Better durability: Holyfield or Tyson?

Very much down to how you define chin.

If we're talking about taking a hard, clean punch without showing much effect its's without a doubt Tyson. But if we're talking coming back from taking a beating it's without a doubt Holy.

 

Agreed. And when it comes to heart, I also rate Holyfield higher.

 

Me too.

Mike was a total god during the 80s, but it's hard to match Evander's resilience (I put only Holmes, Ali, and Frazier up there with him in that respect).

 

Yeah, I’d say my definition of durability goes beyond just taking a beating — a durable fighter can weather a big storm (or a long, sustained one) and then recover to come back at his foe even stronger.

Holy clearly gets higher marks in that area, IMO.

 

Foreman is surely up there as well in winning the title back two decades after first winning it.

 

I’d add Liston to that list. I doubt any other boxer (or human being for that matter) who ever lived could’ve taken such flush shots from Williams’ and live to tell about it.

 

Yeah they would have been carried out in a coffin!!!! Heck there might not have been enough left to fill it.

 

I second that, my friend.

Liston, too.

 

Tyson rarely got hit at his best. When he did, it was usually a glancing blow or one big bomb. He really didn't get hit by too many combinations until Douglas and then didn't get hit by anymore until Holyfield himself. When his chin was tested, Tyson was hard to hurt. But his recovery/heart weren't very good and he lost every single time he was floored or badly damaged. I'd give Tyson an 8/10 chin, 6/10 heart/recovery, 7/10 stamina.

Evander Holyfield was rocked, wobbled, or dropped multiple times as a younger fighter against guys like Cooper, Bowe, Dokes, Foreman, etc. However, he always managed to gather his bearings and stay in the fight. He was only stopped when dealing with severe health issues against Bowe and the Toney loss when past his prime. Overall, I'd say he was a tad more durable than Tyson and was stopped less. Chin 8.5/10, 8/10 heart/recovery, 8/10 stamina.