Earnie Dee Shaver, best known as Earnie Shavers, was an American professional boxer who

Earnie Dee Shaver, best known as Earnie Shavers, was an American professional boxer who competed between 1969 and 1995. A two-time world heavyweight championship challenger, he is known as one of the hardest punchers in heavyweight boxing history. He scored 70 knockout wins, including 23 in the first round, for a 76.7% overall knockout rate.

Shavers challenged unsuccessfully twice for the heavyweight championship, losing to Muhammad Ali in 1977 and to Larry Holmes in 1979. He hurt Ali in the second round and knocked down Holmes in the seventh round. Shavers defeated former world champions Vicente Rondón, Jimmy Ellis, and Ken Norton, as well as three-time European heavyweight champion Joe Bugner and top heavyweight contender Jimmy Young.

In 2001, Shavers released an autobiography called Welcome to the Big Time. After retiring from boxing he continued to attend boxing events as a special guest, autograph signer, and motivational speaker.

AMATEUR CAREER
Shavers started boxing at the late age of 22. Before turning professional, he had a short but notable amateur career, winning the 1969 National AAU heavyweight title.

In March 1969, National Golden Gloves director Tony Mange said Shavers "carries a hefty punch". He had nine straight knockout wins before he was himself knocked out by the 230-pound (104 kg) West German Horst Koschemann.

HIGHLIGHTS
Shavers posted a 20 to 6 amateur record as a heavyweight and recorded 14 knockouts (with half of those losses also by knockout.)

LINK TO ARTICLE: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earnie_Shavers

TAGS: Earnie Shavers, 21st-century African-American people, Boxers from Alabama, People from Butler County Alabama, Sportspeople with a vision impairment, American male boxers, African-American boxers, Winners of the United States Championship for amateur boxers, Professional wrestling referees, Heavyweight boxers, American Christian clergy

#GeneralKnowledge #AudibleWikiFactory #Audible #Wikipedia #EarnieShavers