Vicente Paúl Rondón was a former WBA light heavyweight boxing world champion.- Personal background :Rondon was born in extreme poverty in Río Chico, Miranda, Venezuela, and decided to escape his poor surroundings by enlisting in the Venezuelan military at an early age.- Professional career :When...

|UD
|10
|26/08/1972
|align=left|

Canton

Canton, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Lou Bailey
|KO
|2
|05/05/1972
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

Akron , is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Summit County. It is located in the Great Lakes region approximately south of Lake Erie along the Little Cuyahoga River. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan...

, Ohio

Ohio

Bob Felstein
|KO
|5
|22/04/1972
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Charley Polite
|KO
|3
|06/04/1972
|align=left|

Packard Music Hall, Warren

Warren, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Elgie Walters
|KO
|2
|15/02/1972
|align=left|

Beaumont

Beaumont, Texas

Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...

, Texas

Texas

Ted Gullick

Ted Gullick was a boxer from the United States. He was a highly regarded Heavyweight prospect in the early 1970s. Gullick stood slightly over 6 feet and in his prime weighed 195 lbs...

|KO
|6
|01/02/1972
|align=left|

Packard Music Hall, Warren

Warren, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Del Morris
|KO
|3
|30/11/1971
|align=left|

Bryant

Bryant, Indiana

Bryant is a town in Bearcreek Township, Jay County, Indiana, United States. The population was 252 at the 2010 census.-Geography:Bryant is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , all of it land....

, Indiana

Indiana

Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...

Elmo Tex Henderson
|KO
|4
|29/10/1971
|align=left|

Stateline

Stateline, Nevada

-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 1,215 people, 510 households, and 245 families residing in the CDP. The population density was 1,803.3 people per square mile . There were 562 housing units at an average density of 834.1 per square mile...

, Nevada

Nevada

Charlie Boston
|KO
|2
|17/10/1971
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Pat Duncan
|KO
|5
|28/09/1971
|align=left|

Reno

Reno, Nevada

Reno is the county seat of Washoe County, Nevada, United States. The city has a population of about 220,500 and is the most populous Nevada city outside of the Las Vegas metropolitan area...

, Nevada

Nevada

Richard Pittman
|KO
|1
|11/08/1971
|align=left|

Silver Slipper

The Silver Slipper was a Las Vegas, Nevada casino that operated from September 1950 to November 29, 1988. The building was designed by architect Martin Stern, Jr....

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Bill McMurray
|KO
|1
|13/07/1971
|align=left|

Sahara Tahoe Hotel, Stateline

Stateline, Nevada

, Nevada

Nevada

Bill Hardney
|KO
|1
|29/06/1971
|align=left|

Western Reserve Field, Warren

Warren, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Chuck Leslie
|KO
|10
|10/06/1971
|align=left|

Sahara Tahoe Hotel, Stateline

Stateline, Nevada

, Nevada

Nevada

Willie Johnson
|TKO
|4
|24/04/1971
|align=left|

Curtis Hixon Hall

Curtis Hixon Hall, located at 600 Ashley Drive, was an indoor sports arena, convention center, concert venue, and special events center built downtown beside the Hillsborough River in Tampa, Florida...

, Tampa

Tampa, Florida

Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....

, Florida

Florida

Mac Harrison
|KO
|2
|21/04/1971
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Young Agabab
|KO
|1
|24/03/1971
|align=left|

Silver Slipper

The Silver Slipper was a Las Vegas, Nevada casino that operated from September 1950 to November 29, 1988. The building was designed by architect Martin Stern, Jr....

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Steve Carter
|TKO
|1
|03/03/1971
|align=left|

Silver Slipper

The Silver Slipper was a Las Vegas, Nevada casino that operated from September 1950 to November 29, 1988. The building was designed by architect Martin Stern, Jr....

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Dick Gosha
|TKO
|5
|17/02/1971
|align=left|

Armory, Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Johnny Mac
|KO
|3
|03/02/1971
|align=left|

Silver Slipper

The Silver Slipper was a Las Vegas, Nevada casino that operated from September 1950 to November 29, 1988. The building was designed by architect Martin Stern, Jr....

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Nat Shaver
|KO
|1
|16/01/1971
|align=left|

Convention Hall

Miami Beach Convention Center

Miami Beach Convention Center is an indoor arena in Miami Beach, Florida and it is currently the largest convention center in the Miami area. It now features 4 large rooms each holding about 12,000 people.- History :...

, Miami Beach

Miami Beach, Florida

Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States, incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on a barrier island between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter which separates the Beach from Miami city proper...

, Florida

Florida

Lee Estes
|KO
|2
|06/01/1971
|align=left|

Silver Slipper

The Silver Slipper was a Las Vegas, Nevada casino that operated from September 1950 to November 29, 1988. The building was designed by architect Martin Stern, Jr....

, Las Vegas

Las Vegas metropolitan area

, Nevada

Nevada

Jim Carefelli
|KO
|2
|11/12/1970
|align=left|

Austintown Fitch High School Gym, Youngstown

Youngstown, Ohio

Youngstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...

, Ohio

Ohio

Bunky Akins
|KO
|1
|07/12/1970
|align=left|

Madison Square Garden

, New York

New York

, New York

New York

Johnny Mac
|TKO
|4
|18/11/1970
|align=left|

Austintown Fitch High School Gym, Youngstown

Youngstown, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

John Hudgins
|KO
|1
|14/10/1970
|align=left|

Canton

Canton, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Don Branch
|KO
|1
|12/09/1970
|align=left|

Cooper Arena, Columbus

Columbus, Ohio

Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...

, Ohio

Ohio

, United States
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|13–2
|align=left| Jim Daniels
|KO
|1
|29/08/1970
|align=left|

Austintown Fitch High School Gym, Youngstown

Youngstown, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Ron Stander

Ron Stander is a boxing referee and former professional boxer from Council Bluffs, Iowa, who was once a challenger for the heavyweight championship of the world....

|KO
|5
|11/05/1970
|align=left|

Omaha

Omaha, Nebraska

, Nebraska

Nebraska

Nebraska is a state on the Great Plains of the Midwestern United States. The state's capital is Lincoln and its largest city is Omaha, on the Missouri River....

, United States
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|12–1
|align=left| Frank Smith
|KO
|4
|14/04/1970
|align=left|

Canton

Canton, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Ron Asher
|KO
|1
|23/03/1970
|align=left|

Fitch High Gym, Youngstown

Youngstown, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Art Miller
|KO
|1
|06/03/1970
|align=left|

Canton

Canton, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Abe Brown
|TKO
|5
|27/01/1970
|align=left|

Orlando

Orlando, Florida

, Florida

Florida

Joe Byrd
|KO
|3
|24/01/1970
|align=left|

Canton

Canton, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Abe Brown
|KO
|1
|07/01/1970
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

Gene Idelette
|KO
|1
|26/12/1969
|align=left|

Orlando

Orlando, Florida

, Florida

Florida

Chico Froncano
|KO
|1
|18/12/1969
|align=left|

Canton

Canton, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

J D McCauley
|KO
|2
|04/12/1969
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

, United States
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|3–1
|align=left| Lee Roy
|KO
|3
|21/11/1969
|align=left|

Rapid City

Rapid City, South Dakota

Rapid City is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota, and the county seat of Pennington County. Named after Rapid Creek on which the city is established, it is set against the eastern slope of the Black Hills mountain range. The population was 67,956 as of the 2010 Census. Rapid...

, South Dakota

South Dakota

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...

Stan Johnson
|UD
|6
|13/11/1969
|align=left|

Arena

Seattle Ice Arena

The Seattle Ice Arena was a 4,000-seat multi-purpose arena located in the Metropolitan Tract in Seattle, Washington.The Arena was home to the Seattle Metropolitans Pacific Coast Hockey Association franchise from 1915 to 1924. It was built in 1915 at the cost of $100,000. It was located across from...

, Seattle, Washington

Seattle, Washington

Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...

George Holden
|KO
|1
|11/11/1969
|align=left|

Orlando Sports Stadium

Orlando Sports Stadium was an indoor arena, located in Orlando, Florida. The venue was opened in 1967 and was later re-named after professional wrestler and promoter Eddie Graham....

, Orlando

Orlando, Florida

, Florida

Florida

Silas Howell
|KO
|2
|06/11/1969
|align=left|

Akron

Akron, Ohio

, Ohio

Ohio

, United States
|align=left|
|-align=center

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.