Great intangibles like heart and determination. Fitness. If you watch him against Patterson, etc., you will see that he had a lot of ability that he doesn't get credit for. Since he was never knocked down, people think of him often as just a punching bag, which is completely untrue.
Chuvalo always came forward, never stopped, and had better speed, punch combinations and power than many realize. Just watch his fight with Doug Jones, a guy who gave Ali a tough time. You'll see. Chuvalo IMO was the first guy to lay out the blueprint to beat Ali. He was the first guy to consistently work Ali back to the ropes and force him to grab. Frazier took that game plan to the next level with even more consistency, offensive output, head movement, and crisper punches.
He had pretty good power, his defense certainly wasn't great, but he kept his chin tucked, and he had plenty of stamina and was relentless in the ring.
Do you agree with my observation then? He comes across as sombody with an encyclopedic knowledge of boxing technique but not the talent to implement it to its full potential.
George Chuvalo, who is quite sick as I write this, is remembered for having one of the greatest chins in boxing history, but that alone doesn’t do him justice. Sure, the man went 93 fights without ever being knocked down, (giving him the Bonavena benefit) but he could fight. He was built like a tank, hard to push back, and had a stiff, thudding jab he’d use to work his way inside. Once he got there, he was a brutal body puncher — short, heavy hooks to the ribs that took the wind out of guys. He wasn’t flashy on defense, but he knew how to block, parry, and roll with shots to take the sting off, and he had the stamina to keep coming for 15 hard rounds. He didn’t have the hand speed or single-shot power of the very top guys, so he had to wear you down, but combined with that chin, work rate, and inside game, it made him dangerous for every second of every fight — even against the likes of Ali, Frazier, Foreman, and Quarry.
I think he looked good against Quarry also. The KO might have been a bit flukey, but I think he was holding his own throughout the fight, in just the kind of fight Quarry liked. Compare to how much more lauded fighters like Lyle fared.
Chuvalo had decent power that I think is underrated. He had stamina to go fifteen. Good skills on the inside and could work the body too.
Tough, Strong, Capable & Durable fighter, just couldn't beat the Very TOP Men. No Shame in that, it is just the 'Textbook running out to form' for most all of Boxing's Contenders & Top fighters...
