'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
November 4, 1974
Felt Forum ~ New York, New York
Earnie Shavers ~ 47-3-0 {46 KO's} ~ 6' 0 1/2" ~ 213 lbs. ~ {Age; 29 years, 9 months}
vs.
Bob Stallings ~ 21-23-0 {4 KO's} ~ 5' 11" ~ 209 lbs. ~ {Age; 30 years, 4 months}
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'Bobcat' Bob Stallings
Earnie Shavers was making his comeback bid, after taking 6-Months off. Earnie had only
1-Bout, since losing by {L KO 1} to Jerry Quarry back here in New York on December 14, 1973.
Earnie wanted to make his comeback bid here in New York, in hopes of getting an early-1975
bout with a 'name fighter'.
Earnie was still sporting his 'hair', and was going by the moniker of 'The Dark Destroyer'.
I had seen him during his sparring-sessions here, and he was at 213 lbs., which was more
than he was when he fought here in 1973. He also had bigger arms, so I figured that he had
been lifting weights, which is not good for your endurance.
As for me, my record {21-23-0} made me look like a 'patsy', but I had won '5-Straight' since
June 1973, including an 'upset' over Mac Foster on June 30, 1973.
The last guy to beat me was Ron Lyle, who just barely edged me out by a 10-Round Decision
on May 14, 1973.
I figured that my size {5' 11" and 209 lbs.}, and my style would be a problem for Earnie..
As I liked to get in tight-and-close, and come in real low. With that approach, I could
smother and frustrate my opponents.
I figured that Earnie would come out like he normally does, and unload with everything in his
arsenal in an effort to take me out early. My plan was to ride it out by staying low, and try to
smother him on the inside, so that he couldn't get any room for leverage to throw his bombs.
I knew that I would have to take some 'hard-and-bad' punishment over the first-half of the bout,
but that is 'the business' that I'm in.
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
'Bobcat' Bob Stallings
From the Opening Bell, Earnie came out winging.
From the 'first exchange' in the 1st-Round, Earnie was looking to take my head off. He staryed off
with left-hooks to the body, and then with big looping right-hands to my head.
But I stayed low, and rolled with most of the punches. But, some of the punches did get through, hurt
me real bad.
It was the same thing in Rounds 2 and 3, and I was getting pummeled, and driven around the Ring.
At the end of Round 3 > Referee - Tony Perez asked me > "Bob, are you able to defend yourself."
I told him > 'Yes."
Then he said to me > "One more Round like that {Round 3}, and I'll have to stop it."
When I came out for Round 4, I thought that Earnie would put me away. But though he was landing,
I was able to fend-off his punches.
Later in the Round, he was still punching, but the punches were coming in much slower now. And
he was starting to breathe real heavy, like a Locomotive pulling out of the rail-yard. Then at the
end of the Round, I started to catch him with 'sucker' right-hand counter-punches to the head.
When I came back to my corner at the end of Round 4, I told my corner that Earnie was 'out-of-steam',
and that his punches didn't hurt anymore.
In Round 5, Earnie was pawing with his punches, and I started to move side-to-side, which frustrated
him. He was missing with all his punches now, and I was counter-punching him with looping right-hands
smack in his face.
In Round 6, I did the same thing, and I was really confusing him. He was really frustrated that he couldn't
catch me with anything. He missed me with everything he threw.
In Round 7, I started to take control, as I was beating Earnie to the punch. But I got a little too careless,
and he nailed me with a big left-hook to the body, and a right-hand to the head. I was 'shaken', and
Earnie unloaded with heavy left-hooks to the body, and right-hands to the head. I saw 'stars' as I got
battered to the Ropes.
I was barely able to ride out the storm, but I made it to the Bell. At the end of the Round, Earnie looked
completely exhausted, as he burned himself up.
When I came out for Round 8, I knew that Earnie was 'tired'. I moved in on him, and just slammed in
my best right-hands on his head. I drove him to the Ropes, and just kept working. Earnie did little, other
than cover up with his hands held high.
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
'Bobcat' Bob Stallings
Coming out for Round 9, I knew that I needed to win the last 2-Rounds.
I moved in close on Earnie, and made him punch. But I was too cagey and kept moving,
not allowing to him get set to unload his heavy-punches. I just kept countering him with
short left-hooks and straight right-hands each time that he would load-up.
Then by the {2:00 Mark} he started to drop his guard as he was 'spent'. Then I started
teeing off with 'looping' right-hands, which landed on his chin. I shook him up pretty good
while backing him up near the back-left Ropes.
Then I caught him with '2' right-hand wallops to his jaw, and he spun into the Ropes 'dazed'.
As I moved in, I landed another right-hand to his jaw as he was going down.
He dropped to the canvas. He was both exhausted and demoralized. He stayed down for
a '9-Count' as Referee - Tony Perez tolled off the count.
When he got up, I moved in and walloped him agan with right-hands. He just barely survived
Round 9.
{Below, Earnie Shavers takes a '9-Count' from referee - Tony Perez}.
http://img2.newspapers.com/img/thumb....jpg?cs=604800
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
'Bobcat' Bob Stallings
Bob Stallings raised his hands and celebrates after dropping Earnie Shavers in Round 9.
http://img2.newspapers.com/img/thumb....jpg?cs=604800
At the end of Round 9, I knew that the bout was mine to win. All I had to do was keep the
pressure on Earnie in Round 10, and not make any mistakes.
In Round 10, I came out by using constant movement. I kept bobbing-and-weaving, presenting
angles and left Earnie with 'no openings to unload his heavy punches on.
He tried to counter, but his arms were weary and his punches were slow. Then I started to 'zing'
him with my right-hand leads, and I bounced several punches flush off of his head.
Late in the Round I had him wobbly, but I wasn't the type of fighter with a big KO punch.
I still poured it on over the last 30-Seconds, but Earnie hung in there despite being completely
exhausted.
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
'Bobcat' Bob Stallings
Despite me beating and 'lumping up' Earnie Shavers, I didn't get that much recognition.
Even the sports headline newspaper reports failed to mention me. Instead they mentioned
that Earnie lost.
'Shavers Loses Decision'
'Shavers Comeback Bid Stalled In New York'
'Shavers Nicked In New York'
I was now being labeled as a 'Super Underdog'. And a short-squat counter-puncher with
a losing record.
I really liked the label, the 'burly' New York journeyman that enjoyed losing.
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
brocktonblockbust
shavers was was tired by the fourth round. His arms are heavy and his punches was slow. Maybe was from all those weights he was lifting
Correct,
Earnie went to 'weight-lifting' during 1974.
He knew that it would give him even more 'Superhuman Power', and he thought that
it would increase his endurance.
Part 1 was correct, but Part 2 was not.
Earnie was out of steam by the end of Round 4. He needed 2-Rounds to recover, before
making a brief-rally in Round 7.
But in Round 8, he had nothing left.
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ron Swanson
Do you two actually believe weight training hurts stamina?
Or have you come to the widely accepted belief that the wrong type of weight training hurts stamina?
Earnie Shavers {September 1974} >
I need to increase my endurance, as for some reason I cannot maintain my strength
after 4 or 5 Rounds.
I run 5 to 6 Miles a day, and that hasn't helped increase my stamina. A few guys have
suggested for me to lift weights. I will give that a try, and see if that helps me.
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Bill Paxtom
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Ron Swanson
Do you two actually believe weight training hurts stamina?
Or have you come to the widely accepted belief that the wrong type of weight training hurts stamina?
Earnie Shavers {September 1974} >
I need to increase my endurance, as for some reason I cannot maintain my strength
after 4 or 5 Rounds.
I run 5 to 6 Miles a day, and that hasn't helped increased my stamina. A few guys have
suggested for me to lift weights. I will give that a try, and see if that helps me.
Muhammad Ali
"I didn't have any muscles, but I knew how to grab behind the neck and push down on the neck and make faces. Referees warned me in many fights to stop talking. I almost got DQ'ed in my first fight with Frazier for talking too much."
Re: 'Bobcat' Bob Stallings ~ "I Lumped Up Earnie Shavers'
'Bobcat' Bob Stallings
After I fought Earnie, I was pretty banged up. I mean he really dished out
some rough punishment on me. I was so busted up, I couldn't fight for 6-Months.
The funny thing is, I won the fight and knocked him down. Then 3-Weeks later
he's fighting again in Philadelphia.
The man was not human.
