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Earnie Shavers, one of boxing's hardest punchers in the 1970s, died on his 78th birthday. Unknown death cause.
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Shavers' career spanned the 1970s and 1990s. He was 74-14-1 with 68 knockouts.
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Shavers fought Muhammad Ali for the heavyweight title in 1977 and Larry Holmes two years later.
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Ali called Shavers "The Acorn" because of his shaved bald head before their Madison Square Garden fight.
Ali needed 15 rounds to retain his heavyweight title.Ali's post-fight comment about Shavers' punches was one of his best.Ali: "Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my relatives in Africa."
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Shavers knocked out Larry Holmes in the seventh round to win the WBC belt.
Holmes beat Shavers in the 11th, but said the punch that knocked him down was the hardest he'd ever taken.
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Shavers' peers Ali and Holmes feared his powerful punches. George Foreman told David Letterman, "Thank God I never fought Earnie Shavers."
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Shavers retired at 51 after several comeback attempts.