Who had the better chin? Chuvalo is usually credited for having a chin literally cast out of steal ... but later on he admitted that he really didn't take the all the shots that people think he did and was able to block and deflect a lot of them away from vulnerable areas Its the same with McCall ... he was never knocked out or even knocked down during a bout like Chuvalo and faced many dangerous punchers ... was also a regular sparring partner for prime Tyson and was reported to have never fallen I don't think he was ever even stunned in a fight
Chuvalo was stopped twice, LTKOby4 Frazier and LTKOby3 Foreman. He didn't go down in these fights butthey were legit stoppages. McCall was stopped once, LTKOby5 Lewis, he stopped Lewis in teh 2nd round of their first fight. He didn't go down vs. Lewis, he just stopped throwing punches. I give McCall the nod in durability. McCall was taller, heavier, had the longer reach, the better jab, and was simply better overall. I'll take McCall by decision.
McCall was a freak show, Chuvalo would go in survival mode once he was hurt, he also didn't get hit much clean on the jawline. By the time his fight with foreman was stopped he was parrying most of the shots. McCall really is a freak with his chin.
Remember the monster left hook Foreman landed on Chuvalo that led to the stoppage. If that couldn't floor him then I don't know what could. Chuvalo's chin was amazing. McCall's was granite also but I don't recall him standing up to a huge flush shot like that from a puncher the calibre of Foreman. Lewis landed some decent punchers when McCall had his break down but it looked like he wasn't 100% committing to them either, probably because he didn't know what the **** Oliver was up to. And McCall was stunned by Bruno and apparently Bruce Seldon of all people staggered him. Those are minor blips of course but it's enough for me to give a slight edge to Chuvalo.
Bonavena floored Chuvalo , and if i m not mistaken he was not even d only 1 . Chuvalo , Cleroux , 4man , and if i m not mistaken at least another 1 had him "on his bike" . 4man would have KOd him if d ref did not mercifully saved him . Chuvalo's chin's so over8ed . McCall was technically KDd by Bruno and was KDd by Akinwande (flash KD and it was ruled as a slip) D Lewis whom fought McCall was usually destroying ppl in 1-3 rds , 6 with Morison , if i m not mistaken , and that was because Morison was smart . D rematch with Lewis means nothing as McCall was in no condition 2 fight . Prime McCall would have won a decision over a retreating Chuvalo , similar like he did over Jesse Fergusson , only in a yet more convincing fashion . May have even floored floor Chuvalo on his way 2 winning . Chuvalo was twice outpointed by Cleveland Williams , "FFS" .
Bonevena knockdown was ruled a slip,if I recall correctly.I know I read it somewhere.Chuvalo to this day has stated he has never been knocked down and it is his trademark.
I think that the George Chuvalo who fought Muhammad Ali for the first time was a very good fighter. I can't see McCall stoppin him nor vice versa, but I might be able to see George edging him in a razor thin decision.
Bruno was a HUGE puncher at times. He just lacked the instinct and skills to make real good use of it.
Either McCall would work his jab well enough to get a close decision or Chuvalo would outwork McCall to get a close decision. Eitherway it'd be a good, close fight.
It helped Ollie a great deal in that Lewis rematch that LL was being extremely conservative in his approach. If he had planted himself and let the bombs fly, he would have been the first to deck McCall.