During the golden age of heavyweight boxers from the mid-1960’s to the mid-1980’s….there was a heavyweight who never held the title….but is considered the hardest puncher of all time….was best known as Earnie Shavers….an American former professional boxer and two-time world heavyweight title challenger. He is considered by most boxing experts to be the hardest-punching knockout artist of all time….having knocked out or stopped fifty of his opponents inside three rounds….as his one-punch power remains legendary in the boxing community. In a career spanning 26 years,…Shavers defeated three world champions in Vicente Rondón, Jimmy Ellis and Ken Norton….as well as top contenders such as Jimmy Young and Joe Bugner. Shavers’ status as the hardest puncher of all time was backed up by former opponents such as Norton, Young, Bugner, Ron Lyle, Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes, and James Tillis…in a career of 89 fights with 74 – 14 – 1 with 68 KO’s. Because boxing fans like knockouts….Shavers was as popular with fight fans…..as almost anyone not named Muhammad Ali.
