Between him, Chuvalo and Vitali. honorable mentions to journeyman like Dominick Guinn, Marion Wilson etc. I'm sure I'm forgetting a few others..
Well, he may have the chin but he really only got hit (I mean really hit) twice, both isolated shots from Lewis and Sanders. It's just that for me there is not conclusive enough evidence to suggest that his chin was ultra elite category. In a way that is a compliment as to how hard he was to hit cleanly. Don't get me wrong, Vitali is obviously tough as nails and he took those two bombs well, but for me I'm more impressed with a Mercer who took big power shots from Lewis all night long and took some helacious combos from Morrison and never showed any visible signs of distress.
I don't know how you can rate Mercer higher when he was dropped by Holyfield and was stopped by Wladamir, I'd say Vitali has took bigger shots than McCall aswell. Apart from the second Lewis fight when has McCall to big shots?
The best? I would say no. He's among the best. My reasons why are thus: How many big punchers did McCall really face? I saw him in serious trouble vs Bruce Seldon, I believe it was round nine. Seldon wasn't a big puncher, and since McCall didn't take a lot of bombs from big time punchers in matches, I think he's ability to take it is a little over rated.
Vitali took direct bombs from the likes of Hide, Lewis, and Sanders. He was never down in a long career. Mercer was very tough too, but he was hurt and floored by Holyfield, and down vs. Wlad in round one. Best chins for heavies in no particular order Vitali Ike - Looked the part, and Tua's had no visible effect on him. Mercer Cobb - a little over rated if you ask me, and he did not take many mombs and has a 1st round KO loss on his resume Chavaulo - A little over rated, he did not last long vs Frazier or Foreman. Jeffries Ali Holmes McCall
No one at Heavyweight has been in with more banger at Heavyweight than Ali. Hit took all kinds of leather from Shavers, Frazier, Foreman, Liston. Ali's chin for my money is the best in Heavyweight division...maybe in boxing.
Ali fought many punchers, but him being nearly Ko'd vs Henry Cooper makes me wonder a bit how hard he was to hurt. I am however sold that he had great recuperation powers, and a lot of pride.
I'm glad someone mentioned Larry Holmes and in truth, he should rank very highly in the chin department. While its true that his style prevented him from taking as many shots as other known durable fighters, he was still only stopped once in 75 fights to a prime Tyson when he was 38 years old and coming out of retirement. Throughout that 25 year and 75 pro fight career he took the best that Shavers, Norton, Cooney, Witherspoon, Weaver, Berbick, Tiger Williams, Smith, Mercer, Holyfield and McCall had to offer. Definitely one of those most durable men of all time... And while I'm at it, Ali should be up there too.
Lewis was in with more bangers. Ruddock, Morrison, Tyson, Bruno, McCall, Golota, Briggs, Grant, Tua, Rahman, Vitali I would also argue that he had a very, very good chin, counter to what contemporaries often said. He was just in with so many good hitters that sooner or later he just got caught. His lackadaisical focus in preparation did not help in either of the notable incidences.
Bruno, Grant, Golota, Briggs, Rahman, Morrison? Tyson was not TYSON and Vitali? I do not see any of these guys at the level of FOREMAN, FRAZIER, SHAVERS, LISTON, CHUVALO FOSTER.