here's what earnie shavers had to say about mike tyson

No offence to Shavers but he needs to shut the eff up, Mike would have whipped his ass blindfolded. Tyson was a freak of nature and still the youngest undisputed champ ever at 21. You'll never see that again. One punch swingers like Shavers come along all the time, talents like Tyson once in a lifetime. Team Tyson would avoid prime Shavers like the plague. If Mike had to go through the guys Shavers did, he would be a journeyman as well.

Any impartial non fan boi knows this to be true. A bunch of bums Very few legit opponents. Brilliant marketing of a glorified bully.

Tyson was great, but he did come up in a bad era for HWs. And he absolutely was fed bums for his first couple dozen fights.

Shavers? the journeyman who got starched by Jerry Quarry in the first round? And lost almost every time he stepped up? His opinion on Tyson is totally relevant. He probably thinks he could hang with Deontay Wilder too.

No offence to Shavers but he needs to shut the eff up, Mike would have whipped his ass blindfolded. Tyson was a freak of nature and still the youngest undisputed champ ever at 21. You'll never see that again. One punch swingers like Shavers come along all the time, talents like Tyson once in a lifetime.

tyson without a doubt is one of the most overrated fighters in the history of the sport. right up there with duran, ali, and leonard. I wonder who he rates above those guys.

Well, I did bet against him when he fought Hollyfield and Lewis. I won both times and I always said the same thing: He looses as soon as he fights someone, I guess I was right at the time and Shavers is right now.

Tyson was a phenomenal puncher so would always be succesful. Roach said Tyson was best puncher he trained

I'm not much of a Tyson fan, but Shavers seems to forget that he was KO'd by heavyweights who wouldn't have been very good in any era. He was one of the hardest punchers who ever lived, but if we're being honest, Shavers was a one trick pony. - - Big tribute to my buddy, Scott, R.I.P. I might embellish with Shavers was ONE Helluva One Trick Pony and quite beloved for it! Moreover, he's still with us to this day. Last I seen him in public he had Ms Cecilia Braekhus on his arm.

Ridiculous. A pre-'90 Tyson would have given ANY era a lot to think about. absolutely correct!

Yeah but Shavers was still at the top in his mid 30's when he KO'd Ken Norton (former champ coming off a split decision loss to Holmes). He then gave a spirited effort against Larry Holmes. Shavers was effective from the early 70's to the 80's. He always had his power, the only thing he ever really had. I hold Tyson to a different standard, IMO he was only at his best for 3-4 years from 86 to 90 (if even that). He was still effective in his 30's but never like he was in his early 20's. Tyson had willpower no doubt but Shavers made a career out of taking beatings and coming back to KO his opponent (especially in his older days). If Tyson only had his power and his fighting heart, I doubt he would've been much of a fighter. But he was a complete boxer, much better in his short prime than Shavers ever was. yeah he did take care of norton in a devastating fashion, not to discredit earnie, but shavers was a finished fighter after the holmes fight, and he didnt have much of a chin to start with. had he faced tyson i hold it that tyson would have the same effect that foreman, shavers, and lastly cooney had. and yes tyson without the skills taught to him by damato wouldnt have been as succesfull, simply because of his size in time when the heavyweights of new generation came along. having a teacher like damato at an early age was a big benefit for tyson. the amount of skill that tyson had was a big substitude for his height, and lack of reach. tyson himself said in the interview that he wished that he was smaller, because the little guys always displayed more skill and smarts.

shavers did fight into his 50s but none of his victories past his younger years really mean anything on his record today. he was only moderately successfull. tyson could do that now, and come out and have the same result that shavers had. going out, feeling good about competing with younger guys. making money on the side while loosing. tyson has the shape to do that, but why should he? Yeah but Shavers was still at the top in his mid 30's when he KO'd Ken Norton (former champ coming off a split decision loss to Holmes). He then gave a spirited effort against Larry Holmes. Shavers was effective from the early 70's to the 80's. He always had his power, the only thing he ever really had. I hold Tyson to a different standard, IMO he was only at his best for 3-4 years from 86 to 90 (if even that). He was still effective in his 30's but never like he was in his early 20's. willpower, is the factor of debate. taking a beating from buster douglas for 8 rounds, and knocking buster down for good 13 seconds didnt require willpower? Tyson had willpower no doubt but Shavers made a career out of taking beatings and coming back to KO his opponent (especially in his older days). If Tyson only had his power and his fighting heart, I doubt he would've been much of a fighter. But he was a complete boxer, much better in his short prime than Shavers ever was.

I'm not much of a Tyson fan, but Shavers seems to forget that he was KO'd by heavyweights who wouldn't have been very good in any era. He was one of the hardest punchers who ever lived, but if we're being honest, Shavers was a one trick pony.

Shavers started fighting in his mid-20's and did well for himself without having anything except his punching power and his willpower. He barely trained for his fights. As limited as Shavers was as a boxer, there was something he had that Tyson never had and that was his willpower and longevity as a fighter (still fought in his 50's!). Every time Shavers lost, he came right back and KO'd a top contender. One only needs to watch Earnie's fight against Roy Williams who was beating Shavers in every department and nearly had him out. The referee was about to stop the fight when Shavers unleashed one last flurry of punches and knocked Williams out. I don't think Tyson had nearly as much raw power as Shavers had but there's obviously no way to know for sure. But Shavers won 30 fights in a row by KO and ended his career with 68 KO's (with 6 fights going the distance, most of them at the end of his career). He knocked out some very tough fighters and had Holmes nearly KO'd with one punch with the canvas waking Holmes back up. IMO Shavers was the harder puncher. Tyson was obviously the better fighter but then again, so were many of the boxers Shavers knocked out. Doesn't mean he would KO Tyson but he always had a chance, the punchers chance. ;) so you implying that shavers had willpower and longevity, something in your words tyson never had, lets agree and disagree. shavers did fight into his 50s but none of his victories past his younger years really mean anything on his record today. he was only moderately successfull. tyson could do that now, and come out and have the same result that shavers had. going out, feeling good about competing with younger guys. making money on the side while loosing. tyson has the shape to do that, but why should he? willpower, is the factor of debate. taking a beating from buster douglas for 8 rounds, and knocking buster down for good 13 seconds didnt require willpower? after his loses shavers came back to knock out top contenders yes. tyson after his loss, knocked out top condenders too, tillman, and stewart with one loss against holyfiled qualify i hope. after nearly 4 years away at prison with no boxing, he came back and waxed 2 champions, no matter how limited those champions might have been at that time. that doesnt take willpower? even foreman admitted that tyson after prison became bigger than life, when most people might have crumbled. how about the beating lennox dished out. tyson could have pulled mccal, or got down in the middle rounds and take the count. instead it took a single right hand from which he could not come back. right hand that destroyed many heavies fast and sound, but it took 8 rounds of serious punishment for that right hand to make an impression. and that 8 rounds of beating, was more painful than the beating holmes laid on shavers after getting up. you're a good poster manchine, i dont have anything against you, i enjoy reading your analysis, but they're couple of things i tend to disagree. tyson was never as dominant as he was when adversity was knocking down his door, but he did what nature had given him, and stood through, when most would prefer to avoid unnecessary punishmnet and embarassment.

all shavers could do was punch,mike could do that and more. Not in the beginning of tyson's career. He used to have a bad habit of going into a rage and completely abandoning his guard. A problem that D'amato luckily fixed before any1 noticed

Shavers started fighting in his mid-20's and did well for himself without having anything except his punching power and his willpower. He barely trained for his fights. As limited as Shavers was as a boxer, there was something he had that Tyson never had and that was his willpower and longevity as a fighter (still fought in his 50's!). Every time Shavers lost, he came right back and KO'd a top contender. One only needs to watch Earnie's fight against Roy Williams who was beating Shavers in every department and nearly had him out. The referee was about to stop the fight when Shavers unleashed one last flurry of punches and knocked Williams out. I don't think Tyson had nearly as much raw power as Shavers had but there's obviously no way to know for sure. But Shavers won 30 fights in a row by KO and ended his career with 68 KO's (with 6 fights going the distance, most of them at the end of his career). He knocked out some very tough fighters and had Holmes nearly KO'd with one punch with the canvas waking Holmes back up. IMO Shavers was the harder puncher. Tyson was obviously the better fighter but then again, so were many of the boxers Shavers knocked out. Doesn't mean he would KO Tyson but he always had a chance, the punchers chance. ;)

I completely agree with him. Great fighters beat other great fighters and what great fighter has Tyson beaten that was in their prime? Everytime he has stepped up and fought the best competition, he has always came up short. In fact, i have always said that i would have favored Bowe over peak Tyson and Mercer would have had a chance at outlasting Tyson. His skills were not overrated but himself as a fighter was.

all shavers could do was punch,mike could do that and more.

i could be wrong but perhaps there's some jealousy on shaver's part. he too like tyson was a puncher who didnt get his day. tyson had just as much power as shavers did, a better chin, and much more skill. and tyson would be a bigger man against shavers (one of the few times tyson would be bigger than his opponent), and would outclass him in every department. they only chance shavers would have is a puncher's chance, but in the end this is excatly the kind of chance that tyson would take as well. as far as prime tyson fighting in the 70 there's no doubt in my mind that he could become a champion, and be ali's nightmare.

Ridiculous. A pre-'90 Tyson would have given ANY era a lot to think about.