Heavyweight boxing

AMERICAN boxer Earnie Shavers who fought Muhammad Ali has died aged 78.The Alabama heavyweight – who had one of the hardest punches in history – won 74 of his 89 professional bouts between 1969 and 1995.
Earnie Shavers, left, took on Muhammad Ali in 1977 but lost on pointsCredit: Corbis – Getty
Tributes poured in on social media to the former boxing starCredit: Getty
That included 68 wins by knockout – with 23 of those in the first round – giving him a 76.4 per cent knockout ratio.
‘The Acorn’ twice lost out as a challenger for world titles.
That included defeat to Ali in 1977 – a unanimous points decision after 15 rounds at Madison Square Garden with the WBA, WBC, and The Ring belts on the line.
Shavers’ other world-title shot came when he lost on a technical knockout against Larry Holmes two years later.
READ MORE SPORT STORIES
He had ten children – nine daughters and one son – including five girls Tamara, Cynthia, Catherine, Carla, and Amy from his marriage to Laverne Payne.
Tributes poured in on social media from the boxing world after the devastating news that came just a day after his birthday.
Michael Buffer: “This is heartbreaking news! EARNIE SHAVERS was one of the deadliest KO punchers in the ‘70s & early ‘80s!
“He had heavy hands and was a nonstop Bomber who fought ‘em all in a Golden Era Of Heavyweight Boxing! R.I.P. KO King – EARNIE SHAVERS – with Love & Respect.”
Most read in Boxing
DAZN Boxing tweeted: “One of the hardest punchers in boxing history.
“Earnie Shavers has sadly passed away at the age of 78. RIP Champ.”
Another wrote: “Generally regarded as one of the hardest punchers, if not THE hardest puncher of all time.
“As Randall ‘Tex’ Cobb put it, ‘Earnie Shavers could punch you in the neck and break your ankle.'”
One user typed: “Sad news. Ernie Shavers. was right there with Tyson and Liston in terms of punching power. He was also a genuinely nice man. He’ll be missed. Rest In Peace, Ernie.”
Showtime TV’s Al Bernstein added: “So sad to hear of the passing of Earnie Shavers. Not only was he a terrific boxer he was also a terrific guy.
“I met him when I did a feature on hims for Boxing Illustrated in 1978. Known him ever since and every moment around him was good. He’ll be missed.”
One user commented: “RIP Earnie Shavers, a ferocious puncher in one of the best eras of heavyweight boxing, and he was a big part of it.”
The Alabama heavyweight had one of the biggest punches of all timeCredit: Getty – Contributor
Shavers’ power caused plenty of problems for Larry Holmes in their 1979 boutCredit: Getty More

ANTHONY JOSHUA’S coach Robert Garcia has been accused of “showing his weaknesses” following recent comments made. AJ linked up with American Garcia for the first time before his rematch against Oleksandr Usyk.
Anthony Joshua pictured with Robert GarciaCredit: Getty
Boxing – Liam Smith & Hassan Mwakinyo Weigh-In – Hilton Liverpool City Centre, Liverpool, Britain – September 1, 2022 Dan Azeez during the press conference Action Images/Molly DarlingtonCredit: Reuters
But Joshua was beaten for the second time on points by the Ukrainian.
Garcia raised eyebrows in a Spanish-speaking interview with IZQUIERDAZO, when saying Joshua “defeated himself”.
And although the trainer said his words were mistranslated, light-heavyweight Dan Azeez fears the damage has been done.
Azeez, 33, told Sky Sports: “I don’t see them working together again and even him coming out now with the mental stuff.
“Maybe people don’t say it to him behind closed doors, but I think it’s something maybe they should have said behind closed doors not come out and say it in public.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“You’re already showing his weaknesses now. Everyone says boxing is 80 per cent mental.
“If your own trainer who’s spent how many weeks with you is saying he’s not mentally strong or insinuating that’s a big thing.”
Garcia is quoted as saying: “During that ninth round, in the corner [we] were telling ourselves we had the fight.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
“Oleksandr Usyk came back stronger. I’ve even thought in these last few days that it was Joshua who mentally defeated himself.
“Joshua was mentally defeated since round ten or 11. Round ten was a big one for Usyk.
“That changed the whole fight, and mentally we were defeated.”
Joshua, 32, is set to return in either December or January following consecutive losses to Usyk, 35.
AJ recently returned to Finchley ABC, his first gym, meanwhile Garcia defended his comments.
I don’t see them working together again and even him coming out now with the mental stuff.Dan Azeez on Anthony Joshua and Robert Garcia
He told ESNews: “I spoke to a Spanish reporter that I know so I gave him a little interview, but from Spanish translated to English, they make it seem like, ‘Oh, Robert is talking s***’, pretty much.
“I wouldn’t say that about my fighters, man. I’ve never done it before and I never will. “The headline is, ‘Robert says Anthony mentally beat himself’ but I never said that.
“I said that Usyk after being hurt really bad in the ninth he came in the tenth like that never happened, he came strong which you’ve got to applaud that.
“So that’s not saying ‘oh, Anthony was beat mentally’. Usyk came back strong and dominated those three rounds.
Read More on The Sun
“I said, ‘Look, Usyk being the winner, the champion and Anthony grabbing the belts that’s disrespecting the champion’.
“But Anthony was frustrated. F*** he hates to lose. He came back and apologised and everything was good.”
Anthony Joshua twice lost to Oleksandr UsykCredit: GETTY More

DEONTAY WILDER claims Anthony Joshua has “a serious stamina problem” and “ran out of gas” against Oleksandr Usyk. AJ was first beaten by Usyk in September 2021 but lost the rematch in Saudi Arabia just last month.
Anthony Joshua was beaten by Oleksandr Usyk for a second timeCredit: PA
Joshua, 32, pushed Ukraine’s pound-for-pound star, 35, all the way but was edged out on a split-decision.
Former WBC champion Wilder, 36, put the loss down to AJ’s inability to keep up with the pace.
He told ESNews: “He has a serious stamina problem.
“We know he would be very cautious of what happened before and, as you see, it was very cautious of him throwing punches and different things like that.
READ MORE IN BOXING
“So the best man won that night. Joshua did exactly what we expected him to do and run out of gas.”
Following consecutive defeats, Joshua now faces a rebuilding job, which his promoter Eddie Hearn hopes to start in December.
Whereas Wilder, 36, returns on October 15 in New York against ex-sparring parter Robert Helenius, 38.
WBA, IBF and WBO champion Usyk and is set to unify his belts with Tyson Fury’s WBC belt in a historic heavyweight undisputed decider.
Most read in Boxing
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS
And Wilder has backed old rival Fury, 34, to become the first to reign with all four heavyweight straps.
He referenced the Gypsy King’s knockout win over ex-cruiserweight Steve Cunningham when predicting the result.
He said: “I think Fury is too big for him. One thing he’s got for him is just his size.
“I look at that fight as like a Cunningham, someone who dominates him but when he gets tired, he looked to lean and all s*** like that.
“But anything is possible, you can’t look past that. You can’t look over Usyk’s skill and ability to manoeuvre around the ring.”
Deontay Wilder makes his boxing return on October 15Credit: Getty Images – Getty More

DEONTAY WILDER has claimed an undisputed heavyweight showdown with Anthony Joshua fell through because the Brit’s team were scared he’d lose the fight.A blockbuster unification fight between the pair was on the cards in 2018 when Wilder held the WBC title and Joshua owned the WBA, IBF and WBO belts.
Deontay Wilder was on a collision course with Anthony Joshua when he was WBC champCredit: AP
A blockbuster undisputed fight with AJ never came to fruitionCredit: GETTY
Wilder has claimed Joshua’s team swerved the fight in order to protect himCredit: GETTY
The eagerly-anticipated grudge match, however, failed to come to fruition, with Wilder insisting Joshua’s team scuppered the fight in an attempt to protect him.
The Bronze Bomber said: “Boxing is a business and I’m here to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
“I have no reason to lie in this gladiator sport but some people are choosing not to believe what I say when I tell the truth.
“Everybody picked me to beat Joshua and that’s the reason why they [Joshua’s team] didn’t want to make the fight before.
READ MORE IN SPORT
“That was the reason why they took me on a six-month rollercoaster because they did everything to avoid the fight.
“They did not want to fight.”
AJ’s promoter Eddie Hearn reached out to Wilder’s representatives last month to gauge their interest in the fight.
Wilder said: “Fast forward years and now we’re seeing it.
JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET A FREE £10 BONUS WITH 100s OF GAMES TO PLAY AND NO DEPOSIT REQUIRED (Ts&Cs apply)
Most read in Boxing
“We’ll see because we ain’t b***********.
“I hate talking about those guys because they put a bad taste in my mouth every time.
“These promoters, managers and s*** like that get in the way of big fights happening because of their greed.”
Wilder, 36, snubbed a lucrative deal to face Joshua in order to rematch Tyson Fury following their controversial draw in December 2018.

In a fiery Twitter rant at The Gypsy King, the American said: “When that fight was a draw, I told you that I would give you a rematch.
“You know I was offered more money to fight Joshua than I was getting to fight you.
“Again being a man of my word, I fought you like I said I would.”
Read More on The Sun
Wilder returns to the ring next month for his first outing since his brutal knockout loss to Fury last October, locking horns with former sparring partner Robert Helenius in New York.
Joshua, meanwhile, is set to return to the ring in December following his split decision defeat to Oleksandr Usyk in Saudi last month.
FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS – BEST NEW CUSTOMER OFFERS More