He was also known as "The Acorn Black Destroyer".
Shavers retired in 1983 after retinal problems were discovered in his eyes. After retirement, he became an ordained Christian minister and moved to Phoenix, where he pastored for many years. He moved to England to pastor a church there in the early 2000s. He has been on the Benny Hinn tv show several times. He has visited Ali several times and he says he, Ali and George Foreman have become very good friends over the years.