04.04.06 – By James Slater: It’s 1973. George Foreman has recently shocked the boxing world. In a match-up with reigning champion Joe Frazier, underdog Foreman surprises everyone, particularly Frazier, by extinguishing “Smokin’ Joe” in just two rounds. He is instantly reckoned to be invincible and ,to many, a new breed of heavyweight has arrived. To these people, men like the vanquished Frazier and other former champions such as the great Muhammad Ali, are simply too small and not in possession of anywhere near enough power to overcome the gigantic new ruler. To more than a few experts the prospect of a showdown between The Greatest and Foreman is one they do not relish. They fear for Ali’s well-being.
Lower down in the world rankings, a fight occurs that propels another big hitting heavyweight to the forefront. In a match-up between former champ Jimmy Ellis and the hard punching Earnie Shavers, Shavers puts himself in a position to perhaps one day soon challenge Foreman, courtesy of a devastating first round blitzing of Ellis. This is a prospective fight that doesn’t scare the experts, this is a bout that would surely provide an exciting, if short, slugfest between two proven destroyers. Surely, it has got to happen?
Disappointingly, as we all know, this intriguing fight failed to materialise. According to Shavers these days, it was no fault of his and contracts were drawn up on at least three occasions, only for Foreman to fail to sign. This may be true but we must not forget also, that Earnie was to lose his very next fight, to Jerry Quarry, and this surely had something to do with the Foreman fight being lost. Still, Shavers did regroup and his desire to square off with Big George never dissipated. For whatever reason though, the fight just refused to happen.
But, we can surmise as to what would have happened had it done so, can’t we?!
After his loss to Quarry, Shavers gets good wins over the likes of Roy Wallace, Leon Shaw and Henry Clark. The date is now early 1976, and Foreman, after only two successful defences of his title, is just over a year and a half removed from losing it to the legendary Ali. It turned out that Foreman wasn’t unbeatable after all and Ali, in yet another amazing performance, proved how truly great he was. However, after a layoff, George returned to the prize ring to face Ron Lyle. We all know about the utterly incredible brawl that followed. George won in the fifth after being decked twice in a spellbinding slugfest. Lyle had also been in with Shavers, and in a fight almost as good, with Earnie having the upper hand early on, big Ron prevailed in the sixth. These two great fights were staged only four months apart. Wouldn’t it have been good matchmaking then, for Foreman and the always willing Shavers to have met in the summer of ’76? Talk about a perfect fight! Foreman, whose confidence had just been restored with the Lyle win, against Shavers, who was absolutely desperate to get it on with Big George. Although the fight would no longer be for the title, it would still be an incredibly attractive pairing of massive power punchers. In other words, a fight fan’s dream!
So, what would have happened?
The fight is held at the same site as Foreman’s epic with Ron Lyle- Caesars Palace and the date is June 15th 1976.
Round one starts, and both men come out cautiously. Foreman snaps out his left jab and, with both hands held high, tries to sneak in a couple of right hands. Shavers grins at George through his gum-shield as he does so. Then Foreman goes downstairs and unloads two thudding body shots. Again Shavers grins defiance. The bell rings signifying the end of a fairly eventless round. A round all three judges score for Big George.
Round two, and Foreman comes tearing out of his corner like a wild man! He cracks a huge right into the side of Earnie’s head with swiftness and a shocked Shavers is swept to the canvas. He is badly hurt but wobbles to his feet at the count of seven. The crowd is screaming, and so is Foreman’s corner-man, Gil Clancy. “It’s all George Foreman tonight!” he shouts.
Foreman resumes his attack as soon as the referee signals the action to continue. He lets both hands fly and a desperate Shavers does his best to hold. Foreman, remembering the Lyle fight, switches his attack downstairs and a five punch combination knocks some serious wind out of Earnie. It looks a lost cause for him already. But then the bell rings and a weary Shavers staggers back to his corner. The minutes rest passes in an all too brief flash and the bell rings, forcing him to rise from his stool and face the wrath of Foreman once more.
Round three. Shavers immediately goes on the defensive as Foreman swarms all over him. Another big right jars Earnie and a cut opens above his left eye. This is the least of his troubles at the moment, however, and George lands two quick left hooks. Shavers is taking a hellacious beating and many at ringside are thinking it’s all over for him. Then, somehow, perhaps due to Foreman’s complete self assurance, Shavers manages to whip in his trademark punch, the over-hand right. Foreman, thinking Earnie has nothing left, is caught flush on the side of his head and crashes forwards into the ropes.
Only these prevent him from hitting the mat and he has to take a standing eight. The crowd is now in an almost orgasmic state! The savagery continues and an exhausted Shavers throws absolutely everything he has left at a still dazed Foreman, who is now staggering around the ring like a drunk. Clancy has screamed himself hoarse at this time, as he, along with the crowd, cannot believe how Shavers has been allowed back into the fight.
Foreman finds the speed to throw a volley of blows, mostly lefts to the head, and Shavers’ arms drop to his sides. He has absolutely nothing left but his head is clearer than George’s. If Earnie has the strength to hold on until the end of the round he will survive, yet he simply has not. A wide Foreman body shot sends him violently sideways and a follow-up right hand sends him down once more. Earnie bravely struggles to get up but does so just as the count hits ten. It’s over. George Foreman, once again having to dig as deeply as is possible to imagine, wins in a wild and brutal war. He stumbles back to his corner where he gives a shocked Gil Clancy a wink! Amazingly, after such an awesome tear-up, George has the presence of mind to acknowledge his trainer with a knowing gesture, when he looked to have been all gone upstairs! What an incredible fighter. Never again would anyone doubt his massive heart. After this performance, and the one against Lyle, Foreman’s guts and courage are indisputable.
Afterwards, Shavers says he would love a rematch. He is not the only one. The huge crowd would gladly part with honest cash to see something like this again. Both men gave their all and a bout was witnessed that would certainly have to be considered when doing a poll of greatest ever heavyweight battles. Indeed, there could only be one other fight to sit atop such a list. And this fight too involved George Foreman!
1976, what an astonishing year for Big George!