Did Joey Maxim have one of the best chins of all time?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by McGrain, Jul 30, 2021.


  1. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Maxim mixed with an astonishing array of punchers.

    He did 45 rounds with Archie Moore.
    He did 20 rounds with Eddie Machen.
    He did 8 rounds with Floyd Patterson.
    He did 10 rounds with Danny Nardico.
    He did 13 rounds with Sugar Ray.
    He did 42 rounds with Ezzard Charles.
    He did 10 rounds with Freddie Mills.
    He did 10 rounds with Bob Satterfield.
    He did 30 rounds with Jersey Joe Walcott.
    He did 10 rounds with Lloyd Marshall.
    He did 21 rounds with Curtis Shephard.

    Wut? Wuuuuuuuuuuuut? Maxim was down a few times (No. ****ing. Wonder.) but the only stoppage loss on his record was to Curtis Shephard, who stopped him in one round - and with four flush overhand rights. Hatchetman indeed.

    I admit a one round stoppage confuses things a bit but still, Maxim fought astonishing competition and many of the punchers, many of them heavyweight/cruiser punchers. WHo does 72 rounds with Charles and Walcott without being stopped?

    You can see him ship some horrible Freddie Mills punches from forty seconds:
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    Where does his chin belong all time? Pick a category form below, I've included some representatives of those just for fun, but don't get hung up on the names. Was his chin Titanium, Granite, Iron or Notable?

    Titanium: George Chuvalo, Jack Britton, Sandy Saddler.
    Granite: Marvin Hagler, Kid Gavilan, Charley Burley.
    Iron: Nonito Donaire, Bernard Hopkins, Mike Tyson.
    Notable: Joe Louis, Sergey Kovalev, Elio Rojas.
     
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  2. FrankinDallas

    FrankinDallas FRANKINAUSTIN

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    Is today Joey Maxim Day? I didn't get the notice.

    Freddie Mills looked like he has Parkinson's.
     
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  3. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    I reject this post out of hand.
     
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  4. William Walker

    William Walker Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I would say yes, Maxim had a good chin.
     
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  5. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Good wouldn't begin to describe it i think Will.

    I'll say somewhere in the realm of iron - granite. Moore and Charles are pretty hard to do 80+ rounds with for starters. His overall durability is immense. The one knockout and KD's make it extremely hard to put him with Hagler but he's miles more proven than Hags against ATG level opponents and also made the leap up in divisions from where he reigned.
     
  6. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    That's a post Johnny.
     
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  7. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

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    He's got a chin like Chuvalo.
    And he's more skilled than him!
    Aaaaaaand, he's got wins over the first heavyweight champion to regain the title...
    And the man who won the middle weight title most times!!!
    Not bad going Joe, lad.
     
  8. KasimirKid

    KasimirKid Well-Known Member Full Member

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    He took a good punch, but just as importantly he was a defensive craftsman. He didn't allow himself to be hit squarely or with an opponent's full power. And he knew what to do when he did catch one. I guess craftmanship might be considered as part of having a good chin if you define "a good chin" broadly enough, but that part of it is rooted in boxing ability rather than genetics, bone density, or musculature.
     
    Last edited: Jul 30, 2021
  9. djanders

    djanders Boxing Addict Full Member

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    For the most part, I chalk up the Curtis Shephard affair as one of those things that happen occasionally in Prize Fighting. Even The Old Mongoose said Shephard hit about as hard as anybody. Things like that happen sometimes.

    With that said, I would put Maxim's knockout resistance at about Iron/Granite, leaning toward Granite. I wouldn't quite put him in Chuvalo or Cobb territory.
     
  10. Kamikaze

    Kamikaze Bye for now! banned Full Member

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    Hagler belongs at the top with Saddler, Chuvalo needs to be at iron. But onto the question I would put him up there 100% freak stoppages happen sometimes Maxim went on to survive Curtis the next time they fought anyways.
     
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  11. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    That would be fair. A bit of an outlier like Nunn - Kalambay.
     
  12. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He had a top 10 chin probably. I would think guys like Ali, Tua, McCall etc would be ranked slightly higher.
     
  13. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Cobb-anium should be a level above the rest.
     
  14. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

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    Probably Shepherd caught him cold, things happen. You can tell that Maxim believed it was a fluke because he fought him again 3 weeks later. A real pro.
     
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  15. Kamikaze

    Kamikaze Bye for now! banned Full Member

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    You know there is surviving film of Sheppard.
     
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